Page 48 of Beneath the Scars
I finally pull away long enough to allow her to breathe, using the space to kiss down the side of her neck, nipping at the spot where her pulse is pounding under her skin. It always makes her gasp when I do that.
I don’t want to bring it up, but I also need to know. “I thought you were hanging with your friends tonight?”
“I was. We were hanging out in Caro’s basement for a while. I decided I needed to come see you for a bit because I didn’t get a proper hello this morning.”
“No, you didn’t.” I kiss her again, reveling in the fact that she didn’t like how this morning went any more than I did.
“Hello.” Addie’s eyes sparkle with humor.
The corner of my mouth tugs up in a smirk. “Hi.” I don’t want to let her go. I’m quite enjoying the feel of her body pressed against mine. It’s been entirely too long since I’ve had her underneath me.
And that reminds me.
“Have you finished your fantasy list yet?”
Something flashes in Addie’s gaze, but it’s gone before I can pick it out. “Mm-hmm.”
“You wanna share it with me?”
“Yes and no.”
Setting Addie back on her feet, I lead her over to the couch. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
She blows out a breath. “Too many things, honestly. The first is that I don’t want to keep this a secret anymore. I hated not being able to kiss you in The Café this morning. It took everything I had not to. I want to tell the family about us.”
“I think the cat’s almost out of the bag already. Apparently, the whole family’s already aware of our feelings for each other and has been waiting for us to tell them we’re dating.”
Her eyebrows wing up her forehead. “What? Who told you that?”
“My dad. He knew I was bent out of shape this morning, and it only took one guess for him to figure out why. That’s when I told him we were in a relationship.”
“So the only people who didn’t know about how we felt were us.”
I huff out a laugh. “We’re idiots.”
“No kidding.”
I pull Addie onto my lap, needing her close for this conversation. “Now, tell me what else you’re feeling. More specifically about sharing your fantasies.”
Addie bites her lip, and my cock twitches at the sight. I want to bite that lip. So I do. When I pull away, Addie’s eyes have a sheen of lust over them.
“Tell me what’s going on, Adalaide.”
“I’m worried you’re going to judge me. Or think I’m disgusting. Or run away screaming.”
I cup Addie’s cheeks in my hands. “Baby, wild horses couldn’t drag me away from you. Now that I know what it’s like to have you in my life, not a single thing will make me leave. However, I do understand how vulnerable it feels to share the things you like sexually, especially if they’re a little less mainstream. The fact that you’re nervous tells me we’re likely even more compatible than I could have ever hoped to be. If you’re not ready to share them with me, I’ll understand, but if you don’t want to because you think I’ll judge you, thenI’m going to have to insist you show me just so I can prove you wrong.”
Determination sets into her features as she pulls a lined sheet of notebook paper out of her pocket. Her bringing it over without needing me to ask tells me she wants to share this side of herself more than she thinks she does. It’s been folded in half, the edges creased to a sharp point, as if she’s run her fingers over it many times. She holds it out to me with a bravery I’m in awe of. It takes guts to willingly put yourself in a vulnerable place. And in reward, I won’t make her read it out loud like I threatened.
I lean in to kiss her. “Good girl. I’m so proud of you.”
Addie melts into me, her body going soft and pliant. It takes a concerted effort not to strip her bare right here and reward her for her bravery.
The only reason I don’t is that I want to read this list a whole lot more.
Unfolding the paper, my body is already thrumming with desire. Reading the first line on the page only ratchets that higher.
1. I’d love to wake up in the middle of the night with you fucking me in some way—with your dick, mouth, or fingers, I’m not picky. I want to be on the edge of an orgasm as I’m waking up, and I’m a heavy enough sleeper that I don’t think I’d stir until I’m close.
