“And I’m sorry as hell for pushing, for lighting him up when I should’ve known better. I should’ve listened.” He kisses the end of my nose. “Are we even, though?”
“Even.” I smile and lean in for another kiss. For a few blissful moments, we’re lost in each other’s arms, kissing like the ship is going down.
“Sass.” He leans back, his sky blue eyes so serious.
“Brady.” I trace the line of his mouth with my fingers, loving how his eyes darken from summer sky to winter storm in seconds.
I thought I was hungry, but I’m nothing against the look in his eyes.
“I have something else.” His eyes brighten even as his mouth stays almost still under my softly moving fingers.
“Talk,” I whisper.
“I love you. Longer and harder than a hundred billion dog years.”
My face screws up.
For a second, I’m sure my heart stops.
I’ve never been great with words unless there’s a lot of swearing involved, but I think I can handle this.
“I love you too. I love you so much.” When I smile, it feels like I’m throwing my whole body into it.
“All I ever needed.” He sucks my finger into my mouth and bites down gently, holding me. From the look on his face, he’d like to do a lot more.
But then he pauses and frowns. Some of the light in his eyes dims.
Oh no.
I know what he’s thinking. The pictures.
The disgusting slop Harry kept waiting all these years. The smut I never should’ve been stupid enough to let him capture on film.
All the ways my naked body has been seen by any creeper in this city willing to take a look.
My body isn’t just his anymore, even when I’m offering my whole heart, and it kills me.
“We’re working like hell on getting them down. Every picture,” he rasps. I don’t know whowemeans, but I assume he’s got lawyers for days.
“We will. But not now, please.” I press my fingers against his mouth. “Right now, I don’t want to say another word about it.”
“Lena, I just need you to know—”
“I already do. You never give up on me. Even when I totally deserve it.” I replace my finger with my mouth, feeling the fight go out of him. “I don’t want to wait, Brady. This is my body, isn’t it? And I get to choose what I do with it. Today, I’m giving it to you. Harry can’t ever take that away.”
“Fuck no.” His fingers brush my hair back from my face, and his kiss turns greedy.
Until I fell into his arms, I didn’t know if I’d be okay with being touched so soon after feeling so violated.
But Brady makes me feel safe again. He makes me feel loved and sexy in ways I never felt with Harry. Not even once.
And after all this, after it’s said and done, no one else will ever make me feel like I can’t do whatever I want with my body. Right now, I want to offer it to him more than anything.
I’m taking powerback, yes.
But I’m also taking back control: my love, my life, my destiny.
“You’re so damn incredible,” Brady mutters against my mouth, and then he’s scooping me up, carrying me through the condo until we’re racing inside his bedroom.
