“Sulking around here isn’t the answer either,” I point out.
Her eyes turn into saucers. “Really?” She’s unimpressed. “I think I have valid reasons.”
I do something that I know will calm her down. My hand journeys along her oblique around to her belly, stopping just below her navel, causing her dress to creep up slightly. Meanwhile, I drag my teeth on her skin as I travel down her neck with the occasional playful nip. I feel the goosebumps spread against her warm skin.
“Think of me holding a puppy, think happy thoughts,” I tease her. I circle my fingers around the sweet spot below her belly button that drives up her anticipation for me to go lower and makes her hum in response. I turn serious again. “Did you talk to your father today?”
She growls but stays put against my body. “Why do you care so much?”
“Because you and I have a good thing going. It will be even better if you are at peace with him.”
She throws a scowl in my direction. “Don’t be noble,” she demands.
I smirk in response. “I’m not. I’m being a selfish motherfucker who wants to see you completely content.” I kiss her shoulder, determined to drive her wild.
“You need me happy so I don’t ruin this marriage and your image and hockey season and our parents’ hearts…” she lists.
I huff from frustration that she doesn’t seem to get it, and my head falls forward for a second to gather my strength. “I don’t care about any of that, and if you didn’t get that memo, then I’m failing somewhere. Sometimes you just want to stop the world for someone because you put them first.”
“Why would you do that?” she volleys back.
“Because you love them.” It slips out of my mouth.
Her head instantly perks up, and her eyes blaze with realization.
It hits me that I’m confessing it all. I own up to it because the words come too easily. “Yeah, Hadley… I love you.” Might as well state the obvious.
Her frown disperses, and the corners of her mouth curve up, with her eyes lighting up and softening. “You love me?”
My eyes bounce side to side because she is full of questions tonight. “Yes.” I bring my palm to her cheek and encourage her face to move in my direction so I can entrap her with a kiss. I lean down and kiss her slowly, ensuring my tongue dips into her mouth to make this memorable.
I enjoy the way she sinks into my touch, allowing me to kiss her the way she deserves. We have history and a future. It was always going to be her.
Pulling away, I notice her eyes mesmerized and a wry smile on her lips. “You love me,” she echoes.
It causes me to chuckle softly because she seems to be in a daze, but I’m not complaining about that. It feels exceptional that for the first time in days she seems happy, and it’s my doing.
I’m not expecting her to say it back, and I don’t give her the opportunity anyhow.
Dipping my head down, I capture her lips again while my fingers urge her cotton dress up. I don’t drag this out; I pull her panties to the side and slip my fingers between her thighs and stroke her bundle of nerves that has her whimpering into my mouth. My proclamation did something to her, because she’s slick with want, and it’s easy for me to plunge my finger inside of her.
“Shall I prove it to you too?” I rasp and trail my mouth along her collarbone to the middle of her cleavage, recognizing the way her body shivers. “Show you that your pussy is mine?”
“Connor.” Her body writhes.
My answer is to add another finger inside of her while the pad of my thumb softly rubs circles on her clit. In response she begins to ride my hand.
But when she breathes my name, it always makes me a little untamed.
“I love you,” I whisper against her skin and begin to take my cock out. I’m eager to be inside of her heat, filling her up, letting go because I’m free from hiding anything from her. “I love you,” I repeat as I bring my body over hers and align myself.
“Connor.” Both of her hands come to frame my face in a tender manner.
Hadley lifts her knees high, offering herself to me, and I settle right where I belong. I start slow, keeping our eyes locked as I begin to make love to her, which is new for me. This is different. Very different.
Something inside of her jolts like lightning, and she lifts up to kiss me hard while I thrust in and out of her. I move deeper and harder in response, with her dress now tangled and loose around her body and revealing her bare breasts as she lies back. My mouth kisses any spot that I can find.
“You like this? Me inside of you because it means something?”
