Page 69 of Uniquely in Love

I nodded, covering my cheeks with my hands. “I’m sorry.”

Earlier, he’d almost kissed me. I ran my fingers over my lips. That was what I wanted, right? So why was I avoiding him? Because I was a scaredy-cat. And maybe I had been for the last five years. That was why it had taken me so long to get back on the ice. I’d let my fear and anxiety rule my life, and it had held me back.

Well, no longer.

“You said you had a question?” He crossed his arms over his chest like he was waiting for my answer, and the motion made his muscles flex.

“I—” My mouth was dry. I blinked at him. “What?” I wasn’t sure my brain was working properly. Backing up till my legs hit the couch, I sat down, studying his face. He looked frustrated. Maybe we both were.

Owen padded over to where I sat, placing one hand on the cushion on either side of me. “A question,” He repeated.

“Right. I…” I bit my lip. “Earlier, in the elevator. Were you going to kiss me?”

He groaned. “Did you want me to kiss you, Ellie baby?”

I did. And I was tired of denying it. To myself, to him. “Yes,” I whispered.

His frame was still positioned over mine, caging me in.

“Do you still want me to kiss you?”

I ran my tongue over my bottom lip. Was this insane?Yes. Did I care?

“Yes.”

Owen cupped my cheeks, his eyes reading mine like he was looking for an answer in them.

“Fuck it.” His lips met mine, coaxing me open, and I savored the feeling of his mouth on mine. It had been so long since I’d really been kissed by him, and tonight, I didn’t want to rush things. Then he was lifting me up, pulling me into his lap before settling onto the couch.

It wasn’t a slow, hesitant kiss. This was filledwith need. Needing to be closer to him, needing to feel his hard body under mine. I placed my hands on his chest, squeezing his pecs lightly as his tongue swept over mine, caressing every inch of my mouth.

A small moan slipped from my lips as he kissed the side of my lips and then down my neck, and I rocked against him, needing more friction. I could feel his length underneath me, already half hard, and it wouldn’t take much for me to come like this.

I whined, thrusting my hands into his dirty blond locks, guiding his mouth back to mine. Nipping at his bottom lip, I ground down, letting my head tip back and shutting my eyes.

“Ellie,” Owen groaned, his hands finding my hips as he thrust up against me.

“Oh,” I gasped. Just a little more?—

A phone beeped, and it was like a bucket of ice cold water splashed on us. The realization of what we’d been doing, that I’d been so close to coming on his lap, and how easily this could ruin everything made worry pool in my stomach.

“We shouldn’t do this.” He pulled back.

My heart sunk as I crawled off of him. “Fuck, Owen. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—” I covered my face with my hands, not wanting to look at him.

Not after he’d stopped us. Not when he was basically rejecting me. Of course, he didn’t want this. Of course he—“No.” His hands gently rested over mine, and he pried them away from my face. Those brown eyes I loved were full of worry and concern as he shook his head. “I’m sorry. You’re my roommate and my friend. I’m trying to do right by you.”

I bit my lip. It was me who’d said no sex, that it would complicate things. But God, it was so hard to resist. We both wanted each other so badly.

“Youaredoing right by me, Owen,” I said, resting my hand over his heart. “You always have. Maybe that’s always been our problem.”

He furrowed his brow. “How so?”

I sighed. “Can you look me in the eye right now and tell me you wouldn’t have given up hockey—given upeverything—for me?”

Owen’s furrow turned into a frown. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, if I’d have asked you to pick. Me or hockey. Me or this life. What would you have picked?”

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