Hot Mess

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was afraid that if I did, everything would have gone so fast. We’ve only known each other a month as it is.”

“I never would have forced you to do something you weren’t ready for. Hell, three weeks ago, I wasn’t ready for more. Even if you’d said you were staying.”

I swallowed. “I’m sorry. I just needed time.”

“Don’t apologize for being selfish. You had your world pulled out from under you. You didn’t owe me anything.” He covered my hand on his face with his. “I’m sorry.”

“For what? Wanting an answer?” I raised my eyebrows. “Well, here it is: I’m not leaving. I’m not going anywhere. I’m moving to Creek Keys permanently, and if you tell me now you’re not interested in dating me, I’m going to bury you under that goddamn deck. Alive.”

He grinned, pulling me tight against him. The tip of his nose brushed against mine, and his breath tickled across my lips. “Oh, we’re dating. And just you try to get rid of me.”

He tilted his head and kissed me. My entire body was on fire as I wrapped my arms around his neck and plastered my body against his. This kiss felt like the first one, except this had so much more emotion behind it. It was deep and real and hungry, and I melted into it.

My heart thundered against my ribs. Goosebumps prickled over my arms, and a shiver shot down my spine when he deepened the kiss.

It was like a switch that had flipped. Until now, we’d only kissed. Neither one of us had wanted to take our relationship any further, just in case.

Just in case I changed my mind.

Just in case he decided he didn’t want Ari around me.

Just in case, just in case, just in case.

And I was happy for that just in case. It meant we’d moved slowly, without expectation, without any demands from the other.

Until now.

Theo broke the kiss and grabbed my hand. “Fuck this, let’s go.” He dragged me toward the stairs and up them. I fought back a laugh as he abandoned me at the top and peered into Ari’s room. She was clearly asleep because he gently shut the door, then flipped a switch and once again dragged me across the hall.

He pulled me into his room that I’d only ever been in once and that had been because I’d gotten lost on the way to Ari’s room and mixed them up. He paused to quietly shut the door, and I laughed.

That laugh disappeared the moment Theo pulled me against him once again. This kiss was harder and hotter than before, and he wasted no time in exploring my body with his hands. My skin came alight under his touch, and in no time at all, my dress was on the floor and so was his shirt.

Together, we fell back against the bed. I bounced a little on the mattress, but I barely had a chance to squeal before Theo’s lips covered mine once again and I was lost to him. It felt like no time at all until we were both naked and running our hands over each other, touching every inch of each other’s bodies.

We broke only for Theo to go to the nightstand and open a box of condoms. A new one, I noted with a grin.

A grin he noticed and returned.

He pulled one out and put it on, then climbed back over me. I parted my legs for him, and I gasped as he positioned himself at my entrance and slowly pushed inside me.

Theo groaned when I clenched around him, and I wrapped my legs around his waist to help guide him inside me. Heat flushed through my body as he moved, thrusting in and out of me slowly. He peppered kisses down my neck and over my collarbone, all the while heat built in my body.

Tingles moved across my skin. My muscles clenched on and off as pleasure built inside me, and Theo’s breathing was harsh and heavy in my ear.

Moans escaped my lips until he swallowed them with his own, stopping me from crying out too loudly. My orgasm came thick and fast after that, swamping my entire body with an intensity that made my eyes water.

Theo’s followed quickly, accompanied by a groan that vibrated across my lips.

Then he collapsed on top of me, breathing heavily, and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

Yep.

I was exactly where I was meant to be.

EPILOGUE – ELLE

Eighteen Months Later

Theo wrapped me in his arms tightly outside the courtroom, and I buried my face in his neck.

It was over. It was finally, officially, over.

Mitch would spend the next two years in prison, plus have to pay me damages that would go entirely to charity once I received them.

But it was over. I was vindicated.