Page 128 of A Bond Beyond Blood

Finally, he released my shoulder, leaving a painful ache in his wake, then slapped me on my back and said, “Good talk!You two have fun tonight.”

I scoffed as I looked up at him, but he only had eyes for her, sharing some unspoken bullshit with my girl before winking and glaring at me as he left her apartment.

When the door clicked shut, I sighed.

“Hey, G.”

Smiling, I looked over at her.“Hey, baby.Wanna talk about it?”

She licked her lips, considering, then shook her head.

“You hungry?”

She nodded and I strode into the kitchen, picking up on the scents that filled the space.Her tears, her arousal, a hint of blood.My head whipped to hers.“Are you hurt?”

“What?”Her brow furrowed, then she looked down at her hand and said, “Oh.”With a soft laugh that tightened my balls, she said, “I cut myself slicing the coppa.I’m okay though.”

I moaned as my mouth watered, finally picking up on the scent of my favorite meat.“You got coppa?”

She smiled sweetly, ducking her head.“I know you probably don’t eat it, but—”

“Don’t need to, Jackie, but goddamn, you know it’s my favorite.I'll eat that whole thing if you’ll let me.”She grinned then,finally, a big, wide smile that lit up those sad eyes, and made my heart forget to beat.

Then she jumped off the counter, crashing against me in the next instant.

I wrapped my arms around her, tucking her against me fiercely because it’s where she belonged.dropped my nose to the crown of her head to breathe in the familiar scent of her.

“Oh my god,” she groaned, laughing as she pushed out of my arms.“You guys are going to give me a complex, always smelling me like that.”

My hackles rose at the thought of anyone else getting to pull Jackie’s scent into their lungs, but I couldn’t say I blamed them.Shedidsmell fucking good.Refreshing.Sexy.“Blame it on the heightened senses.You smell like...”Sex.Love.Safety.

Home.

I shook my head.“Just really good.You smell really good.”

The closing creditshad nearly finished, but Jackie snored softly beside me on the couch, tucked into the crook of my arm, and I couldn’t bear to move her.Waking her would bring an end to the night, and leaving would break my heart all over again.

My muscles were stiff from holding still for so long, afraid that if I jostled her, I’d ruin the moment, break the spell.

Anytime I got to be close to her like this again, close like we used to be, back before I broke her heart, it healed a broken little part of me.And I was starved for those fleeting moments, starved for the healing I likely didn’t deserve but wanted nonetheless.

I dropped my hand to her bare thigh, testing.She was warm beneath my palm, and I tried to stay still, tried to be content with just that connection, but I ached to touch her.

My palm itched with need.

So I slid it slowly upward, cresting over the soft swell of her ass, the slight bottom half that was exposed by the pull of her short sleep shorts.She stirred and I froze.

Lifting her head slowly, she met my gaze, her blue eyes sleepy and...

Fuck.

Wanting.

“Gannon,” she breathed, the sound like a balm to my fucking soul.

She licked her lips and pushed up, bringing that soft mouth to mine.I gripped her ass, nearly moaning with relief when she shifted, bringing herself onto my lap.With her thighs spread over mine, I could grab onto both cheeks now, sinking my fingers into those thick, supple mounds.

My hands flexed and she whimpered, deepening the kiss as she rocked forward, tentatively seeking my hardness.

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