Conceal (The Barker Triplets 3)

“Right,” he murmured against her mouth. “But darlin’, we have all night.”

Chapter Thirty-one

FOR ONE PANICKED moment, Betty Jo thought she should turn her butt around and run away as far and as fast as she could.

This was crazy.

Betty Jo and Beau Simon, together as a couple, was stupid crazy. She’d known from that first day when he’d arrived in New Waterford, that he could break her. She’d always known….

But, oh God, he’d used the L word.

The L word.

Over the past decade, more than a few men had declared their love for Betty but she’d never, ever, said those three little words to anyone, other than Matt. What was this that circled inside her whenever she saw Beau, or even thought of him?

She knew it wasn’t just physical. It couldn’t be. The pull was too strong.

His mouth made a slow path down her neck until he settled in at the base, there where her pulse beat so erratically, she was afraid she’d pass out.

Could you pass out from emotion and lust and the hotness of a man pressed up against you?

Her knees wobbled.

Hell, yes.

His mouth was now traveling back up, his tongue dipping into the corner of her mouth. Teasing. Tasting.

Impatient, she reached for him and opened her lips, sucking him into her as she widened the kiss. His hands were on her butt, holding her in place and her arms were like a vise around his neck.

She kissed him with all the passion and fury and pain that she had. It was raw and real and when he finally pulled back, she couldn’t stand. She sank into him with a whimper.

She’d said everything there was to say in that kiss, but she wasn’t sure that Beau would get it. She couldn’t say those words back to him. Not now. Maybe not ever.

But that didn’t mean that she didn’t feel them. That didn’t mean that those three little words weren’t sewn into her heart and her soul, a perfect patch to close all those imperfect scars.

“I…” she said roughly. “I want you too.” It was all she had in her to say, but the rest was there in her eyes if he was brave enough to look. Most guys would be pissed after declaring the L word and not receiving the same back.

“Good to know,” he murmured. Slowly, his hands relaxed their grip on her, until they slid off her body and dropped to his sides.

Betty licked her lips, wanting the warmth of him back, but she let go as well and took a step back.

He blew out a long breath and ran his hands through that mess of blond hair that she was dying to bury her nose in.

“I didn’t bring you here for this. I mean, I want this, I want to bury myself inside you so badly that it hurts, but I don’t want you to think that sex is all that’s on my mind.”

Her eyes dropped to the bulge in his jeans and a slow grin curved her lips. “Okay,” she said softly.

He glanced over to the kitchen. “Are you hungry? I can fix something simple.”

“No.”

His eyes rested on hers. “Do you want a glass of water?”

“Nah.”

“Milk? I think we have skim.”

“I don’t like milk.”