Page 88 of Unforgettable
My gaze licked up and down her delicious and gorgeous body, remembering how we fit so well together.
Silence beat for one second then two.
She busted out laughing. “If you could see the pain on your face. Don’t worry. My answer is no.”
Little did she know that I wasn’t in pain because she would be living with me or sleeping in my room or even sharing my bed. I was suddenly trying to figure out why I was feeling a swarm of butterflies in my stomach. fluttering like someone had disrupted their habitat.
Her laughed died as she wiggled her hips up to me. “I appreciate the offer.” She pressed her hands to my abs. “I have to settle my differences with my father before I make any decisions on where I live or what I do.”
Man, for some fucked-up reason, it felt like she was breaking up with me or breaking off our friendship. And that made me want to punch the walls.
I cupped her cheek. “I’m serious, Haven. If you need a place to crash, Lucas and I would be stoked to have you. Or if that didn’t appeal to you, I can offer my parents’ house. My aunt isn’t returning until Christmas.”
She lifted up on tiptoes and gave me a chaste kiss on the lips.
Oh, hell no.
Before she got away, my hand snaked around to her neck, and I tugged her to me, searching her eyes, which held fear and warmth. I doubted the fear was directed toward me, but I could have been mistaken.
Slowly, I lowered my lips to hers then kissed her as though I were never going to see her again. But with her, I was learning a lot about myself.
She whimpered when our tongues touched.
Warmth spread out in my chest, surrounding my heart. I’d never felt lightheaded and dizzy when kissing a girl.
She crawled up my body and wrapped her legs around my waist. I carried her into her room and eased her onto the bed.
A tear rolled down her cheek as she looked away.
With my hand, I guided her chin until we locked eyes. “Hey, baby doll.”
She started crying as if I’d yelled at her.
I squatted between her legs and spread my hands on her thighs. “Talk to me.”
“I just…” She sniffled. “I feel like I’m suffocating. He’s never let up on me since my mom died.”
So many emotions shot through me, but I knocked them down, or else I would seriously pay a visit to her father.
“Then you,” she whispered.
Well, fuck.I didn’t want to be a burden or the one squeezing the air from her lungs.
She flicked a tear off her face. “You can be such an ass but so sweet at the same time. Why do you care? Why would you ruin your playboy reputation and have a girl move in with you?”
I scrubbed a hand over my stubbled jaw. “We’re friends.”
“Is that the only reason?”
I straightened to my full height, my fingers flying to my hair, willing that fluttery feeling in the pit of my stomach to quiet down. Hell, crazy shit was trampling through my brain like a herd of elephants on safari.
I liked Haven. Maybe I more than liked her. I wanted her in my life. I wanted to get to know her better.
Fuck all that.I needed this woman like I needed to wake up tomorrow and breathe.
Maybe the university paper was right. Maybe I was off the market.
She held her bottom lip hostage. “You’re thinking really hard.”
