Page 110 of Finding New Dreams

I trembled in his storm of desire. But my own need clashed against his. My fingers raked off his jacket and his shirt and greedily dug into his smooth, bare skin.

He broke away from me, his chest heaving, his eyes wild. “Wait, wait. Why are we doing this, Rose? You know I’m leaving. Why do you still want me?”

Struggling to catch my breath, I tried to think. Hadn’t Gina said that “banging him until his boarding call” would prove that I didn’t have feelings for him? Was that why I wanted him so badly it twisted my insides into burning knots?

“Did you think I walked away from you last night because I didn’t want you?” I asked.

His muscled torso tightened. “Why else would you? As soon as you found out I wouldn’t be around for much longer, you left. Like that was it, we were done.”

I took a tiny step toward him. “I left because I…I was having trouble with…” I screwed my eyes shut. Tell him the truth. Take the risk. I opened them again. “With wanting you too much, Flynn. Being around you last night would’ve been too painful.”

His jaw clenched. His chest rose and fell more rapidly. “You want me? You’ll…miss me?”

“Of course I’ll miss you.” I rested my palm on his warm chest. “I’ve loved our time together. I don’t…didn’t want it to end.”

He grabbed my hand and pressed a hot kiss into my palm. “I’ve loved every second with you. But I know I’m not the man you’re looking for. Which is why I think tonight should be our last night.”

Cold pain pierced my heart. But I knew he was right. He’d said it himself—he wasn’t the man I was looking for. Better to end things tomorrow. Get used to how things would be between us every time he came to visit.

“Deal,” I whispered then kissed him before I could give in to the tears clogging my throat.

At least I could live in my dreams for one more night.

26

FLYNN

A few minutes.

That was the only amount of time I was willing to let go of her all night.

She gave me tonight, and maybe I shouldn’t have even asked for that. But being selfish as I was, I needed one more night with her. Hell, I needed more than that.

But she didn’t need me. She wanted me, and that alone felt amazing. But she needed Mr. Perfect. After the wedding, after I was gone, she’d go right back to looking for him. And I couldn’t stand in the way of that.

Yet, again selfishly, I hadn’t wanted to continue past tonight. I didn’t want to face her dumping me. Lorraine had been bad enough. But Rose?

I just couldn’t.

Besides, my sweet Rose would hate doing it. So I’d saved her the trouble.

But still, that lilac light of pre-dawn filled me with dread. Why would it never be enough? Why did time always have to steal the best moments?

I closed my eyes and soaked up the naked curves of her body resting against all the angles of mine. Her hair tickled my chin, but I simply breathed in her scent, remembering last night.

Her beautiful body slick with sweat. Her eyes locked on mine. Her gasps. Her moans. Her whimpered words when I was so deep inside her, I wanted to lose myself and never find a way out.

But this. This memory would hurt more. Holding her like she was mine. Coming into the morning with her by my side. But the day wouldn’t be ours.

She stirred against me, and I ground my teeth together. Not yet.

“What time is it?” she whispered.

“Almost morning.”

Her breath caught, and I wondered if she noticed the way her body tightened around me.

“I still haven’t shown you the painting,” she said.

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