Hazel shakes her head, sniffing.“I don’t know how to do this.” She gestures between us. “I feel like I’m failing you. Failing at the most important thing in my life. Like I’ve lost before we’ve even begun.”
Fear and vulnerability crack through her steel exterior, and I pull her closer without thinking. Tears spill down her cheeks, and no matter how fast I wipe them, they keep coming.
“I know it’s hard to believe because woman usually can’t keep their eyes off me, but I’m pretty new to this relationship stuff too.” Hazel snorts, and I feign offense. “Wow. That was so rude.”
I gently rub my hands down her healing calves. “We’ll figure it out together. You’re not doing this alone anymore.”
Her bottom lip poked out. “My head is all kinds of fucked up.”
“Oh, I know.”
“Asshole.” She swats my chest, a hint of her beautiful smile finally breaking through. “So… I can have this? I can have you? All of you?”
“Weird way to propose, but the answer is still yes. Let’s get married.”
“Dean…” She groans.
“Oh, baby, you can have all of me. Everything. My lips, my tongue—” She slaps her hand over my mouth.
“You’re such a creep.” I press a kiss to her palm. And she doesn’t pull away.
I’m in love, my hellfire. That’s what I am.
No way around it. It’s bad. Fatal. And everything I ever dreamed of.
24. Meant to be yours
Dean
Once her wounds close, Hazel slips into the shower while I rush to my room to change, then go back to stand guard outside the bathroom.
She calls me creepy a dozen more times, but now that I know she’s capable of herself, I’m not leaving her alone for long.
I don’t know how far she would’ve gone if I didn’t interrupt whatever sacrificial ritual she was doing. I could’ve lost her. So now, I’m not taking any chances.
When she steps out in soft cotton pajamas, I can’t stop myself from asking if I can kiss her. The second she nods, I’m already there, my lips crashing against hers like I’ve been holding my breath without her.
Sliding my hands under her thighs, I lift her and carry her to her bed, ignoring her protests that she can walk on her own.
I just want to hold her close. Even if it only lasts a few seconds.
I pull back the comforter and settle her in carefully, my eyes scanning her legs and stomach again to make sure every last wound has properly closed.
Hazel tugs me down beside her. I give her a second to get comfortable before my lips find hers again. Her fingers slide into my hair, pulling me closer until I’m hovering over her.
I know I said I was going to get into bed with her—strictly for cuddles—but I wasn’t going to actually go through with it without talking to her first.
She just admitted she’s new to this, and I’m not letting my eagerness ruin it.
So every time I move, every new touch, every kiss on her smooth skin, I pause and make sure she still wants it. I want her to choose me every step of the way.
A Kiss on her cheek earns a quiet yes. I bury my face in her neck, breathing her in. When I trail kisses down her neck, I make her tell me she wants it. Likes it. When my hands settle at her waist, pulling her closer, I wait until she asks for more before I let myself enjoy her warmth.
By the time my hands reach the curve of her hips to grab a handful of her perfect ass, I know Hazel wants to choke me… and not in a fun way.
But I’m not taking this lightly. She’s letting me in, letting me touch her, and I won’t ever treat that like it’s mine to take.
My hand drifts up her waist, slow and deliberate as I caress under her breasts until she’s squirming beneath me, breath catching as she asks for more.
