Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
A heartbeat passes.
Then another.
“Don’t make me double dog dare you,” she whispers.
That’s when I realize I’m scared to death. Scared I won’t be able to stop once my lips brush across hers. Because when it comes down to it, she was always meant to be mine.
“Ford?” My name comes out sounding as if it’s been roughed up and scraped raw. As if she’s just as terrified as I am.
That’s all the encouragement I need to swallow up the distance between us before reaching out and slipping my fingers beneath her chin. “Here’s the thing—once I start, there’s no stopping.”
“I don’t want you to stop.” Her eyes search mine. “Not ever.”
Her words crash over me like a tidal wave, threatening to drag me to the very bottom of the ocean. My voice drops, turning into more of a rasp as my fingers tighten around her chin, biting into the soft flesh. “Do you understand what I’m saying, Carina? If I lay my lips on you, then you belong to me. You’re mine.”
The need to possess her rushes through me.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love you. And I’m sorry for pushing you away. I never—”
Unable to resist for another second, my lips collide with hers, swallowing up whatever she was about to say. Nothing else matters other than her saying I love you.
The first taste is a straight shot to my dick.
Just like it always is.
With my mouth roving over hers, I lose all sense of time and space. When I finally pull away, we’re both breathing hard. The need to lay my hands on her thrums through me and I rest my forehead against hers, staring into her gorgeous blue-gray eyes. They’re ones I could happily drown in.
“Do you mean it? You really love me?”
“I do. If I’m being completely honest, I have for a while.” There’s a pause as she sifts through the emotion in my eyes. “I spoke with Crawford earlier. He admitted to finding us in bed together senior year and then having a conversation with you.”
My shoulders loosen now that the truth is finally out in the open. “I’m sorry about that. Maybe I should have talked to you about it, but he made me feel so damn guilty. Like I was taking advantage of you or the situation.”
Sadness flickers in her eyes. “You didn’t. At the time, our connection was more emotional than physical. We never did anything. Not really.”
No, we didn’t. Just some kissing and light petting.
But I wanted to.
God, did I want to.
I wanted to make her mine in the worst way possible. Had my father not interfered, I would have.
Eventually.
“I tried to tell him that but at the time, he didn’t believe me,” I murmur. “And I’m sure he didn’t want to do anything that would upset Pamela.”
The need to hold her close rushes through me and I tug her back into my arms until I can rest my chin against the top of her head. I’m almost afraid to disrupt the peace we’ve only just found.
“We’ll have to tell them, you know. I can’t keep any more secrets. If we’re going to give this a real shot, then it needs to be out in the open. I won’t hide.” There’s a pause before I add, “I won’t be your dirty little secret.”
She untangles herself enough to meet my gaze. “I’m sorry I ever made you feel like that.”
I jerk my head into a nod. “Neither of us did things the right way and we both made mistakes. But this is our chance to rectify them.”
“You’re right, it is. Did Crawford tell you that Pamela took off?”
My eyes widen at this new development. “Are you serious?”
“Yup.”
I search her gaze, trying to sift through everything swimming around within it. “Are you relieved about that?”
Guilt flashes across her face. “As terrible as it sounds—yeah, I am. Crawford deserves someone who’s going to be a true partner to him in every sense of the word and that’s not my mother.”
I sweep my lips over hers for a second time, only wanting the taste of her to flood my senses. “I missed you so damn much.”
“I missed you, too. More than I ever thought possible. I’m so sorry for pushing you away and hurting you.”
“It’s all right, pretty girl. As long as you realize that right here in my arms is where you belong, then whatever we had to go through was worth it in the end.”
“There’s no doubt in my mind or heart that I was always meant to be here with you.”
I nip at her lower lip. “Good. Let’s get out of here. The way I see it, you owe me a whole hell of a lot of make-up sex.”
A throaty chuckle escapes from her. “Oh, you think so?”
“Yup.”
“And what exactly did you have in mind?”