Page 84 of Missing Pieces (Men of Manhattan 3)

"Nothing's going to happen to me." She had given me something to live for, something to fight for. I wasn't giving up anymore. I tightened my grip around her waist. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to come back to you."

She nodded.

"And it's okay if you're not ready to say it back. I don't want to pressure you into saying something you don't mean."

"I fell in love with you in Kansas, Tyler."

Kansas. I smiled. "Singing karaoke to our song?"

"And when you didn't kiss me back. I was a little surprised by how much it hurt. That's kind of when I realized it was more than just a little crush."

"I never meant to hurt you." I slid my hand to the back of her neck. "Hailey, I promise I'll never hurt you again. We can make this work. I know we can."

A smile spread across her face. "I'm pretty sure this is where you're supposed to kiss me."

She didn't have to tell me twice. My lips crashed down on hers and I kissed her like I'd never get a chance to kiss her again. Everything about her was sweet. I was addicted to her taste. And suddenly I needed more than this. This was the last night we had together for I didn't even know how long. My hand slid into the back pocket of her jean shorts and she moaned into my mouth. I leaned into her. I wanted her to know how badly I wanted her all the time. How I could barely think straight when we were together.

If it wasn't for the Ferris wheel technician clearing his throat, I'm pretty sure I would have gone down on her in the middle of the ride.

She pushed my shoulder so I'd stop kissing her neck. Her cheeks were rosy when I pulled away.

I slowly slid my hand out of her pocket. I tried to hide my smile as I grabbed her hand and helped her out of the cart. "Sorry," I said to the technician as I tried to discretely shift my pants so that everyone on the boardwalk wouldn't see how hard I was. Not that I really cared.

"Can we maybe go somewhere that we can be alone?" she said breathlessly.

"It's still early," I teased. "Are you sure you don't want to do anything else first?"

"Actually," she said as she pulled me in the opposite direction of a hotel with a glowing vacancy sign. "Now that you mention it, I saw some people dancing earlier. That could be fun."

"I was kind of joking, Hails. I think being alone sounds perfect."

She briefly glanced down at the front of my shorts. "I'm pretty sure you're going to enjoy dancing too."

"It depends on the dancing." Fuck, I just wanted to be inside of her.

"Oh trust me. You're going to like this." She started to shake her hips as we got closer to the music.

She was probably right. I loved grabbing her hips. I just preferred it with our clothes off. She lifted my arm in the air and spun underneath of it as we entered the crowded open-air bar.

"This place is so packed!" she yelled over the music. "Maybe I can learn a few things for my dad's place."

"We're not here for work," I said and pulled her against my chest.

She laughed as she looked up at me. The music was fast paced, but we clung to each other like it was a slow song at a high school dance. She had completely consumed all my senses. I couldn't take my eyes off her. I could smell the faint scent of cinnamon as I nibbled the side of her neck. I could feel the softness of her skin on her lower back where my fingers had pushed up her tank top.

"Give me one second," she said and lightly tapped my chest.

I reached out for her but she was already disappearing through the crowd of people. Without her, I felt unsteady, like I needed to hold on to something. She grounded me. I needed her to hold on to me too. It's partially what had fixed me, knowing that someone needed me. I could be her anchor too.

After a few minutes passed, I began to get antsy. I pulled out my phone, but I remembered that I didn't even have her number. I started pushing through the people dancing as I searched for her. It didn't take me long to find her. She was standing next to the D.J. I was surprised by how instantly jealous I was that she was whispering in his ear and had her hand on his arm. It was silly. I knew it was just a habit from working at a bar for years. It still made me want to punch the guy in the face, though.

But then she glanced over to me with a huge smile on her face. Our song immediately started pumping through the sound system. Our song. I smiled to myself.

She pointed at me. "I was doing just fine before I met you." It looked like she was mouthing the words as she ran over to me. But when she got closer I realized she was singing at the top her lungs.

I laughed as she jumped into my arms. I held on to her thighs and kept her legs wrapped around me as she laughed too. She leaned forward wrapping her arms tightly behind my neck, as my hands slid to her ass.

"We ain't ever getting older," she whispered in my ear. She pulled back and stared down into my eyes.

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