Page 82 of Waiting for Her

Our hands battle between us, both trying to slide out of our underwear at the same time.

Legs tangle, an unorganized mess.

“We were supposed to take our time,” he murmurs. “I didn’t plan this. I wanted it to be right. To go slow.”

Knowing he thought of us being together again is all the foreplay I need.

“We have the rest of our lives to go slow.”

He pulls my head down, fiercely kissing me as he rolls us once again.

I look up into his eyes, seeing conflicting emotions roll through his expression. His blue eyes shutter closed, and a pained groan fills the air between us.

Him? Me? Probably both.

His head rests against the crook of my neck and I feel his tongue sneak out, tasting my collar bone. “No, I can’t do this yet, Bri. I promised myself when I had you back in my life, I wouldn’t take a single second of it for granted.”

It’s been so long since I felt the weight of him on top of me. I knew I’d missed it, I had no idea how much until this very second when he shifts his body like he’s going to move off me. I wrap my arms and legs around him and hold him close, relishing in the feel of peace for the first time in over six years.

My skin heats, the contact of his against mine something else I missed so fiercely, I’m suddenly overwhelmed with emotion.

I want to cry.

Not because of how freaking horny and fired up I am, but because it hit me that a moment ago he saidwhennotif.

He pulls back, noticing the tears building in my eyes.

“What’re these for?” he murmurs, thumbing away the moisture leaking from my eyes.

So I tell him. “You saidwhen, notif. I don’t deserve your forgiveness and yet, here I am, receiving it.”

“Who am I to say you don’t deserve forgiveness? My love for you isn’t conditional, Bri. I fellin lovewith you, my heart never allowed me to fall out.”

Grady

Nine days.

It’s only been nine days since Bri resurfaced back into my life. To list all the things that have happened or I’ve learned about the past six years feels like it would take decades.

But we’re leaving it there.

In the past.

Because tonight, I’m taking Bri Jameson on our second first date.

And a trip down memory lane.

Saturday night, I came close to speeding up our reunion, but I wasn’t lying when I told her I had promised myself when I had her back in my arms I would be doing things the right way. I owe it to her, and to myself, to take our time.

Before I left her townhouse, she looked me in the eye and said she’s not going anywhere.

She saw my hesitation for leaving but the assurance she gave me made walking away a little easier.

That’s not to say I didn’t take a cold shower as soon as I got home, which didn’t even come close to breaking through the need coursing through my veins. Eventually I had to turn the water to warm as I wrapped my hand around myself as visions of Bri laid out underneath me filtered through my mind.

Sunday morning, everything simply seemed better, and I knew that even though she had said she wasn’t going anywhere, I needed to be sure.

I had some game tape I needed to catch up on watching and she had another assignment she’d been given forSIthat was due. I know I would have given it all up to spend the day doing nothing but… her, we agreed that we would take things slowly. Or, at least, go out on a date first. After that, all bets are off. She might not know it yet, but she’s mine and I’m ready to stake my claim once again.

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