Page 96 of Duty

“Yeah, I got that.”

“Stop, Andino.”

He chuckled. “No, I mean … I get not knowing, or being messed up over shit that isn’t clear between us. Listen, my fucking life is crazy right now. This—whatever this is with us—is complicated for more reasons than you even know. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to figure it out, you know?”

Because he did.

God, he did.

Haven didn’t reply, and she looked away again. Andino couldn’t have that. He wanted her looking at him—only at him. At least, when she was doing that, he knew what to expect. He could prepare for her next move, and work accordingly.

All he wanted was to keep this woman.

For now, anyway.

“Haven,” he murmured.

She still didn’t move.

Didn’t look at him.

“Haven.”

No, even that time didn’t do it.

Andino’s patience for keeping his distance—as little as there was between them—was gone entirely. He closed that last bit of space, slipped his hands up under Haven’s chin, and dragged her to his body to fit her form tightly against his. A shaky breath left her lips as he tipped her head back, took a single second to stare down into her eyes, and then he was kissing her.

A hard, bruising kiss.

The world disappeared.

It was just him and her.

She responded back instantly—those lips of hers moving against his in a rhythm they both knew all too well between one another now. She wasted no time fisting her hands into his T-shirt, and holding tight to keep him close. Those lips of hers parted, giving him access to the heaven that was her mouth, and Andino took it.

God.

He took it.

There was something about her mouth that drove him crazy. Something about the way she let him devour and conquer her with every single kiss, and yet, never actually gave up the fight to dominate. There was something in the way her tongue danced with his that spoke more truths about them and whatever this was than she ever did.

And he didn’t mind.

Not a bit.

Her kiss held secrets.

It hid truths.

Her kiss woke him up.

He needed it.

“Fuck,” Andino groaned, threading his fingers through Haven’s messy bun to let her hair down. “I missed doing that.”

Her tongue peeked out to sweep her bottom lip, and she watched him through thick lashes. “Did you?”

“Too much, maybe.”