Page 35 of Forgotten Desires

“I’m not sure,” Brynn admits.

I lift both hands up to her face, moving my thumbs along her cheekbones. “It’s what I want. It’s what I’ve wanted since I saw you again. It takes every ounce of restraint I have when I see you not to pull you in my arms and make you remember how good we were.”

“I don’t have any issues remembering, if anything, I wish I could forget.”

Her words slay me, and I lean in, brushing my nose against hers. “Marry me, Brynlee, and we’ll seal our promise with a kiss.”

She brings her hands up to my wrists, holding me as I hold her. I wait, desperate for her answer. “Yes.”

And then, slowly, cataloging every breath we share, I bring my lips to hers, and kiss her like I’ve wanted to for so long.

nine

BRYNLEE

How can one single touch take a person back in time?

The instant Crew’s lips pressed against mine, I was lost. The girl I was colliding with the woman I am now.

I’ve replayed the kisses we’ve shared over and over so many times that by now, it shouldn’t feel this way. I should be immune because we’ve kissed a million times in my dreams.

But this isn’t a dream.

This is real and I’m so freaking screwed.

He tilts my head to the side, coaxing me to open to him, and I couldn’t resist if I tried. I’m needy for him—for us. Crew takes control, as he always did, and I find myself on my back, him above me. He kisses me deeply, languidly—it’s everything.

My fingers tangle in his dark hair, feeling the silky strands glide across my skin, while he keeps his mouth to mine.

I didn’t realize how starved I’ve been. How much I’ve missed him. How good this man kisses.

Much too soon, he pulls back, both of us fighting for breath, and he looks down at me. His blue eyes are swimming with desire. “I’m sorry I got . . .”

“Carried away?” I finish for him.

“You always made me lose my sanity.”

He brushes my hair from my face, smiling down at me. “You always made it easy.”

Crew kisses me again, this time much more innocently, and then shifts, pulling us both back to sitting. “I don’t think we’ll have to fake the chemistry.”

I clear my throat. “No, definitely not, but . . . if I’m going to do this. If we’re going tobe married, but only in name, I don’t think it’s smart if we let our hearts get involved.”

I have to lay ground rules because without them, I’ll fall so deeply in love with him that I’ll never be able to see a way out. While that sounds all well and good, that isn’t why he came back. It was never for me, it was for his daughter.

“Agreed. However, we’re going to need to be affectionate,” Crew reminds me.

“And we can do that in front of people, but in private, we have to maintain some distance. I’m going to be working a lot and I’m going to assume you will be too?”

He nods. “I travel frequently for business. When you have your surgery, I will be home, though. I’ll stop all travel and be there to help you.”

I bite my lip, looking away. “I’m sure we can find a nurse.”

“I’ll be there, Brynlee.”

I turn to him, seeing the promise and determination there. “Okay.”

“In sickness and in health, right?” he says, more as a joke than anything, but I go along with it.

---