Page 36 of Branded

I clasp her face in my hands and pull her lips to mine.

There is no resistance, no pushback or pulling away. I can feel her wrap her hands around my wrists and hold on to me as her lips part, allowing my tongue access to her soft, perfect mouth.

She tastes like sugar with a bit of tang from her drinks. It’s intoxicating, and if I’m not careful, I could get drunk on her right here where I stand.

I’ve kissed plenty of women in my life. Some have been mediocre, some have been pretty great, but nothing compares to kissing Sawyer Westbrook.

I can feel the rapid rise and fall of her chest against mine, and her body begins this slight sway, almost as if she doesn’t even have control of her movements anymore. She’s just completely lost in this moment with me.

Her tongue finds a slow, perfect rhythm in a dance with mine before I finally pull away with a tug of her bottom lip between my teeth, and then a gentle kiss to it.

“There,” I slide my thumb along her jawline, “Now I’m all right.”

I step back from her with a grin before turning on my heel and heading back down to my truck.

Chapter 9

Sawyer

Icanstillfeelthat kiss on my lips three days later as I’m packing up my bag after dismissing my final class for the weekend.

I can still taste his tongue when I get home forty minutes later and collapse onto my back on the bed, with a smile on my face that has been there since the minute he pulled out of my driveway.

I’ve never had a kiss, a single kiss, affect me this much for this long. It was unexpected and absolutely perfect.

We’ve been texting constantly this week too, which is new for me. It makes me feel like a teenager with a crush. I stay up late when he’s on shift, texting about nothing and everything at the same time. It’s nice to have this connection with someone again. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt the butterflies, and boy does he make my stomach flutter.

The last thing I expected was to actually like him, but he makes me feel comfortable and safe in a way I haven’t in so long. When I look at him, he isn’t a flashing beacon that reminds me of my brother. If anything, he’s helping me heal by actually living.

And at the end of the day, that’s what Jason would want.

My phone is flashing on the counter when I step out of the shower a few hours after arriving home. I wrap myself in a towel, hair still soaking wet sending water dripping down my back.

Isaac: I’d like to apologize on behalf of all men.

Me: I appreciate that. You men definitely aren’t sending us your best, but what inspired this apology?

Isaac: I work with pigs, Sawyer, absolute pigs.

Me: I don’t know. Judging by the calendar Liv showed me, you work with some foxes to me.

Isaac: I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.

Me: Jealous?

Isaac: Of these guys? Hell no.

Me: LOL! Slow night?

Isaac: I’ll never admit to that. Not out loud. It’s a one-way ticket to a long-ass night.

Me: Do you have plans tomorrow after you sleep?

I’m going out on a limb here. I’m showing my hand and opening myself up to the possibility of being hurt, but the truth is, I miss him and I’d like to see him.

Isaac: That depends.

Me: On?

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