Page 81 of The Last Thing
“I’ll get it. You stay here.”
The look he gives me conveys what he really means. Stay with her. Take care of her.
Stroking my thumb over Hallie’s shoulder, I glance at her. She’s wearing a soft smile, like everything’s going exactly how she wanted things to.
She really is envisioning us as a family.
She sees a future with all of us together.
But if that’s what she wants, why does she keep holding herself back from having it?
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
WILSON
When we walkinto Hallie’s old apartment after a long afternoon and early evening with her parents, her body instantly relaxes.
So much so that she looks like she might fall over or fall asleep where she’s standing.
“You okay?”
She spins to face me with a relaxed smile. “I’m good. A little tired. Today went pretty well though. Even if I wanted to kill my dad when he asked that question about you paying me.”
“It’s something we’ll have to talk about.”
“Yeah.We. When we get there.”
“He cares. That’s a good thing.”
She sighs. “I know. And I appreciate it. But I’ll be twenty-four soon. He has to let me grow up.” She runs her hand over her stomach. “I’m going to be someone’s mom soon.” Looking around the room, she shakes her head. “Can you believe the last time we were here together, we made this?”
I stalk over to her and run my lips down her neck. “Of course I can believe it. Every second of that night is a vibrant memory. A perfect, unforgettable memory. The way my body moved with yours changed me. I’d never felt the things I felt with you withanyone else. The next morning, I forced myself to leave because I already knew I had feelings for you.” I slip my hands under her shirt. “Feelings I thought I couldn’t have.” I switch to the other side of her neck. “I never dreamed I’d be lucky enough to keep you. To call you mine. Because you are. You can keep that sweet little heart of yours walled off, but that doesn’t make you any less mine. Mine to protect, mine to care for, mine to touch and please…”
“Wilson,” she breathes, hands sliding into my hair.
“What do you need, baby?”
“You. All of you.”
“You’ve got me,” I rumble in her ear. “I’m yours.” And with that, I sweep her off her feet and carry her to her old bedroom.
I set her down near the bed and stand back to look at her.
“Strip for me.”
“Only if you’re going to give me the same show in return.”
In one fluid motion, I pull my shirt over my head and drop it to the floor.
She sucks in a breath and stares at my naked chest, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. Then she pulls her shirt off and unclasps her bra, dropping both to the floor.
I groan as I stare at her hardened nipples, aching to suck them into my mouth, tease them with my tongue.
I palm my hand over the crotch of my jeans, trying to calm down, give my aching cock a reprieve, but nothing helps. All I want is to be buried inside her.
“Your turn,” she breathes.
I undo the button of my pants and let them drop to the floor, but don’t go for my boxers. Instead, I stroke myself through the soft fabric.
