Page 63 of Final Temptation
Standing up, I smelled the stunning purple and blue wildflowers before setting them back down. “Thank you for these. I think they’re my favorite so far. They match the color of your eyes.” I kissed his cheek before heading to my room to get ready for this mysterious plan he had for the two of us.
“I’m dying to know where we’re going.” My leg bounced in excitement, his hand reaching out, resting on my thigh to settle my nerves.
“You’re just going to have to wait and find out. We will be there in about ten minutes.” His thumb brushed my inner thigh.
“You know, I like this side of you.” My head fell back, turning in his direction. With one hand on the steering wheel and the other brushing against my leg, I took in his hard jaw, lined with scruff, and his focus on the road ahead of us.
“Yeah? What side is that?” he asked, his eyes still straight ahead.
“The side where I get to feel more of you, see you in a different light.”
“You get to feel me whenever you want, Princess.” His head turned, looking at me just quick enough to wiggle his eyebrows at his joke.
Lately, it seemed that every time I tried to dig deeper, he would put his mask on, making jokes of most things.
“That’s not what I mean, and you know it.” I shoved his shoulder playfully.
“How are you seeing me any differently then?” he asked, offering me the opening I needed to dive deeper.
“I think we can both agree, since we went to Vegas, oursituationhas elevated…” I paused, gathering my thoughts.
“Yeah, I’d agree to that.” His lips were tight.
“But part of me feels we may have only elevated our physicality. Sometimes, it feels like you’re closing yourself off, like you’re hiding something from me.” My hand found his, joining it to rest on my leg, afraid the topic of conversation would cause him to pull away.
He stayed silent as he continued to drive, heading straight into the windy roads of the mountains.
“I do have something I’ve been holding on to,” he admitted, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I haven’t even been able to talk about it in AA. I’ve struggled, fearing what complete strangers would think of me. If I can’t tell them, how could I possibly tell you?” His grip tightened around my thigh.
I tossed his words around in my mind, trying to figure out how to respond. In the meantime, Myles pulled his Jeep over into a gravel parking lot located somewhere within theRocky Mountain National Park.
Maybe now that we had parked, I could have more of his attention, and in return, he could really feel the depth of what I was about to say.
“Myles, I know most of our relationship is fun and playful, and we don’t spend too much time getting personal, but I want those moments. I need those moments. I need to be able to trust that you wouldn’t hide anything from me.” Myles put the Jeep in park, turning it off, giving me the opportunityto get closer to him.
I unbuckled my seatbelt and swung my leg over his, straddling his lap. Getting as close to him as I possibly could, looking him straight in the eyes.
“I don’t know what it is that’s been brewing inside you all this time, but I’ve been able to feel it. I feel when you’re happy, and I feel each one of your struggles like they’re my own. I just want to help, even if I can only help by listening and being a shoulder to lean on. Don’t turn it off when it comes to me. Please,” I begged.
His hands rested on my hips as I ran my fingers through his hair, and he took a deep breath, relaxing just a bit.
“You’re best friends with Paige,” he stated.
“I am. But what does she have to do with this?” My eyebrows dipped.
“I’m not ready to get this off my chest at AA, which means I’m definitely not ready for Declan to know anything.”
“If you’re insinuating I would tell Paige, and it would get back to your brother, I can promise you that’s not the case. You can trust me, Myles.” My eyes were laser-focused on his, begging him to read my mind, knowing I was telling the truth.
“Kiss me first,” he said in a raspy voice.
“What do you mean, kiss you first?”
“I’m afraid if I tell you, you won’t want anything to do with me. I need to taste your lips on mine one more time,” he pleaded.
I had no idea what it was that he was so afraid to get off his chest, but there wouldn’t be a thing he’d admit to me that would cause me to leave him right now.
Refusing to wait another second to fulfill his request, I pulled him closer to me, dipping my head down for a sweet kiss to his lips. I could taste every ounce of his fear. I couldfeel the longing in the way he pulled me closer to him, even when it wasn’t possible. There was a desperation behind his kiss that hadn’t been there before.
