Page 52 of His for the Holiday

I placed my hands on her hips, looking into those gray eyes and knowing exactly what she was worried about. “I’m not going to leave here and forget about you, Sutt. It’s just never going to happen, but I realize that we need time for me to prove it to you.”

“Exactly. That’s what I meant by going slow. We’re not going to make any big, sweeping declarations or promises to each other and we’re not going to pretend that this will be easy. Essentially, we’re starting over, but we’ve both got our own baggage and the baggage we share.”

I brought my forehead down to hers, my nose tucked against the side of hers. “We’ll get through it, one thing at a time.”

“While we’re both also dealing with enormous issues in our own lives.” She let out a long exhale through her nostrils, then pushed away from me and winked before she raced up the stairs. “Which means we’d better make the best of the time we’ve got together, Brunson.”

Surprised by her sudden playfulness, I chased after her and locked the door behind myself. I found the living area empty as I spun around. My eyes narrowed, but a smile tugged at my lips as I stalked through the tiny apartment to her bedroom.

“Are we playing hide and seek now?” I called, chuckling and rubbing the back of my head. I peeked into her room, but when I saw her waiting for me on her bed, my heart skipped and my cock swelled.

She wasn’t fully naked yet, but she’d managed to shed her shoes, socks, and pants, and she was sitting with her back against her headboard, her legs crossed. She flashed me a coy smile. “I didn’t know I was supposed to hide, but I like the idea of you seeking me.”

“I’ve spent my entire fucking life seeking you, Sutton Ashbury.” I strode into her bedroom and stopped at the foot of her bed to pull my sweater over my head. “Now that I’ve found you, I’m never letting you go again.”

After taking off the long-sleeved T-shirt I’d had on underneath, I ran my gaze along her shapely calves and curvy thighs. I caught sight of that damn toe-ring again and I groaned. “It’s weird how sexy I find that thing.”

Surprise flashed in her eyes before she wiggled her toes. “Do you want to suck it or something?”

“Nope, but it definitely does something to me.” I undid my belt, staring right into her eyes, and flicked open the button of my jeans.

Her eyebrows lifted slightly. “Look at me helping you discover new kinks.”

“You are my kink, Sutt. You always have been.”

Eyes softening, she opened her arms for me and I crawled to her, sealing my lips over hers. Kicking off my shoes, I pulled her to me. I’d known since that very first kiss after we’d both gotten back here that Sutton felt like home to me, but as I held her now, my tongue sweeping into her mouth and her hands tightening on my shoulders, it felt like I was finally moving in.