Page 104 of The Breakaway

Rob laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that sent a shiver down my spine. "Uh, that’s amazing."

I dropped my head to his shoulder. "Well, I wanted to get you something better but it felt like it had to be something I could give to a friend."

Rob dragged his hands over my ribs. "And why were you working so hard to make it look like something a friend would buy?"

My stomach swooped. "Because I had to."

His voice was barely a whisper. "Why?"

I drew a breath.Because I didn't want to admit I had feelings for you.How hard was it to just admit the truth? “Because I had a boyfriend. And I was feeling things for someone else.”

He let out a soft “Hmm” and wrapped a hand around the back of my neck. “So a toilet bowl cleaner was defensible?”

I closed my eyes, moulding to his touch. “Exactly.” Rob threaded his fingers through my hair. I breathed, every thought in my head evaporating as my nerve endings vibrated like plucked strings. “Rob,” I whispered.

“Mmhmm.”

“Will you kiss me?” I forced my eyelids to lift, and my heart stuttered when I realized how close he was.

Rob’s eyes dropped to my mouth. “You said you needed time.”

“I do.” I swiped my tongue over my lips, and Rob’s fingers twitched. “But right now, I also need you to kiss me, or I might?—”

Rob’s lips closed over mine, pulling the breath from my lungs. He kissed like he played hockey. All in. Full throttle.

His fingers tightened in my hair, gently tugging my head back as he dragged his lips over my jaw, down my neck. It was like he’d been studying game tape and knew exactly where my weaknesses were.

He blew through the neutral zone and hit every single one. The hollow between my neck and shoulder. Check. Right below my jaw. Check. Earlobe.Holy shit, check.

By the time he made it back to my lips, I was putty in his hands. How was this so damn good? I didn’t feel like I was placating him. I didn’t feel like he was doing this for him.

Every touch, every push and pull, every flick of his tongue, it was for me. For him. For both of us. He wanted thiswithme. Not just for himself. Not just to look like he was doing it right.

I love you. I’m in love with you.

I flicked my tongue against his, tangling my hands in the neck of his shirt, his hair, anywhere I could grab to pull him closer, to press him tighter.

And then, his lips slowed, his hands still caging me against him. He brushed his tongue over mine, breathing through me, making me a part of him.

His forehead pressed against mine, his lips stilling, connected to mine. He dropped his hands, and grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling it up, and breaking our connection for the briefest moment as he tugged it over his head and dropped it on the floor.

And somehow I knew. He wasn’t doing this because he wanted to push my boundaries, because he wanted to ask for more.

It simply didn’t feel right to have clothes between us.

I reached down and pulled my shirt over my head, then dropped my jeans to the floor, stepping out of them as Rob did the same. I straightened, and he caught my hand, leading me to the bed.

I pulled down the sheet and comforter and slipped in, moving toward the wall so Rob could crawl in next to me. He curled around me and pulled the blankets over us, then dropped his arm over me, threading his fingers through mine.

I closed my eyes, feeling his chest rise and fall against my back.

Somewhere between the steps and this bed, all the panic I felt in Logan’s truck had seeped out of me. I was safe. I was loved.

Rob didn’t need to say a word of it.

Chapter

Thirty-Four

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