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“It’s going to be okay,” I promised. “We’ve got your back on this. Change can be difficult to navigate, but you aren’t alone.”
As soon as we made it back to the estate, the sun already below the horizon, I went in search of Jessica. It had been more than forty-eight hours since I’d seen her, and I was already missing her like crazy.
I found her in her room, curled up on the couch with notepads scattered all around, scribbling furiously.
“Hey,” I said softly, stepping through her doorway.
Her eyes widened, and she tossed the paper she’d been writing to the side, jumping up and rushing toward me. I opened my arms, sweeping her into a tight hug as she wrapped her arms around my neck and rested her head on my chest.
I held her like that for a moment, relishing the feel of her body against mine, the scent of roses and vanilla filling my nose. “I missed you,” I murmured.
She pulled back, putting some space between us, her cheeks pink as she bit her lip. “I missed you, too.” She shook her head. “Though I shouldn’t even be saying that.”
“What? Why not?” I reached for her hand, lacing my fingers with hers as I led her back toward the couch.
“Because you’re about to be mated with someone else?” She didn’t meet my eyes as she said it, gesturing to the paper all over the couch and table. “I was just putting the plans together for your final dates—trips home to meet the finalists’ families.”
That was the last thing I wanted to talk about. “Forget about that for now. You work too hard. I’ve missed you, and I just want to be with you right now. I just want to hold you.”
I pulled her close again, noting how her mouth opened in surprise. So far, we’d managed not to give voice to what either of us was thinking or feeling about what was happening between us. But I couldn’t keep ignoring it. Couldn’t move on to the next phase of this Contention without her knowing how I really felt.
“Jessica…” I cupped her cheeks in my hands, staring down into her deep blue eyes. She swallowed hard and drew in a shaky breath.
“Yes?”
I couldn’t speak for a moment, overcome with emotion in a way I’d never experienced. Suddenly, the idea of not having her in my life like this—not being close to her and sharing the most intimate side of myself with her—was too much. Two days away had been harder than I imagined. I simply wasn’t willing to let her go.
Lowering my forehead to hers, I whispered, “I can’t walk away from this. From you.”
She released her breath in a whoosh, her hands coming up to wrap around my wrists as she searched my face. “We have no other choice.”
I shook my head. “Doesn’t matter. We’ll figure it out. I… I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I can’t ignore that.”
Her lower lip began to tremble, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone either.” Her voice shook with the admission. “But there’s nothing we can do, Garrett. You’re on the verge of choosing a mate.”
A mate in name only, but I didn’t want to get into that right now. We needed to have the conversation—and soon—but for now, I just wanted to savor what time we had together, while it was still just us in this magical in-between moment where our external reality didn’t have to exist.
“There is something we can do,” I murmured, moving my hands to her waist, then lifting her up. “We can make the most of this night.”
Her arms and legs wrapped around me, and I held her close, my gaze never straying from hers as I carried her into her bedroom. “We can forget everything else but us, but this.”
I paused at the foot of her bed, and when she nodded, relief flooded me. I hadn’t even realized how afraid I was that she would send me away—that she would put an end to this before we went too far.
Gently, I laid her down on the bed then just stood there, staring down at her beautiful face, silky hair, and luscious curves. Even her oversized t-shirt couldn’t hide her gorgeous body, and I soaked her in, committing the sight of those heavy-lidded eyes to memory, wanting to always have this image of her staring up at me in desire.
Then I climbed over her, bracing a hand on either side of her head as I brought my lips to hers. Softly, sweetly. Her breath caught, and my chest was so full of unfamiliar emotions, I felt it might burst.
Is this what love felt like? Like you wanted someone so badly you needed them more than the very air you breathed? Like nothing else mattered as long as you had them by your side?
I didn’t know—couldn’t know. But as her arms wrapped around my neck once more, reeling me in and deepening the kiss, one thing was crystal clear. I’d never cared about a woman the way I cared for Jessica. And I intended to show her that tonight.
Carefully, I settled my body between her legs, taking my time as I kissed her thoroughly. I wouldn’t rush this. Not tonight. Not when I didn’t know how much time we had left together or if she would be willing to continue this after the Contention was over.
I ran a hand down her side, squeezing her hip before moving to her smooth thigh. Slowly, I slid her shirt up, groaning when I discovered she was wearing nothing but panties underneath. I pushed it higher, revealing her full breasts, her nipples pebbling with arousal. Pressing a kiss to her inner thigh, I hooked a finger in her panties and pulled them down as she discarded her shirt, and then she was gloriously naked beneath me. I sat back on my heels and paused just to soak her in.
When I looked back at her face, she had a sexy little half-grin pulling at her lips. “Not really fair that I’m completely naked while you’re still fully clothed.”
I smirked. “Perhaps we should remedy that.”
