Kiss by Kiss (Riggins Brothers 3)

“What happened?”

“Aspen tried to talk me out of it. She told me I deserved better, but I thought he was it for me. That he loved me, and all of his ridicule was being done out of love. Turns out it was all just a game to him. The day of our wedding, it was small, but my friends, and what distant family I had left were there. Aspen was my maid of honor.” I stop to catch my breath. I hate talking about this. I wish I could just leave it in the past.

“I’m right here,” Grant says, holding me a little tighter.

“He left me. I can still remember the look on Aspen’s face when his mom came to the door to tell me that the wedding was off. Aspen was ashen, and Elijah’s mom had no remorse. It was as if she agreed with her son’s decision to leave me on our wedding day. I never made it down the aisle.” Another deep breath. “I packed up and moved out that very same night. Aspen and I moved into our grandma’s place while waiting for it to sell. She was having issues with her roommate, and since Grandma’s was still on the market. It gave us some time to regroup, and then I found this building here the same week my parents got a contract on the house, and well, here we are.”

We’re both quiet as I will my heart rate to slow. Grant’s hands roam over my body, warming me, bringing me back from the memories to the present. His touch soothes the pain and turns me on all at the same time.

“I need to turn on the light. I need to see you. Can I do that, Rory?” he asks. There’s something in his voice that I don’t recognize.

“Yes,” I whisper. I’m scared as hell, but if he’s going to end it, I’d rather it be now before I fall any further in love with him because I’m finally willing to admit it to myself.

I’m in love with Grant Riggins.

The bed dips, and the click of the lamp follows, lighting the room with a soft glow. Grant slides back over to me and lies down, facing me. The palm of his hand comes back to rest against my cheek. “I want to erase him from your life. I want to soothe every hurtful thing he ever did or said to you.” He breathes in deeply. “I want to hurt him for what he did to you. I want him to pay for how he treated you.” He moves closer, his lips a whisper from mine. “Most of all, baby, I want to love you. I want to show you what you mean to me every single day. I want to hold you like this every night, and I want to ravish your body until you can look me in the eye and tell me that you’re beautiful, and mean it.” His breathing is labored, and his eyes, even in the dim light of the room, are a deep blue. They’re mesmerizing.

His lips close in on mine. His tongue gently dashes across my bottom lip, and I open for him. There really isn’t another option. Not when it comes to Grant. I fear that I’m getting too close, and this sweet, tender, loving guy is going to turn evil, but my heart knows better. Elijah never put forth the effort as Grant has, and he never said sweet things to me. It was always I love you, and that’s why I’m hard on you, never that he wanted to love me or that I was beautiful.

Grant makes me feel beautiful.

He slows the kiss and pulls back just enough for his eyes to find mine. “I love you, Aurora Steele.” My breath hitches. “Let me show you.” I can’t speak, so I nod.

He loves me. I want to shout it from the rooftops. I want to take an ad out in the paper with the hopes that he’ll see it. That the demon from my past can see that he was wrong. I am worthy of love. I want to freeze this moment in time and never leave this bed. I never want this feeling, this heart-racing, butterflies-going-crazy, soul-soothing feeling to ever end.

Heartbreak be damned. I want Grant to show me. I want to know what it feels like. I want to experience it. Kiss by kiss, he’s bringing me back to life. He makes me want to reach for more, and with each passing day, Elijah is nothing but a horrid memory, and the damage to my heart and my soul, well, Grant’s taking care of that.

“I love this,” he says, as he runs his large hand over my side. “This dip of your hips,” he whispers. His hand is everywhere, tracing over my bare skin. His hard body is pressed to my soft one, and I don’t have the time to feel self-conscious. He’s driving me wild with want and desire.