Page 16 of If I See You Again
I cleared my throat, looking at the wall of liquor behind the bar, blinking rapidly to fight back tears that burned behind myeyes. My fingers pulled at my shirt, lifting the bottom edge to reveal the thin scar that lined my abdomen.
“You asked about this. The night we met. I called it the deal breaker. My brother, Marcus, was my twin. He was my everything. He got so fucking sick, and I would have done anything to save his life, including giving him pieces of myself.”
I sucked in a sharp breath when cool fingers made contact with my skin. David had stood from his seat and was standing close, touching the scar, eyes searching my face as I spoke.
“I don’t like hiding him. He was important to me, and if anyone couldn’t understand that I’d given up a piece of myself in order to save him—even if I failed—then maybe they weren’t the right fit for me after all.” I laughed as I lowered the hem of my shirt, forcing David to stop touching me. “Turns out, when you tell people you gave your kidney up to save your brother’s life, and he died anyway, they don’t want anything to do with you.”
More silence. My eyes slammed closed as I lifted the beer to my lips once more, trying to wash away the humiliation. Surely, he’d leave now. Everyone else did. No one stuck around after that. I had baggage. A sad past. Absolutely no one signed up for that.
Then it happened. Arms wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me into a warm chest, surrounding me with a whiskey and beer smell. Never. Not once had this happened. Every single time I’d told anyone about Marcus, I’d been met with blank stares and judgment.
David was attempting to comfort me.
My hands clutched at his arms as tears spilled over my cheeks. I looked like a mess sitting there at the bar crying after telling him, but a weight had been lifted off my chest. He knew, and he wasn’t afraid of me. Or at least he hadn’t given me that impression.
“Anyone who made you feel bad for your bravery wasn’t worth your time. I’m sorry anyone ever made you feel that way.” When David’s arms loosened around me, I instantly wanted them back. This wasn’t keeping things professional if I was sitting here and crying on him, but I didn’t care. He was being so damn sincere, and I’d do just about anything to keep that.
I looked around the bar before finally meeting David’s eyes. They danced with so much concern and respect. I wanted to toss out all my reservations with him. He was right that no one should have ever made me feel less than for what I’d done.
And maybe I’d been unsuccessful so many times because I’d been meant to find David this entire time.
Chapter 12
David
This hadn’t been my intention when inviting Malcolm out for drinks, but as we tumbled back into my hotel room, it wasn’t completely unwelcome. His warm lips pressed to mine in a feverish kiss that begged for so much more as we blindly made our way to the bed. This wasn’t all I wanted to know about the enigma that was Malcolm Fisher. He obviously had depths I never imagined.
“Is something wrong?” He broke away, hands resting against my neck as his breath puffed against my mouth.
“Nothing is wrong.”
“Then why are you hesitating?”
I smiled against his mouth, giving him another quick kiss before pulling away completely. Malcolm’s eyes widened as I sat on the edge of the bed, loosening my collar. I watched him, but made no indication for him to join me.
“Am I hesitating? Seems to me that the person who’s been hesitating this entire time was you.”
Malcolm laughed, threading his fingers through the short strands of his hair, and my eyes snagged on how his lips wereswollen and slick with saliva. Everything in me screamed to spring from the bed, kiss him senseless, and forget about being rational, but he’d been hesitant for a reason. We needed to talk about that if this was to go any further.
“David, please forgive me. You hired me to do a job. I’ve already explained my track record with dating and why it’s been that way. You’re the first person who hasn’t run for the hills the second I told them about Marcus.”
That was when I stood, crossing the room to place a hand on his hip, hoping to reassure him. “I get not wanting to mix professional boundaries. I respect the shit out of you for that. Please know that my attraction to you started before I knew you’d be working for me. I don’t date—ever. I don’t have time for it. This is the first time I’ve had anyone grab my attention enough to even try.”
His entire body relaxed, a dreamy smile spreading across his lips as he looked at me. “You want to—to date me.”
“I believe that’s what I’m saying. Yes.”
The next kiss was slow and gentle. The type where you’re establishing something, something profound and meaningful. We didn’t rush. It was a simple pressing of lips against lips as we acknowledged what all of this meant.
And then all bets were off.
The atmosphere around us grew thick with desire and heat. Hands wandered, and clothing shed its way to the floor. Maybe this was all a little backward, as we had started all of this in bed with each other, and we were now establishing something real in bed as well. But it was us.
Malcolm groaned as I pushed him back to the bed. He sat on the edge as I sank between his spread thighs, pulling his cock between my lips and worshiping him like he deserved to be. He was hot and heavy on my tongue. Salty with a bit of tang. He whimpered and whined as I bobbed and sucked, applying theperfect amount of suction and pressure. When his thighs tensed beneath my hands, I let his length fall from my mouth, and I slid up his body to kiss him again.
“Malcolm?” I asked.
“Yes?”
