Page 89 of All I Need

“Before I would have said I was happy the way things are. But now, I can see a future with a different kind of family.”

“Before?”

“You came along,” I tell her. “I don’t know what that means or what it looks like, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means, the reason why I said I don’t want to freak you out is because only knowing you a short time, I’m already falling. It’s probably too soon, I know that and I’m a patient man and am willing to wait until you’re ready—until you’re at the same place I am. But, Ellie, I see a future with you. Like I said, I don’t know what that future looks like, but I know you’re in it. At least, I hope you are. Do I want a family of my own? Yes. I do now.”

“You really know how to make a woman swoon, don’t you?”

Her words cause me pause. “I’m not saying things that I think you want to hear. This is me.”

“I know it is.”

I kiss her then open her door to help her in. Just before she climbs inside she turns to me and kisses my cheek. “I don’t know what it looks like, either, but I want you in it, too.”

I wrap an arm around her waist, sliding my hand down to cup her ass. Her dress rides up just enough that I get a feel of bare flesh and I instantly feel it everywhere. My body responds to hers in a way it’s never responded to anyone before.

A growl rips through my throat, my mouth descends on hers with a hunger that makes her stumble back into the seat. Her fingers wrap around my shirt, pulling me in closer and I instantly feel regret not telling Grayson to spend the evening at his own house. The desire to have her to myself is so intense. My kiss isn’t gentle. It’s punishing and bruising and I hope like hell that her lips will be swollen from my kiss for the rest of the night. Scratch that. For the rest of our lives. I want everyone who she comes into contact with to see that she’s taken.

“Fuck, Ellie.”

“I know,” she says, turning her head to the side to let me devour her neck. I’ve never wanted to give someone a hickey before but damn if that doesn’t sound like one of the sexiest things ever. I suck lightly on her neck but not hard enough to leave a mark. I’m not a teenager and I’ll never hear the end of it if there’s a giant red mark from my mouth on her neck.

I inhale deeply, my tongue snaking out to taste the little indentation in the center of her throat. Goosebumps pebble her skin and I smile, loving the way she reacts to my touch.

Lightning flashes through the sky and I can’t help but think that it’s the most appropriate timing. There’s a storm brewing… has been since the day I saw her on the side of the road. Thunder rumbles in the distance. As much as I don’t want to, I pull my mouth away from her skin.

Looking down at her, cheeks flushed and chest rising and falling, I will my body to slow down.

“Well that escalated quickly,” she quips and my lips stretch into a grin when she tugs at the hem of her dress before gripping the handle above the door and hopping into her seat. Everything she does is so sexy in a simple way, if that’s even a term. It’s the way she glances at me out of the corner of her eye when she’s teasing or chews on the inside of her cheek when she’s turned on.

“I’m not complaining.”

“Me either,” she admits. “Is this what you had planned for our date? Ravishing me in front of Miss Polly’s house?”

“No, but I rather enjoyed that little detour we took.”

“If that’s what happens when we get sidetracked, I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like when we plan for it.”

“So you’re planning for it?”

She rolls her eyes. “Noooo.”

“It’s okay, Ellie. I think I’ve been planning for it since I saw you raise a golf club to that douchebag’s car.”

“Potential destruction of property is what turns you on, huh?” She tickles my side and I jerk away. “Ohhhh! Ticklish?” Her eyes light up as she slides back out of the pickup seat, advancing toward me.

“No.”

“Liar.” She lunges for me again and I dart away.

“Am not.”

Her eyes shine with happiness. “Then why are you running?”

I shrug. “I’m not. Just excited to get this date going.”

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