Page 81 of Heart Strain

Running my thumb over his lip again makes me groan and kiss him and mutter, “I’m obsessed with these lips.”

He chuckles. “What?”

I kiss him hard and swing my leg over his hips. “Your lips. They’re fucking amazing.”

He laughs out, “Thanks?”

I press myself to him. “I mean it.”

A loud hiss interrupts us, and as we both look toward the stairs. Nala comes dashing down followed by Peanut, who looks like a spaz on three legs as he runs as fast as he can down the steps.

“What the hell is their problem?” I shake my head.

The sound of something falling over reaches us a moment before Simba trots down the steps with a tissue stuck to his back. “Those little brats,” Jameson says. “They knocked my stuff over again!”

My laugh bubbles out of me before I can stop it, and I fall over on the couch.

Jameson pokes me in the side. “I’m so glad you find this funny.”

I laugh out, “I can’t… help it.” I try—and fail—to calm my laughing. “It’s usually me cats gang up on!”

“Ass. Now I gotta clean the crap off my dresser. Again.”

I bite my lips to keep the chuckles in.

He shakes his head at me with a reluctant smile, then pokes my side again, making me squirm. “I’m going to sic them on you.”

“You would never.” My eyes widen, trying to look innocent, but then another laugh bubbles out.

“Such a jackass.”

“You’re the one that loves this jackass.” I shoot him a grin, which isn’t difficult since I’m with him and his eyes are sparkling with amusement.

“I do.” He pulls my leg back over his and I think he’s going to pull me onto his lap and kiss me, but then he clamps my leg down with one arm and reaches over to tickle my side with the other. I laugh and kick at him, trying to break free, but nothing I do works.

“You and… your… stupid… muscles.” I giggle and try to breathe.

He laughs. “You like my muscles.” He stops his assault but instead of releasing me, he pins me to the sofa and climbs over the top of me so his body is lined up with mine.

Smiling up at him, I grab his hips and pull him down so I can feel his weight. “I only like to look at your muscles and lick them.” I waggle my eyebrows like a dork. “I don’t like when you use them against me.”

He chuckles and kisses my lips. “Holden?”

“Yeah, Foxy?” I kiss his lips and tighten my grip on him.

“I love you.”

My gaze softens as I press my head back into the couch so I can see his eyes. “I love you, too, Jameson. More than anything. You’re my home, Foxy.”

“You’re mine, too,” he whispers back, making butterflies flutter in my stomach.

As he captures my mouth again, I let that feeling of love, of home, fill me. Life can be hard and crazy and far from perfect, but building a life with this wonderful man is better than anything I could’ve ever wished for.

* * *

---