Page 90 of Guarded Love

The combination of his words and one final, perfect thrust sends me tumbling over the edge. My orgasm crashes through me with an intensity that makes my vision blur, and I cry out his name as my body clenches around him.

"Fuck, Willow," he groans as his rhythm falters. "You're so…I can't?—"

His release follows quickly after mine and is punctuated with the most animalistic groan I’ve ever heard. For a moment, we're both completely still besides how hard we are breathing.

When he finally lifts his head to look at me, there's something almost shy in his expression. Like he can't quite believe what just happened between us. I feel the same way.

“You okay?” he asks with a raspy voice.

“Yeah.” I nod, still breathless. “Better than okay.”

He slowly slides out of me and I laugh at the expression on his face.

“Sensitive?”

He nods just before he helps me shift onto the bed properly, tucking the sheet around me and brushing damp hair from my face with surprising tenderness. His fingers linger, stroking along my cheekbone like he can’t quite believe I’m real.

“I’m going to toss this out and get a washcloth to clean you up and then we can go to sleep.”

I rise up slightly so I’m leaning on my elbows. “Are you sure? What about Tyler?”

He shrugs. “I’ll put a sock on the door or something.”

I laugh, but he does reach over to grab his phone so I assume he’s texting Tyler to let him know he might not want to come back tonight. When he walks into the bathroom, I lay down on my back again and sigh. I’m sure there’s plenty we need to talk about but I’m ready to just enjoy this small little bubble we are in for a while longer.

Of course I was just lying to myself because I hear my text message ringtone begin to play. I lean over and quickly find that at some point I put my purse on the nightstand so it takes me no time to get my phone. It’s probably just Madison or Ari checking on me.

That is also a lie.

Knox: Hey, call me when you have a chance.

28

BLAISE

Iwake before the sun rises even though I wouldn’t mind getting a few more hours of sleep. Not that this isn’t a natural occurrence even when I’m at home or at school, but something is very different about this morning.

My body knows something's going on before my mind catches up. There's warmth pressed against my side, soft breathing that isn't mine, the faint scent of a fruity shampoo ticking my nose.

Willow.

She's tangled around me like she belongs here. One of her arms is draped across my chest while her leg is hooked over mine. In the soft gray light filtering through the hotel curtains, she looks peaceful. The fierceness I usually see in her eyes and that she wears like an armor have melted away. It leaves behind something vulnerable and beautiful that makes my heart feel things it shouldn’t.

I should move. Should put distance between us before she wakes up and realizes what we've done. Before the reality of last night crashes down on both of us. But I can't bring myself to disturb this moment. Instead, I let my eyes study her, watchingthe way her dark hair spills across the pillow and the soft rise and fall of her breathing.

What the hell am I doing?

The question hits me like cold water. This is Knox's sister. My best friend's little sister, who I've known since I was a freshmen and she was a senior in high school. But she's not that girl anymore. The woman sleeping beside me is fierce and brilliant and so goddamn beautiful it hurts to look at her sometimes. She's also stubborn and sarcastic and has a way of getting under my skin that no one else ever has.

And I think I'm falling for her. Hard.

The realization should terrify me more than it does. Should have me reaching for my phone to book the first flight back to Virginia. Instead, I find myself brushing a strand of hair away from her face and allowing my fingers to graze her cheek.

She stirs and a soft hum leaves her lips as she presses closer to me. The sound goes straight to my cock, which is already half hard from having her warm body pressed against mine.

"Mmm.” Her eyes are still closed. "What time is it?"

"Early," I whisper. "Sun's not even fully up yet."

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