Page 68 of Need You To Choose Me

“They don’t hate you.”

“Daniel does.”

Fuck.

I was screwing this up on all fronts and royally.

“He doesn’t hate you. If he hates anybody, it’s me. I’m the one who keeps throwing changes at him, but he’ll come around, just… give him time. I promise you he’s a good kid.”

Her tongue peeks out, sliding over her lower lip, drawing my gaze to that lush pink mouth. “I don’t blame you. You should put them first. I’ll put Munchkin first, always.”

“I know you will,” I say, my throat feeling tight. “You’ll be an amazing mother, Blondie. I’ll put our baby first, along with Levi and Daniel,” I promise. And it was a promise I meant to keep. Rubbing my hand over her lower lip, I slide it to her cheek. “But I’m putting you first, too, Savannah.” Leaning down, I press my forehead against hers, that sweet scent of jasmine and something else, something sweet and wild, filling my lungs. “I’ve gotcha, Sav. You’ll never again be alone. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere, no matter what.”

Her lips part, her fingers digging into my shirt. “You don’t want me,” she whispers, her words barely audible.

“Bullshit.” My hand slides to the back of her neck, my fingers tangling in her hair. “I want you. I’ve wanted you since that first night we met, and I couldn’t stop thinking about you since. You’ve been the only thing that’s been on my fucking mind ever since I laid my eyes on you a few weeks ago, Blondie.”

She starts to shake her head, but I tighten my hold on her, not letting her move. “I want you. You drive me crazy half the time with your stubbornness and independence, but damn it if it’s not the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. I wantyou, Savannah.”

I move slowly, giving her ample time to pull back, but she doesn’t. So I press my mouth to her cheek in a gentle kiss, no more than a fleeting caress. I can taste the saltiness of her tears, my thumb gently massaging her neck.

“I want you, Savannah, but if you don’t want this…”

She tilts her head, those bright blue eyes meeting mine as our warm breaths mingle together, but she doesn’t take a step back. No, that soft mouth meets mine, and fuck it, she tastes even sweeter than I imagined.

Groaning, I swipe my mouth against hers slowly, not wanting to scare her. Her fingers curl into a fist, tugging me closer, all those luscious curves press against me. She moans softly; that low sound sends a jolt of need through my body. My dick is rock hard as it rubs against her belly.

Sweeping my tongue over her lower lip, I deepen the kiss. I slide my hand to the small of her back, pulling her flush against me as my tongue dives into her mouth.

And holy shit.

This kiss was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Her tongue meets mine in a sensual dance like we’ve done the same thing a hundred times before, her body fits against mine perfectly. She pulls back, and I nip at her lower lip before tugging her to me again.

There was probably a good reason why we hadn’t kissed that first night because if we did, I might not have let her go at all. Because if all I could do was kiss Savannah Parker for the rest of our days, I’d take it.

The sound of the approaching sirens snaps us out of our daze, and Savannah pulls back. I stare at her as I try to catch mybreath. There were still traces of tears on her skin, but a healthy glow was back on her cheeks.

“You should go inside.” Savannah sinks her teeth into her lower lip, averting her gaze from me. “Levi is waiting for you.”

This woman…

Even after everything that has just happened, she still puts my kids first.

“In a minute. Levi is safe with the Fernandezes.” Cupping her face, I slide my thumbs over her cheeks, brushing away the tear stains as I wait for her to look at me. “I know this is all messed up, and I know it’s not fair, but I need time to figure this out with my kids.”

She opens her mouth, but I press my lips against hers, effectively shushing her. “However, don’t go thinking for a second that this isn’t real or that I don’t want you. This is what you do to me, Blondie. I’ll be there for you for whatever you need. I’ll be at every appointment, and I’ll give you anything you need. You want me to hold your hand in the delivery room? I can do that. You want me to get the hell out? I can do that too. I’ll hate every minute of it, but I’ll do whatever you need me to do. Be whoever you need me to be.”

Letting my hand slide down, I intertwine our fingers. “We’re in this together, Blondie, but I need you to let me in.”

Her throat bobs as she swallows, but she nods. “Okay.”

I blink, unsure if I heard her correctly. “Yeah?”

“Yes, I…” Her tongue darts out, sliding over her lower lip as she glances away, the words coming out low. “Letting people in doesn’t come easy for me.”

No, I don’t think it does.

This was another small piece of her that made her the woman standing in front of me. I wanted to ask her what happened to make her so guarded, but I had a feeling it would only make her close off again.

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