Page 49 of The Sweetest Devotion

I stood at the end of the bed, taking her in, completely mesmerized. If she were mine, I would’ve taken a picture to cement the memory.

But she didn’t belong to me.

Kennedy told me she couldn’t love me. It wasn’t something I needed to hear. Especially after Leila. But for the time being, I could deal with a little no-strings-attached sex every now and then as I figured myself out.

There just had to be rules in place. A clear guideline to keep things organized and concise.

And right now, we were already breaking rules.

The day had winded down, the sun already having sunk in the sky. She’d wanted to come back to bed, and I’d indulged her.

As a true test to my willpower, I took her on her back, peering into her eyes as I buried myself deep inside her. The sensation of Kennedy made me weak on impact and it took great strength to hold it together. To accept that something in life could feelthatfucking good. Watching her unravel for me, feeling her clench around me, hearing her sounds of pleasure, it all drove me to the edge. Before long, I brought her to the brink, until she was awash in waves of exhilaration, soon coming to shore behind her.

It definitely wasn’t a fluke, and as long as we kept our emotions in check, I wouldn’t mind keeping it going.

I was only wearing my joggers, an attempt to keep myself off her. Her smooth dark brown leg sticking out of my navy bedding called to me. The teasing smile on her full lips I’d yet to taste, irked me. The smell of her perfume soaking the air, made my nose twitch.

It had been too long since I’d had a woman over. Especially like this.

I shook my head. “See, this can’t happen.”

Kennedy fingered my sheets. “Are you kicking me out, Keith?”

I opened my mouth, but the sound of her stomach growling cut in.

Kennedy frowned, pressing her palm to her middle as she sat up. “Guess Ishouldbe going.”

She said dinner wasn’t necessary, but I couldn’t let her go like this. “Nah, stay. I can whip somethin’ up for you real quick.”

Kennedy bit her lip, a habit I noticed she held. A distracting habit. “No, it’s okay.”

“Let me feed you,” I insisted.

Kennedy wasn’t sure. I watched her weigh the idea in her head, ultimately coming to the conclusion it was a bad choice as she shook her head in refusal. “I’m fine.”

Her stomach protested that remark by making a sound once more.

I folded my arms, standing my ground. Okay, I could do the whole “friends-with-benefits” thing, but I wasn’t an asshole. She was clearly hungry and I wasn’t about to just throw her out. Discard her as if she were trash.

“Listen,” I began, getting straight to the point. “I’m nice in the kitchen, but I promise if I feed you, you’re not gonna fall in love with me, baby girl.”

Kennedy peered over at me and I didn’t back down. “Okay, but I don’t eat meat. Just fish.”

That proposed an issue. “I don’t have anything thawed out.” I grabbed my cell phone from my dresser and peeped the time. “And it’s a little too late to order takeout on a Sunday.” I lifted my head as I devised a plan. “I’ll run to the store real quick and get something fresh. Finnegan’s is still open.”

“Oh, Keith, you don’t have to go through all the trouble.” Kennedy sat up some more and clutched my sheets to her breasts.

Not to be deterred, I pressed on as I grabbed a fresh pair of socks from my drawer and put them on. “What kind of fish do you like?”

Kennedy sighed. “I love skinless salmon, but any white or mild fish will do.”

I nodded, mentally penciling it down. I chanced a look at her over my shoulder, catching the vulnerability on her face. She had a lot going on: forced engagement, sick father, and who knew what else. “You wanna ride with me?”

Kennedy smiled and relaxed, and the sight of her calming down brought me peace. “Yeah, but I don’t feel like getting dressed. Hand me my purse. I’ll pay for my fish.”

I shook my head and stepped into my shoes. “Gotchu.”

After grabbing a shirt and pulling it on, I went and sat beside her. The action caused her to shrink. That shy side of her coming forth.

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