“What a night of great news! I know how much you’ve wanted this.” Tatum says, returning Mavericks’ excitement from earlier.
“But…”He emphasizes, “Youcannotunder any circumstances tell the girls. Kodi’s going to tell them soon, and I want to give her this moment.”
“You got it,” I say immediately.
Dom mimes zipping his lips and throwing away the key. Nik nods in agreement while Conrad and Tatum promise to keep their mouths shut.
Chapter 18
I Said Sit
Harley
Today’s the day. I promised Violet. I promised the girls. Most importantly, I promised myself that I would tell Collins how I feel about him when he gets home. That I would admit the not-so-fake feelings I have and would give myself over to him completely.
Now I pace back and forth in Collins’ living room, Precious winding between my feet as I go. In the famous words of Eminem, “palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy” and something about his Mom’s spaghetti.
I’ve prepped myself for this moment, making Sin listen to me drone on about what I would say to him. Unfortunately, the moment that Collins’ front door clicks open I lose every thought that I prepared. Then, when his giant, green orbs lock onto me, a soft smile gracing his face as he takes me in from head to toe, I realize I’m going to have to wing it. I do the same, my gaze becoming stuck on the shape of his cock through his gray sweats that hang off his hips.
“Hey, Peppermint.” His voice pulls me from the place I was stuck, and I feel my cheeks heat. Collins’s smile grows as hespeaks, closing the door, toeing off his sneakers, dropping his bags, and opening his arms for me.
“Hi, Collins,” I say softly before jumping into his arms.
“I missed you.” He murmurs into my hair.
“I missed you, too. Can we talk?” I ask, and his smile falls a bit as he puts me down. Rather than saying anything else, I grab his hand and lead him to the couch, where Precious makes herself comfortable in his lap.
“I actually wanted to talk to you, too.”
“Oh.” My eyes drop, the confidence immediately dissipating, and the anxiety that he’s ready to end things between us increases.
“Hey, look at me.” Collins encourages. “I promise it’s nothing bad or at least I don’t think it is.”
“Okay, go on.” I let my eyes come back up to his.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about us. I’ve been thinking about that first time I saw you walking into the club that night with your wild curls around your face. Like this one.” He gently pulls at one hanging out of my bun, causing me to chuckle. “How on that night I told myself I would wait until you were willing to give me a chance, and I’d scoop it up. That I’d wait while you figured out whatever was happening with Benji. So when you came to me that day and asked me to be yours, even if it was supposed to be a ruse, I made another vow to myself. That now that I had you, I wouldn’t let you go.”
My heart stutters in my chest, I can’t get the words out, but I know that I can’t leave him hanging. Everything he just admitted to me is exactly what I wanted to hear. It takes me a moment to gather the thoughts running amok through my head before I can respond.
“I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to hear you say, but when you said it out loud. I realized it’s exactly what I needed to hear you say. It gives me the courage to tell you that you’reeverything I’ve needed and wanted in a man. You’ve given me a sense of peace, comfort, and home that I haven’t had in a relationship, and I don’t want to let that go Collins. I know we said just the holidays, but I want more than that. More of us.” I spit out, everything spills out easier than I thought it might.
Rather than responding, Collins gently nudges Precious off his lap, pulling me into the now vacant spot. My legs find their place on the outside of his thighs while his hands rest gently on my hips. I let mine wrap around his neck, resting my forehead on his.
“Am I dreaming, or did you just say that you want to be mine?” His lips tilt into a grin.
“You’re not dreaming, and I do want to be yours.” I laugh lightly.
“I’m going to kiss you now, okay?”
“Please do.”
Collins moves one hand to the back of my head, pulling my lips to his. Our lips meet gently, but his cock jumps between my legs, causing me to gasp as it turns more heated.
“Can I take you to my room?” he asks between kisses.
“You better,” I demand as he stands from the couch and walks us to his room.
Kicking the door open, Collins walks us to his bed, making himself comfortable against the headboard as he continues kissing me, our need increasing the longer this goes on. I find myself grinding down into his lap while his hands roam over my body, ridding me of my clothes until the only thing between us is his sweats.
