“Imaginary dead Nikolett sat up and started lecturing me that it wasn’t my responsibility to protect her.”
“I don’t lecture.”
“Nikki, youloveto lecture.”
She shot him an acerbic look. “If I were to die, it would be due to a gap or failure of a security system, but no system is perfect. Also, the fault would always lie with whoever actually killed me.”
“Almost word for word what Zombie Nikolett said…”
“I’m glad to know your fantasy version of me is at least somewhat accurate.”
“That’s my trauma-informed imaginary version. The fantasy version does very different stuff.”
“No lectures?”
“Hard to do gagged.”
They both froze, each waiting for the other to either ignore or act on that conversational shift.
There was more she deserved to hear from him. Apologies for specific dickhead—or fuckboy—behavior. He should probably tell her who he imagined being at a family dinner in the future.
Apparently, Nikolett was done talking, at least for now, because she once more raised her leg, this time bracing the ball of her foot on his collarbone, the heel touching his chest, but not digging in.
Eric straightened, ass no longer on his heels. She moved with him, the bend of her knee more acute.
Her skirt slid up to the tops of her thighs.
He turned his head and kissed the arch of her foot. Softly. Reverently.
“Eric,” she breathed. “If you’re going to walk away again in the morning… I will kill you.”
“Fair.” Honestly, at this point, if he didn’t have his emotional shit together enough to be the kind of man who deserved her love, he’d throw himself off the cliff. He was probably too heavy for anyone else to toss.
“I don’t want this if you’re going to hold back.”
The fragile look in her eyes was like a punch to the gut. He’d done that. He’d made her scared to trust him.
So he told her the truth.
“I’m yours, Nikki. From now until the end. Everything I have, everything I am.”
He kissed her foot again, needing contact. Hating the thin nylon that stopped it from being skin to skin.
“I had no present and no future because I tried to keep you out. You are my future. I don’t deserve you, but God, I want you.”
She blinked and the tears that had made her eyes luminous finally fell, tracing silvery lines down her cheeks.
“Once we start, I want it all.” He meant emotionally and physically, but right now, given that he was starting to tremble for the force necessary to keep himself still, he added, “Today, once I touch you, I won’t be able to stop until I’ve had all of you.” He held her gaze. “I won’t hold back. I can’t. So, Nikki, if you’re not ready for this…”
“I am.” She dropped her foot from his shoulder, scooting forward until she perched on the edge of the chair, her knees pressing to his midsection.
“I want to be yours,” she breathed.
You are mine, and after today, you always will be.
Eric inched forward, pressing harder against her legs.
She spread them, making space for him between her knees. He scooted in until they were eye to eye.
