Page 142 of After All This Time

That smile curves her lips—the one that knocks me on my ass every single time.

"We've known each other forever. What we have… it runs deeper than anything I've ever felt. But you can't honestly expect me to go the next—"

"One hundred and eighty-twodays." The number falls from her lips like a death sentence.

"One hundred and eighty-twodays without sex."

She goes rigid in my arms, muscles coiling tight like she's about to make a break for it, but my grip only tightens. No way in hell am I letting her run from me.

"I don't know what you want me to say to that, Tobias."

"Whatever's in that beautiful head of yours?" I murmur, watching my girl's jealousy crawl to the surface.

"Honestly? I want to tell you to go fuck yourself." She places her hands on my chest, and my fiery little Firefly looks like she's ready to punch me.

I press my lips to her ear, and she relaxes with every word. "And here was me thinking I could come and visit you when I'm not working." I lean in, my lips brushing her ear as I whisper, "So I can get eight inches inside you when I can't take being without you anymore." When I meet her gaze again, she's fighting that smile I love.

"I hate you sometimes."

"Good." I grin, tucking a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. "Told you angry sex is my favorite." She smacks my chest, but that reluctant smile is winning. "Besides, you started this with all that 'don't put your life on hold' bullshit."

"I regretted it the second it left my mouth."

"You're it for me, Mills, and I'll still be here when you come home to me."

"Yeah?" Her doe eyes light up, and all I want to do is kiss her senseless.

"Yeah, I just wish I'd figured it out sooner."

"You know people will say things about us, don't you?"

"Couldn't care less, baby. Let them talk. I'll take you home and fuck every last one of their jealous comments right out of your mind until the only thing you remember is the way it feels when we're together."

As I look into her big brown eyes, those three little words sit heavy on my tongue. I'll say them, and she'll hear them. But I want them to be pure—untainted by goodbye, distance, or fear. Because when those words leave my mouth, they won't just be words. They'll be a promise. A declaration that I am, and always will be, hers.

Chapter 53

Amelia

Tobias's mouth on my neck is pure torture in this Uber. His hands haven't left my body since we stumbled out of the apartment, and every touch is stoking a fire that makes me want to sayfuck itand drag him straight home to bed.

"I want you." I breathe against his lips, and his hand slides up my thigh, disappearing beneath my dress. His mouth tears away from mine, and when his eyes lock on me, they're molten. The connection between us sparks like a live wire—a whole conversation happening in complete silence.

No panties.

The realization hits him like a physical blow. His jaw clenches, pupils blown wide with want, and I grab his wrist, dragging his hand back up my dress. I need his touch, his fingers—anything to ease the unbearable ache he's built inside me.

"Fuck, Amelia." Tobias's voice is a rough whisper against my ear, his fingers pressing against me, teasing me until I'm readyto scream. "All I wanna do is put my mouth on your pussy and fuck you with my tongue."

I bite down on my lip, trying to keep quiet as his touch sets every nerve ending on fire. Our poor Uber driver has no clue I'm about five seconds away from coming apart in his back seat. But the guy of my dreams? He always knows.

Tobias pulls back, leaving me right on the edge as the Uber slows in front of Fusion, the club where we're meeting Logan and Harper tonight. My body thrums with frustration, desire pooling between my thighs, but that cocky smirk on his perfect face tells me he knows exactly what he's doing.

It's the first time I've been to a club since moving here. Sure, I've hit a few bars, and obviously, I work in one, but Fusion has a reputation for being the place to go. Harper sold it to me in her typical sunshine-and-rainbows way."They actually play music you can scream-sing to without feeling like a basic bitch."I'm not entirely sure what that means, but coming from Harper, it sounds like exactly what I need tonight.

Tobias steps out first, confident as always. When he turns back to offer his hand, I take it, letting him help me from the car. The second I'm steady on these nude heels, his fingers lace through mine, and he doesn't let go.

It feels as natural as breathing, like we've been holding hands forever. But this tiny part of me still can't quite believe it's real. Not in a bad way—more like that surreal moment when you realize your wildest dream just became your reality. My heart does this stupid little flutter every time I remember that this is us now.

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