Page 82 of I Knew You
“More often lately, considering,” she replied, instead. “I’m sorry I can’t make you feel as good as you made me feel.”
“Shhhh,” I soothed, running my hand over her side, then moving her hair off her neck, kissing her soft skin. “It was the greatest privilege of my life. I shouldn’t have pulled you across the bed, I’m such a fucking idiot.”
“Don’t treat me like I’m breakable.” Her voice was still soft, but firm. “None of this is your fault. I’m the one who should feel bad, and believe me, I do. I completely killed the mood.”
“There’ll be more moods,” I replied. She didn’t confirm or deny what I said, but rather snuggled into my body. The roomwas quiet, save for Lakey trying to situate herself at the end of the king-sized bed.
Julianna relaxed quickly, but I was floundering, losing the battle of my mind against my body. I could still recall the noises she made when she came. That, combined with the way my fingers held onto her plump curves, was killing me. I tried to keep my cock from growing hard between her ass cheeks, but it was impossible. I snuck my hand under her shirt, lightly running my fingers over her side. The luscious feel of her and the way she curled into me was heaven.
Slowly, she began moving her ass against my groin. I growled in frustration.
“What?” she asked, her voice feigning innocence.
“You know what you’re doing. Quit being devious.”
She giggled. “I couldn’t resist.”
I draped my arm over her middle. I was burning up from the heating pad between us, but it was touching her that was making my blood boil the most.
“It’s okay. There’ll be punishment later.”
“Mmm,” she hummed. “Can’t wait.”
I tried to think of anything I could to keep myself from combusting while I held her. I thought about how much pain she was in, which only made me feel more protective and territorial. I would never hurt her, never compromise her health for my selfish needs, but her vulnerability made me want to fight some invisible force to avenge her pain. She nestled into me further, and I snapped back to thinking about the things I wanted to do to her in the future.
We were friends. But after tasting her, knowing she wanted me as badly as I wanted her, I could not turn back even if I wanted to. She was my wife. And if she’d allow me, I wanted to be her husband outside of name only, for however long she’d have me.
To calm myself down, I thought about Whit and the fightbetween Julianna and me. That was the best cockblock. The heat in my veins cooled, chilled by the guilt I didn’t want to feel.
“Bram?” Her voice pierced the silence.
“Yes?”
“This has been the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time.”
I smiled. “I pride myself on being a giver, sweets.”
She laughed like I hoped she would.
“No, not justthat.” She reached around and grasped my hand where it lay on her side. “Coming here, seeing you, being together. I could never gather the courage to ask my brother if you were taken or married. I have been stuck in that hospital room for fifteen years, watching you leave. I just…I never expected…”
“This was never a choice,” I whispered, smoothing her hair, understanding what she was saying because I felt it, too.
“Any guesses on why Whit hasn’t contacted us?”
“No idea. I’ll try to reach him again in the morning. I didn’t try at all today.”
“Neither did I. There’s so much weighing on me right now, I didn’t think about it. My life feels so unsettled. No definite job news yet. Remote jobs seem harder to come by, even though I have the experience and the education. It is brutal out there.”
“I’m so sorry. It has to be scary, but you have to allow yourself this time to focus on your health. Jobs will be there later.”
“I don’t even have a place to live anymore.” Her voice was small, almost frightened. I hugged her closer.
“You have a place to live. You can stay here for as long as you want.”
“This is temporary, I think we both know that.” But before I could go into a monologue about how wrong she was, she continued, “I missed you. Is that weird of me to say?”
I swallowed my retort instantly.
