Blake’s mouth crashes against mine, needy and claiming. As his tongue pushes past my lips, I let out a long, deep moan, melting into him. All the ifs, buts, and any other questions holding me back disappear. His free hand grips my hip as his body presses me into the wall, and my body thrums to life.
Chapter 14
Blake
Iwas going to walk away.
I was going to do the right thing—for both of us.
But goddamn, I can’t ignore my need for this woman. I’ve never experienced this type of connection. It’s all-consuming and life-altering. Even though I know we shouldn’t be doing this, I can’t let her go.
Instead, I crush my lips to hers in a bruising kiss and lose every ounce of control that I never had. When it comes to her, there’s no holding back. Kissing her, touching her, it’s a mistake I will never regret.
“Tell me to stop, pixie,” I murmur, trailing kisses across her jaw. She arches her neck to give me more access as I lick and suck on her feverish, sensitive skin. “I can’t be your Romeo, Juliet.”
“I don’t need you to be.”
“Tell me you don’t want to explore this, and I’ll walk away.”
It will fucking kill me, but if she tells me to do it, I will.
“Please, don’t stop.” She cups my cheek and directs mymouth back to hers, deepening the kiss. I’m barely able to catch my breath as we both lose ourselves, our hands exploring as our tongues tangle together.
My dick throbs and thickens as it presses into her stomach, and her fingers slide over my abs until she reaches the button of my slacks.
With a groan, I break the kiss, stilling her hand.
“As much as I need to be inside you, we can’t. Not here.”
Her cheeks flush, and she buries her face in my chest.
“Hey,” I say softly, tilting her chin so I can look into her hypnotising green eyes. “We’ll figure this out.”
My stomach bottoms out when she shakes her head. “You don’t deserve this. Tinsley’s my priority. Shehasto be. I can’t confuse her. You’re her brother’s best friend, and if this doesn’t work out…”
I brush my thumb over her kiss-swollen lips. “Is that why you walked away after that night at Euphoria?”
Swallowing, she nods.
This is dangerous. Her confession should be reason enough to walk away before she becomes an addiction I can’t quit.
I don’t do relationships because I don’t want to turn into him—my father.
If a simple kiss sent me on a spiral, I can only imagine what would happen if I have her and lose her. I don’t deserve her, and she doesn’t deserve my darkness.
I don’t do things in moderation. It’s my curse. I shouldn’t be risking this when she doesn’t know who she’s getting involved with. A stronger man would walk away and ignore the temptation.
But I’ve always been weak.
The thought of not feeling this connection, of never getting to touch her or find out more about her, is unbearable. Worse than the fallout of her finding out about the ghosts I keep buried.
Something about her quiets all the noise inside my head. Being with her feels right, and I want to explore that.
Juliet blinks up at me. “I don’t know what Everett’s told you about his father?—”
I press a finger to her lips, knowing the consequences of both of us going into this blind, but wanting to hold on to this moment a little longer. “He hasn’t told me anything, and you don’t have to until you’re ready. We both have pasts, and nothing we say or do can change them. Let’s take things slow, keep it to ourselves, and see if there’s anything here?”
She sighs. “I have full custody of Tinsley. It will be impossible to find time together. My life’s a mess. You don’t want to get involved with me, Blake.”
