“I was stuck in my head, not sure I could give you what you deserved.”
“You’re all I ever wanted,” I blurt out unashamed.
His hands go to my head, threading through my hair and bringing my forehead to his. “I was existing off a misguided sense of direction. For a long time, I thought I’d lost my chance, living with the fact that you’d moved on. I waited for the day you’d announce you had found someone else. It killed me inside. It took me too long to come to my senses, but when I saw my shot, I took it.”
His confession crashes into me, and I try to process why he didn’t think he could give me what I deserved.
“I know now that even though we worked through it, my mistakes didn’t stop. I thought I had all of you, but I didn’t pay attention. You have a spirit inside you that is incredibly vivacious, and I was riding a fine line. I didn’t want to take the chance of suffocating you. When you left me the other night, I’ve never felt such confusion. When I couldn’t find you, panic set in. The realization that you could leave me so easily sunk deep, and I was faced with reality. I’ve taken advantage of you.”
“I don’t feel that way.” My free hand comes to his cheek, and I run my fingers along his jaw. “I never felt taken advantage of. It’s okay if we want different things out of life.”
“That’s a huge problem for me, considering you are my life. Whatever path we’re on, it’s going to be together. Not for a few thrills, but for the long term. Wild, crazy, beautiful, relentless, passionate, devoted, selfless, uninhibited—every single piece of you is branded on my soul, and I’m not losing that ever again. You are my forever.”
My body rocks against his, my hand gripping his face tighter. “What are you saying?”
“That I love you, Claire Dixon. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember, and you better get used to a lifetime with me.”
The splintered pieces of my heart fly back together, and to my horror, tears pool in my eyes. I momentarily forget about the handcuffs, yanking my arm and yelping when it prickles my wrist. “Uncuff me!” I demand, trying to wrap my arms around him.
“Not a chance.” His lips curve into a cocky grin, and he lets me go, gently pushing my back to the bed. “We’re playing by my rules now.”
“You can’t tell me you love me and not expect me to jump you!”
“As tempting as that sounds, I like my plan better.” He kisses down the column of my throat, across each collarbone, and makes his way to one nipple, grazing his teeth around the edge.
“Oh, no, you don’t.” My back arches and squirms to the side. “This is not happening like this.” I try to grip his hair.
His eyes shoot to mine, and his hand captures mine in the air, forcing it to the bed at my hip. I’m a useless force against him in this position, and he knows it. He licks around the other nipple, alternating between sucking it gently and blowing softly until it’s aching.
It’s a known fact that my body zings alive with his touch, and today, he’s using it to his advantage to work me into a frenzy. I try to thrash, but it’s useless, my movements become weaker and weaker by his seduction.
His teeth graze across my nipple once more before going lower, his intentions clear. My fingers claw at the sheet to get leverage to push him away, but I melt when his tongue lashes along my center.
“Oh, dear God!”
My body betrays me, my knees falling to the side to give him open access as he uses the tip of his tongue to go slowly up and down, delving deeper with each stroke.
“Mine,” he murmurs against my clit, the vibration of his lips shooting a bolt of desire throughout my system.
His mouth moves from side to side, the soft stubble of his cheeks rubbing deliciously on the sensitive skin. I lose the fight to hold his stare and roll my eyes to the back of my head, allowing myself to feel.
He slides his free hand underneath my upper thigh and caresses to the same rhythm as his mouth, taking his time until I’m panting.
Small chants slip from my lips as he swirls, sucks, and kisses, devouring me in a way that gives me no choice but to surrender. He knows the instant I succumb, feeling the fight leave.
“You were wearing a sundress the color of your eyes… strappy sandals that were meant to wrap around my back… and rhinestone clips twined in your hair…”
Holy hell! His words penetrate every inch of my skin as he takes me down memory lane of our first night together so many years ago.
He remembers… everything.
My body trembles and heart melts, struggling to push down the emotions.
His tongue circles once more before he sucks my clit and I erupt, bowing off the bed and screaming into the room. Before I can fall back, he catches me, twisting so I’m draped across him.
“The memories will never fade, but we’re starting new ones today.” He kisses my head, leaving me speechless.
“I promise, things are good.”