Page 95 of Lovestrung

I entwined our fingers and raised her hand, kissing her knuckles. “When the others get back, we’re going to dance,” I murmured against her skin. “And we’ll spend the rest of the night not worrying about anything. We’re just going to have fun with our friends. Deal?”

Her lips pulled up in a small smile. “You’ve got it.”

I kept staring into her eyes, and the air around us filled with sexual tension. Blood heated my veins, making me more than aware of the semi I’d sported for her all night. So far, I’d managed to ignore it, but now, with the dim lights of the club shimmering over her features in a luminescent dance, it became fucking impossible.

For the millionth time, I wondered if I was living one hell of a dream. If I’d somehow fallen into a world of fantasy or make-believe, because a part of me couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have her.

To call her mine.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” she asked and leaned closer.

I took a deep breath and glanced at her inviting lips when her tongue peeked out to wet them.

“Because I can’t not stare at you. Some days, it feels so unreal that we’re together, and I have to drink you in every chance I get in case I wake up and have no choice but to admit the truth…”

“What truth?”

I took in the confusion in her eyes and hardly dared to breathe.

“That what we have has only been a dream.”

Her eyes gentled as she pulled her hand out of mine and instead framed my face, caressing my jaw.

“Baby, maybe it’s a dream, but it’s one we’ll never wake up from. I promise.”

At her promise, I reached breaking point. This was it; I knew it as much as I knew anything, and that was that I couldn’t hold the words back anymore.

“I love you.”

Her fingers tightened on my face.

“What did you just say?”

The music was so loud that I could hardly hear her.

“I love you. Please love me back?”

She shook her head, and the hope that had grown in my chest mere moments ago died a slow, agonizing death.

“Ethan Collins, you own me, heart and soul.” I stopped breathing at the fierce words. “Asking me to love you is pointless, because I’ve always loved you. Don’t you see?” Her eyes turned misty, and I had to swallow the sudden tightness in my throat. “I’m yours.”

That’s all I needed to hear, and I found myself able to breathe again.

“How did I get to be so lucky?” I perused her face again, needing to remember this exact moment forever.

Her hands flexed, and I pulled her flush to my chest. “I’m the lucky one, baby. You’re like my very own book boyfriend come to life, and all girls want that.”

Guilt at keeping my secret life from her lingered, but once again, I pushed it away. Tonight wasn’t the right time to tell her about it. Tomorrow was soon enough.

I was burning up with desire for her, and I needed to get her home, so I could worship her all night. I cleared my scratchy throat and kissed her nose.

“Let’s go home.”

Her smile gave me the answer I wanted, and the craving in my chest tightened so much, it was almost painful.

One more day, I promised myself. I could give us one more day before I had to come clean and tell her the last of my secrets. If she ran afterward, I’d run after her.

I only hoped she wouldn’t, but even if she did, I’d never let her go. Even if I had to go to the ends of the world to make her understand that, I would do it, because she was worth it.