Page 65 of My Promise To Keep

I don’t say anything else. I just lean forward into her space a little more, finding her lips with mine as I drive into her, and I’m done. I can’t play games. I need to feel her unravel for me, and I need to see it, hear it. I need to give her everything.

I fuck her somewhere between hard and sweet, pushing into her body over and over as she gasps and moans, loudly begging for more.

As her head falls back and deep, primal moans fall from her parted lips, I know she’s close, and thank fuck, because I’m hanging on by a thread. Releasing her hip, I lower my hand between us and press my thumb to her clit.

‘Yes,’ she sighs as I stroke with the pad of my thumb. ‘That, I…oh, I’m…’

‘I know, baby.’ I groan as she tightens under me, squeezing my dick as she contracts and releases with her orgasm, and I can’t hold on anymore. ‘Fuck.’

I drop my head back, breathing hard and deep as I come inside her.

‘You fucked up your stencil,’ she says weakly, and I look down to see my hand on her thigh, the smudged design beneath it, and I laugh.

‘I changed my mind on the design anyway.’ She grins up at me, and I feel slight panic — don’t run this time, Zo. ‘Stay with me tonight.’

She doesn’t speak, but the softness in her eyes, the sweet smile, and the brief nod says everything. She’s not running.

I’m not tattooing hertoday. As I pulled myself from her body, all I wanted to do was carry her upstairs to my apartment and keep her there. With the promise of food and an appointment in the book for next week, I managed to convince her to give me time to work on something perfect for her and give me this afternoon, tonight, and tomorrow morning to work onher.

As I close the apartment door behind us and she walks into the space she walked away from months ago, things feel a little strange.

‘You doing okay, Zo?’ I ask as I notice her looking around and feel the need to break the silence. She inhales deeply as she turns to me and nods, yes.

‘I missed you so much.’ She surprises me, and I step toward her slowly, tentatively, as though she’s a scared animal that might run if I move too fast.

‘I missed you every damn day.’ I take a deep breath as she holds out her hands for mine, and I take them, stepping closer again. ‘Things got a little weird.’

She laughs. ‘Things got a lot weird, honey.’

Yes, they did.

‘We should talk about it, Zo.’ We never cleared the air. It was so messed up, and we just walked away from each other.

‘I know, but can I take a shower, put on something comfy, and we can talk over food?’

I smile and nod, yes. She’s still not running.

‘Sure you can. I’ll find you something to put on.’

‘Holy shit, this is good.’

We ordered in from a Vietnamese place right around the corner, and she’s right. It is fucking good, but I’m a little distracted by the sight of Zoe in one of my t-shirts, and well, nothing else.

‘You’re staring again,’ she says, her mouth full of the bite she just took, and I laugh.

‘I can’t help it.’

She can’t hide her smile, and I want to understand what’s happening today. She’s different — she seems free, fun — she seems ready to see what we can be.

I probably could have showered with her. She was looking at me like she wanted me to, but no. We may have had sex, but it’s always been an eruption of passion, never something we took our time over, and even though my dick hates me for it, I don’twant us to be laid bare for each other unless it’s more than a quick fuck she’s going to hate herself for and run from. Next time I’m inside her, I want to take my time, knowing I have plenty of it with her.

So, I got her a shirt and told her to order while I showered. Now, I’m sitting here in just some shorts, loving her company but wondering what’s next.

‘Zo, what’s happening right now?’

I ask without meaning to, and she gazes up at me, understanding my question.

‘I got sick of missing you.’

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