Page 66 of Final Temptation
She walked toward me, her eyes looking anywhere but mine.
“I knew you’d love it. You mentioned the blue and purple flowers were your favorite.” Her eyes glossed over, finally locking with mine.
“I did say that. But I told you that after you said you wanted to take me somewhere.”
“Correct. You confirmed what I already knew. With every batch of flowers I brought you, you always spent more time smelling the deep purple and blues. I’ve wanted to bring you here for a while now.”
“Fuck, Myles. If you keep saying stuff like that, I’m going to become obsessed with you.” She sniffled and swatted at my chest.
“Over the last couple of months, you’ve turned me into a man obsessed. It’s only right that you feel the same way.” She pursed her lips, a look of doubt written on her face.
I pulled her by the belt loop, her chest flush with mine as I slipped my hands into her back pockets. “What’s that look about?”
“If you’re as obsessed as you say you are, then why are we still in the friends with benefits zone?” Her question hit me; the answer didn’t seem so obvious anymore.
“I’ve never been a fan of labels. Being friends with benefits with you was the first label I’d ever given any kind of relationship,” I admitted.
“So, what’s stopping you from taking it a step further? Claiming me as your girlfriend instead?” she asked bluntly.
What am I so afraid of?
I spilled my secret. I’d committed to only sleeping with her for a while now. Other women hadn’t even crossed my mind. Fuck, I even deleted every dating app from my phone that used to be my kryptonite on a lonely night. What was it that had me holding back?
That small sliver of doubt that I’m not good enough for her. That I’ll break her heart.
My mind was playing tricks on me, letting the doubt creep in.
But my heart was telling me to go for it. To dive into the deep end. To fucking lead with my heart for once.
Fuck it.
I tugged her belt loop harder, threatening to rip it right off her flimsy jean shorts, pulling her so she stood only centimeters from me. “I dare you to be my girlfriend, Sophie Turner.”
“W-what kind of dare is that?” She stomped her foot in the most adorably stubborn way. “You realize I’d say yes in a heartbeat, right? So, don’t you dare ask me to do something like that if you don’t mean it.” Her gaze drifted back and forth from my eyes and lips.
“Last one down here has to do whatever the winner wants,”I mimicked her words. “I’m the winner, and I wantyou to be my girlfriend.” The words slipped out, low and sultry.
“You really want that? The former playboy who despises titles—you want to put that big of a title onus?” Her hand crept up my chest before pointing to herself, then back to me.
“I’m a changed man, Soph. Maybe being sober has changed me, but you’vetransformedme. I’m not the piece of shit guy I used to be—partying all the time, getting fucked up, and not having a care in the world how my decisions affected others. I don’t care to fuck around with other women; they don’t even cross my mind. I’mcaptivatedby you. Absolutelyobsessed. I’ve never thought about what love felt like until I met you, and when I couldn’t get you out of my head, it wasn’t hard to realize I was falling so fucking hard for you.”
My chest deflated, my lungs breathing out every pent-up breath, waiting for her answer. Sophie’s grip tightened around my shirt, bringing her lips up to mine.
“Be mine,” I whispered against her lips with one last plea.
“I’m yours.” She didn’t wait another second before sealing it with an earth-shattering kiss. A kiss that reminded me of the first time our lips ever touched. The kiss that rocked my world so hard, I knew it wasn’t the end for us at the time. I knew somehow, we’d make our way back to each other when the timing was right.
Maybe it took time without each other, letting our first kiss be simply what it was—a kiss. Maybe it took a ridiculous friends with benefits agreement—that, let’s be real, was always a cop out until I figured my shit out. All I knew was, in order for me not to break her heart, I needed time to work on myself. I needed to get my head in the right spot. Ineeded toknowI couldn’t spend another day without making her mine.
Reaching down, I grabbed onto her ass, lifting her tiny frame so her legs wrapped around my waist. Call me a fucking romantic, but my girl wrapped in my arms, surrounded by the end of summer wildflowers and crisp blue water of the lake, it was pretty damn magical.
Our kiss grew deeper, her tongue tangled up in mine. A sweet moan slipping off her lips, vibrating against mine. With every whimper, I returned it with a moan of my own.
“Fuck, Myles. I need you,” she whispered, her lips ripping away from mine, our foreheads resting against one another’s, both panting to catch our breath.
“I guess we better seal this title with more than a kiss, huh?” I chuckled, nipping at her bottom lip.
“Mmm, I think you’re right. Jeep? Or behind one of those trees over there?” She pointed off into the woods.
