Page 67 of So This Is Love

“My pops used to tell me all the time that the only thing worse than failure is regret,” Bryce turns me around to face him. “I don’t want to regret not trying with you. I care about you and I will always do everything in my power to show you that. I will never treat you roughly, because hurting you isn’t an option.”

We’ve stepped out of the pretense of ‘just friends’ that I put us in before and fallen into something much more. The fear and anxiety that I would have expected to come with that realization is notably absent.

“You said we’re going at my pace, right?” I ask.

My heels bring us closer to eye to eye, but I still have to tip my head slightly.

The look in his eyes is full of sincerity, the feeling knocking on the carefully guarded walls I’ve built around my heart. My eyes drop to admire his full lips before I flick my eyes back up to his heated gaze.

He dips his head in agreement. “Following your lead.”

I don’t let myself think as I close the miniscule distance between us until our lips meet. This kiss isn’t gentle or soft like our last, instead it’s forceful and assertive, both of us finally allowing ourselves to indulge in the heat that’s been simmering between us. Months of attraction erupting into a fiery blaze.

Bryce’s tongue presses to my lips and I immediately surrender, opening for him to explore my mouth with his. I sink my teeth into his bottom lip, biting before soothing the pain away with a few swipes of my tongue.

One of his hands cups my cheek while the other travels down to grip my ass. He squeezes and pulls me closer to him, the hard length of him pressing into my stomach as our lips continue to tangle. His lips move down the curve of my neck, nipping at my skin causing a moan to slip through my lips.

I slide my hand between us, running my hand up and down the length of him through his pants and squeezing.

“Don’t do that,” Bryce growls into my neck.

I pull back slightly to look him in the eye and arch a brow. “Why not?”

“Because if we go down that path, it’s gonna end with you getting fucked bent over this railing.”

I hum, the seat of my panties getting wet at his words.

I should listen and put an end to this, for so many reasons, including the fact we’re out in the open and the staff of the boat isn’t that far away.

But I don’t want to.

I don’t want to keep holding him at arm's length like I have been for the past few moments. I don’t want to keep denying the feelings that have between us despite my attempts to shield myself and lock away my heart.

I don’t want to be afraid anymore.

“Maybe that’s my goal.”

He shakes his head. “You’re fucking trouble.”

Bryce’s hand slides up my exposed leg, maneuvering under the fabric of my dress to the apex of my thighs. The pad of his thumb grazes over my clit and I shiver from the touch.

He nudges my panties to the side, running a finger through the wetness of my slit while his thumb works in slow, firm circles on my clit. Bryce’s lips meet mine again for slow unhurried kisses that cause my nipples to strain against the fabric of my dress.

“Fuck,” I pant.

His thick finger glides in and out of me and I rock into the base of his hand inching closer and closer to ecstasy. I’m so close to coming undone that I can barely catch my breath.

“Give it to me, baby.”

Another of Bryce’s fingers joins the first and he curls them in a motion that is exactly what I need to send me over the edge. My orgasm rushes over me in one big wave sending tingles of pleasure through my body.

Bryce pulls his fingers from my core, bringing them to his mouth. His eyes are locked on mine as he sucks each finger clean. The action sends a shiver down my spine, the desire that lies low in my belly for him intensifying.

He flips me around and presses my front to the guard rail of the boat and I can feel just how much he wants me.

“I don’t have a condom,” he murmurs.

“I’m on birth control.”

---