“Don’t ever pull a fucking stunt that involves another man, or any damn thing that is designed to make me leave you, got it?”
“I’m sorry,” I choke.
My lips tremble against his as he holds me in place with his palm around my throat. His thumb gently traces the edge of my jaw as he licks his lips, the tip of his tongue grazing my tingling ones and making me moan.
“Because, Sinclair,” he rasps, his whisper so hoarse and delicious that it sets butterflies swarming in my core. “… nothing you do will ever stop me from loving you. It’ll never make me leave you, got it? I know you’ve said goodbye to too many people already. I willnotbe one of them, understand?”
My throat presses against his warm palm, and I dissolve into chest-wrenching sobs. “I-I-I’m sorry.”
“Ssh,” he soothes.
“Are you moving back?” I ask, not caring that I sound desperate. He’s right. He does know me. I can’t hide from him. And I don’t want to even try anymore. “Denver, are you coming back?”
“Princess, I never left.”
“What do you mean?” I search his eyes and they burn into mine.
“I helped them move into their new place in LA, then I flew straight back.”
“You’ve been here this whole time?”
He frowns like he can’t believe I ever thought he would really go. “You belong with me, like I belong with you. There’s no way I was taking my eyes off you for a second longer than absolutely necessary.”
I stare at him as I make sense of his words. “You’ve been here?Watching me?”
I lean back so I can study his eyes. His pupils blow wide as doubt creeps into them.
“That makes it sound?—”
“Creepy?” I whisper.
His brows knot. “Sin?—”
“You never left me?” I say in awe, shaking my head. “I don’t find it creepy. I find it insane and kind of hot that you’re that obsessed with me…” I tease, my pummeled heart coming back to life for the first time in weeks. “But…You never left me.”
“No,” he breathes. “I couldn’t.”
“You couldn’t leave me,” I repeat, my eyes dropping to his lips. “I love that you went all secret stalker Brute on me.”
“Sinclair,” he bites with an edge of warning, “I wasn’t stalking you. I was?—”
“Kiss me again,” I order, feeling emboldened by his confession.
He never left me. He couldn’t physically leave me.
His mouth is back on mine, and this time, my hands stop shaking and they sink into his hair, grabbing it and pulling him closer, remembering who I am, remembering who he is.
The man I love.
The only one I’ve ever loved.
“It didn’t count,” I gasp between his all-consuming kisses as he keeps me pinned in place with his strong hands, melding my body to his, exactly how he wants it. “I lied when I said it did. You were?—”
“… your first,” he growls, nipping my lower lip between his teeth. “I know, Princess. I own all of your firsts. They’re mine.”
“They are,” I whimper, kissing him again, my head tilted back so he can devour my mouth from where he’s towering above me.
Heat pools between my thighs at his possessiveness over me.
