Page 48 of The Soul Never Forgets

This is a lovely dream––one that I don’t want to wake from any time soon.

His mouth skims the skin on the side of my neck during his journey to my chest. In one swift motion, the shirt I’m wearing is yanked up and over my head, tossed onto his bedroom floor. He peppers kisses over my skin and then takes my breast into his mouth, sucking and rolling his tongue over my nipple. Every touch, lick, and suck sends a tingle to the center of my groin.

I’m trembling beneath him. My breath is rapid and I’m lightheaded.

It’s amazing how real this feels.

His mouth moves lower and his tongue rakes over my hipbone, forcing my lower body to jolt in response… which startles me awake. My eyes open and I’m disappointed when I realize that my dream has ended before it’s even begun.

Damn. Some very good things were about to happen between us.

Dawsey fists the top of my panties and pulls downward, spreading open-mouthed kisses across the top of my pubic bone.

This isn’t a dream. And it isn’t over.

“Dawsey!”

His only reply is his face diving deeper inside my panties.

“Dawsey! Wake up.”

Still no reply.

Talking isn’t the only thing he does in his sleep.

“Dawsey.” I tap on the tops of his shoulders. “Wake up, Dawsey.”

He opens his eyes and looks up at me. “Gussy?”

“No. Caroline.”

I’m not sure how to feel about that.

He blinks several times and shakes his head. “I was with Gussy.”

“You were with Gussyvicariously. But you are physically with me.”

“Oh man, that felt so real.”

I rest my arm over my chest, covering my breasts. “It felt pretty real to me.”

His eyes widen. “I did that just now?”

“You sure did.”

“Am I supposed to say I’m sorry? ’Cause I’m not.”

“I don’t want you to be sorry. I just want you to be free to be mine.”

He moves away and falls to his back beside me, one arm over his face while the other one reaches down to adjust himself. “Consider that flight booked. Because I cannot keep doing this.”

“Sunday night. We only have to make it three more days.”

“Frank and Gussy made it two and a half months. I can survive three more days.” Dawsey turns to look at me, his eyes wide. “Gussy’s pregnant. She just told me.”

“Congratulations. You’re going to be a father. Sort of.”

“I had the strangest mix of emotions when she told me… or rather, when she told Frank. Fear. Guilt. Worry. Happiness. Excitement. Joy. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”

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