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My chest heaved as I glared at the cat that was now twining herself back and forth between Ty’s legs.
Ty chuckled, glancing down at the cat. “I think she wants me all to herself.”
“Hmm, interesting,” I said, crossing over to the door and opening it. I narrowed my eyes on my feline friend. I loved her and all, but I wasn’t in the mood for sharing. “Out, Buffy.”
The cat paused, her head bobbing between the open door and Ty. She hadn’t been out all day though, and I’d only recently started letting her go again. She decided the outside world was more important than a human and she bolted out the door. I snapped it closed behind her.
Ty smiled when I drew my attention back to him. “I have something for you.” He reached back into the waistband of his jeans, pulling out a worn, slightly crumpled notebook. My eyes widened at the familiar blue cover.
“Where…How?′ I stammered, reaching for the basic, college ruled notebook. He handed it over and I took it with reverence. The cardboard cover was a little warped. The pages were wavey, but as I flipped through the first half, it looked mostly intact. None of the ink had smeared.
“It was left down at the creek the night of the fire,” Ty explained. “Thankfully, it didn’t rain while I was gone. It’d just been sitting down there on that quilt the whole time.”
I remembered the night by the creek. I remembered my grief and my loneliness. I also remembered Ty’s kisses. My cheeks flushed.
I hugged the notebook to my chest. I’d written almost a whole novel in these pages. It was the only thing left from my life before the fire. The only thing that had survived—besides me.
I placed it gently on the desk, shocked I had gotten it back. “Thank you,” I said, turning to Ty. “Thank you for bringing it back to me.”
He shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal, even though it was. “It’s yours, Ellie. I’m glad you have it.”
I stepped close to him, placing my hand on his chest. “How will I ever repay you?” I raised my brows, looking up at him from beneath my lashes.
His throat bobbed as he swallowed. His eyes darkened. “Ellie,” he whispered my name and I heard the caution, but also the longing. Goosebumps erupted along my skin as I pushed up on my tiptoes and brought my lips to his.
The kiss was soft, but urgent and he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me in closer, almost crushing me to him. I relished his taste and his smell and his touch; vowing to never take a second with him for granted. Never again. I would cherish every moment I spent with him, no matter how long we were together because hating him wasn’t worth it. Fearing him wasn’t how I wanted to live. Because this, this heat in my chest and the beating of my heart was everything.
Trusting people was hard. Leaving yourself open to getting hurt was scary. But living life without moments like this…moments of bliss and love and pure excitement wasn’t even living at all.
I stepped forward, pushing against Ty’s solid body and he yielded to me, backing up without letting me go until the backs of his knees hit the bed. I gently pushed on his chest, taking my lips away for an instant as he sat down on the mattress, blinking up at me in a daze.
I smiled.
“What—”
I cut off his words by climbing onto his lap. I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I want to make something very clear,” I said. I flipped my long, loose hair over my shoulder. “I have loved you for a very long time, Tyson Ranes. I’ve watched you kiss every other girl under the sun and now, it’s my turn.” I leaned in, kissing him deeply. He groaned in the back of his throat, setting my core on fire. With much difficulty, I pulled away one last time, my chest rose and fell with the breaths he was stealing. “You’re mine.”
His gaze smoldered as he bit his lip. It was almost my undoing. He gripped the back of my neck. “And you’re mine, Ellie Liles.” He pulled me to him, and we melted into each other, our lips tangled in a slow, sultry dance that quickly turned frenzied.
I couldn’t get enough, couldn’t get close enough. My pulse rushed in my ears, pounding through my veins. My fingers tangled in his soft, dark curls. God, I wanted him. I wanted him to know me in ways no one ever had. I trailed my hands down his lean, muscled body and I tugged on the hem of his shirt. He raised his arms without missing a beat, our lips parting briefly as I pulled the fabric up and over his head.
I’d seen Ty’s naked chest before, but this was different. His skin was hot, the woodsy smell of him intensified until my senses felt like they were going to burst. I ran my palms up his arms and biceps, pausing when I came to the gnarly wound stitched up on his shoulder. It was red and puckered and looked incredibly painful even though he’d made no indication he was hurting.
I moved my lips from his, trailing kisses down his neck and clavicle until I came to the bullet wound. The bullet he’d taken for me.
He tensed as I touched my lips carefully against his skin, as close to the stitches as I dared. He inhaled sharply, and I was scared I’d hurt him more. I tried to pull away, but he locked his arms around me, holding me there.
“Don’t stop,” he rasped. “Please, whatever you do, don’t stop.”
I glanced into his eyes that were filled with passion and heat and…love. I placed a hand on his cheek, and he leaned into it, pressing his lips into the palm of my hand. “I’ll never stop loving you,” I said.
I leaned back down, kissing his shoulder and he shivered. I grinned despite myself. I touched his good shoulder with my other hand, pushing gently until we both fell back onto the bed. I sat up, looking down at him and he was…beautiful. His tan skin was smooth and perfect. His chest expanded with a breath, his defined muscles tightening. “I love you, Ellie,” he breathed. I smiled, leaning down and kissing his neck. I trailed kisses all along his velvet skin, lingering on his chest and going lower and lower until he gasped for air. His hand shot out and grabbed my chin, forcing my gaze to meet his. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes shining.
“Ellie,” he muttered. Something about the way I was affecting him made my stomach clench in pleasant ways. He was totally mine, and mine alone. “You don’t…I mean, we don’t have to do anything…” He sounded tortured.
I tilted my head, frowning slightly. “I want to, Tyson. I want you.”
He groaned and reached for me, pulling me up until I was laying on top of him. “Then will you do something for me?” His voice was deep and urgent.
