Page 71 of Let Me Love You

I laugh. “You like romance books but not romance movies?”

She cocks an eyebrow. “I don’t get to watch scary movies often because I worked so much, and anytime I wasn’t working, I was either sleeping or with Summer.”

“Fine.”

She tsks at me. “I know what you’re doing, Mr. Barlowe, but I’ll let it slide since you’re letting me watch a horror movie.”

My cock twitches at her use of my last name. It almost makes me want to play out a scene where I’m the boss and she’s the—

“Are you going to put a movie on?” Her hand lands on my thigh and slides up until her fingers graze my hard-on. “Or did you want me to take care of this first?”

I groan. No—I’m a strong enough man to sit here and watch a movie with the woman I love. Shit. I love her so much my heart aches for her. Even thinking about having to go a single day without her makes my brain shut down.

Since she’s refused to go on a real date with me, this will have to be enough.

For now.

Serenity’s hand makes it to my belt before I stop her. “Tell me a movie, and I’ll put it on.”

Her eyebrows fly up her forehead. “Okay, um, how about Scream? It’s a good beginner movie. Not too scary.”

I hand her the remote so she’ll move her hand. She takes it and flips through the different streaming services before finding Scream.

Her thumb hovers over the play button, but first, she turns to me, and says, “Where’s our popcorn?”

I chuckle. “I don’t have any popcorn, but we can put it on the grocery list.”

She huffs but gives me a small smile.

I wrap my arm around her shoulders and tug her closer. Her head falls on my shoulder, and she snuggles closer. I try to soak up as much of her warmth as I can. That way I’ll have something of her when she’s gone.

I can’t believe her late husband left her in such financial collapse that her life was literally in danger—still is.

“Are you watching the movie?”

“No,” I say on a laugh. No use in lying to her. “I’m sorry. I have a lot on my mind.”

She looks up at me, and her green eyes pierce straight into my soul. “Do you want to talk about tonight some more?”

I shake my head. “I want that in the past.”

“Then what are you thinking about so hard that I see smoke coming out of your ears?”

Her scumbag husband. But I’d rather not ever speak about him. “I’m grateful you’ve come into my life. I know we don’t have a normal relationship, but all of this brought you to me.”

She blinks up at me as her cheeks turn pink. “Our relationship scares me,” she says so softly I’m not sure if I imagined the words.

But I reply anyway. “Me too.”

Her chest rises and falls as she stares into my eyes. I know her well enough to know that she doesn’t want to continue the conversation. It’s too much for her. And I don’t want to scare her away.

So, I lower my head and press my lips to hers, hoping she can tell how I feel without saying another word. She meets me with a hunger as if she’s been waiting for me to make a move. The moment I open my mouth to deepen the kiss, she devours me. I grab her by the nape of her neck and tilt her head back for better access. Her fingers seek out my hair, and she tugs on the short strands.

A girl on the television screams, but the movie is completely forgotten now as Serenity climbs onto my lap, grinding on my instantly hard cock. She rocks her hips back and forth, her ass teasing me, and I groan.

“You’re going to drive me insane.”

She leans down and whispers in my ear, “That’s the plan.”