Beautifully Broken

Cara’s fucking beautiful as her eyes light up, and a slow smile begins to tug at her lips. “You think I’m priceless?”

“I risked my life twice for you, Cara. I’ll keep risking my life until I die if it means I can keep you safe because to me, you’re everything good in my life.”

Cara brings her hands to my chest and slides them up to my shoulders. Then, cautiously, she lifts herself to the tip of her toes and presses a soft kiss to my lips.

For a moment, I keep still, not wanting to do anything that will spook her. Her lips are soft and full against mine, tentatively moving as if she’s asking if this is okay.

My heart swells impossibly for this woman, and unable to hold back, I wrap a hand around the back of her neck and brush my tongue over the seam of her lips.

Cara instantly opens for me, and when I taste her for the first time, everything around us fades to background noise.

Holy fuck.

She’s fucking intoxicating. My tongue explores her mouth, and when the hunger inside my chest keeps growing, my teeth tug at her bottom lip.

Slow down.

I manage to pull back a little, so I can see her eyes, and when I don’t see any fear in them, I ask, “You okay?”

As she nods, my hold on her tightens, and then I claim her the only way I know how. I fucking devour her, and it doesn’t take long for our breaths to grow ragged.

I brand every part of her mouth, and it creates a wildfire in my chest when she kisses me back with the same passion.

Christ, baby.

Cara’s body melts against mine, and her fingers weave into my hair at the nape of my neck. Then a soft moan drifts into my mouth, and I fucking breathe it in as if it’s my last breath.

When she moans again, I know I’m reaching my limits, and breaking the kiss, I pull back, putting a safe distance between us.

With swollen lips and eyes filled with desire, Cara looks like a fucking wet dream.

I suck in a deep breath and take another step away from her.

“I’m okay with more,” she says, taking a step toward me.

I shake my head hard. “I’m not.”

Worry tightens her beautiful face, and then hurt flickers in her eyes.

Needing to explain, so she won’t misunderstand, I say, “Once I claim you, there’s no way I’ll ever let you go, and I won’t settle for just a kiss.”

I expect to see fear, but instead, heat flares in her eyes, and it almost makes me take her right here in the open.

Christ, give me strength so I don’t lose control over the situation.

CARA

I’m having a sensory overload. I can still taste Damian. Kissing him was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.

Hot. Intense. Empowering.

God was it empowering.

I take a step closer to him, but then he takes one backward… away from me. He shakes his head again, and it confuses me because I can see the desire in his eyes.

Am I reading him wrong?

“Not now,” he grumbles. “I’m struggling with my control.”

My lips curve up, knowing I’m responsible for his iron-clad control slipping.

Damian stares at me, and when his eyes lower to my smile, he lets out a groan, and then he moves fast.

His body slams into mine, and his fingers wrap around the back of my neck, his thumbs keeping my jaw in place so I can’t move.

When his mouth takes mine, I can’t keep the moan from slipping over my lips. The kiss is hot and heavy, filled with feelings I didn’t even know I had for him.

Yes, there was love, but now there’s actual desire… for him.. for Damian.

And it still feels safe.

Just as quickly as Damian grabbed hold of me, he pulls back again, but this time, he presses his forehead to mine. His voice is low and deep as he says, “I want you so fucking bad, Cara, but we can’t.”

Only then do I feel his hard-on pressing against my stomach, and it makes a sliver of fear ripple through me.

Damian instantly picks up on it. “See, you’re not ready.” He pulls his body away from mine, letting go of me. “You still have so much healing to do. The day we fuck, you have to want it as much as I do.”

Frustration washes over me, dousing the heat flowing through my veins.

I want Damian.

I really do.

He’s all man, hard and rough, and those eyes – they’ve seen all my horrors and not once has he looked at me like I’m less… like I’m broken.

I want Damian.

I let my eyes caress his face, taking in the rugged beauty of the man in front of me.

But… I’m not sure my want for him is stronger than my fear of being intimate again.