“Miranda,” I started, having no clue where I planned to go with this. “I don’t want to let you go. I shouldn’t have let you go to Ohio.” Courage swelled in me, the truth piecing together in my head as I spoke. “I should’ve followed you and camped on your doorstep until we got things right.”
Her breathing quickened and moisture gathered in the corner of her eyes.
I let my fingers slip into the hair behind her ear. I guided her chin up, so I could look her fully in the face. Her hands flexed against my chest. “I’ve tried to move on and date around.” I ran a thumb over her sugared cheek. “But every person I met only reminded me how great I had it with you. How perfect we were for each other. I know it’s too soon and you didn’t sign up for any of this, but I need you to know one thing. I believe without a shadow of a doubt there’s only one person for me.”
She pressed her lips together. I wanted to dive deep into her gaze, to somehow know what she was thinking.
“This second chance with you might be the only nice thing my dad has ever done for me. And I plan to take full advantage. I let you walk away back then, but I don’t plan to let you go so easily this time.”
A tear rolled down her cheek, leaving a wet trail in the splatter of white. Her gaze flicked to my mouth as the tension in the air around us crackled.
I leaned forward, whispering my next words over her ear. “And I’m going to kiss you now, because if I don’t”—I huffed—“I think I may wither and die. Righthere on the kitchen floor.”
I honestly tried to take my time and not rush, but my breathing had frenzied, trying to keep up with the racing of my heart. I brushed my lips across that tear. Then I kissed her forehead. And her other cheek. The tip of her nose.
She grabbed handfuls of my shirt and stood, motionless, letting me caress her face.
“You, Miranda.” I could hardly talk. “You’re the only one.”
Coming in easy was like frantically paddling upstream from a massive waterfall.
My lips found hers. They were just as sweet, full, and soft as I remembered. She braced her hands against my chest, like she was worried we’d get too close. So we just kissed. Chaste. Lips only, with my hands cupping her gently moving cheeks.
Using restraint against the force storming in me caused my hands to tremble against her face. Fire roared through my veins and heat spread through my body. Miranda was home to me. Kissing without proving how desperate I became for her would be impossible.
But after a few seconds, her hands softened on my chest. I stole the opportunity, slipping my hand back around her waist. I tempted the kiss just a bit, letting my tongue meet her lips and hoping she’d want more. She made a tiny pleasure sound and so did I.
The soft duet broke a dam. Her body saidscrew itand her resolve vanished.
It was a long awaited surrender.
We melted together in a sweet relenting.
Going to her tiptoes, she slipped her hands up and around my neck, stretching out against me. My hands pressed her in. As I swept my lips over hers, she angled her face to mine, opening fully.
A groan came up from the furthest place in my gut. I doveinto her, filling her and her me. It took about sixty seconds for the intensity of our kiss to climb to dizzying levels.
She tensed her arms. She wanted me to lift her. Just like we’d done hundreds of times.
I leaned down further, letting my hands slip to the back of her thighs. Hoisting her up was effortless. She ran her hands through my hair and gripped me with her legs. She squeezed me, her every touch firm and demanding more.
I held her steady with one hand and slipped the other beneath her shirt. Her hands traced lines down my shoulders and arms then plowed into my hair again. They left a trail of fire over my skin. I burned for her. Desperate in a way I couldn’t remember being ever before.
I walked her into the living room, bumping into an end table, then let her back hit the couch. I left enough room for her to roll away, push me off if she wanted. But her ankles crossed behind my waist and pulled. Her clumsy, hurried fingers fumbled with buttons on her flannel.
I could not get close enough to Miranda.
“You.” I trailed kisses down as buttons gave way. “You, Miranda.”
A high-pitched cry joined us.
I froze with my lips on her chest.
Her hands stilled on the fourth button.
A loud squeal followed by a call for mommy flitted down the stairs.
Felt like I was going to explode with frustration.
