Page 49 of Addicted

My hand rubbed at a sudden feeling in my chest. Grams was the most perceptive woman I’d ever met. As I looked at this stunning woman, I wondered if that fluttery ache that happened only when she was near was what love feels like.

CHAPTER 29

DENISE

My mind was still contemplating what exactly it was that I was doing with Hugh when his hand slid into mine. Our ride pulled in front of the driveway and I looked back at Grams as she waved, blowing us a kiss from her spot on the stairs.

I waved back as Hugh whispered in my ear, “She absolutely adores you.”

“Good, I definitely like her more than you.”

I looked up at him and he pressed his lips to mine, stealing the air from my lungs.

When I gasped in surprise, he took advantage. Slipping his tongue against mine, rough and insistent, I felt my body melt into his. Whatever this was between us was foreign to me. He was taking as much as he was giving, he filled my cup more than I poured mine out. The controlI had on everything in my life was slipping away, but for the first time I wasn’t scared of loosening my hold.

This man.

I sighed into his mouth. His thumb flexed against my throat, and I knew he wanted to squeeze it tight. He was getting lost in me as much as I was already lost in him.

Hugh pulled away reluctantly. Before he could get too far, I grabbed his shirt to bring him back to my mouth for one more taste. I licked at the seam of his mouth before I bit down on his lip. My tease earned me a groan. I smiled, pulling back and biting my own lip.

“You know Hugh has a whole condo you can break in.” Grams yelled out from the porch.

I tried to push Hugh away, my cheeks hot and my core heavy, but he grabbed me and pulled me tight to his side.

“Goodbye, Grams. We’ll see you next weekend,” he called out, clearly not feeling any shame in kissing me like that in front of God and everybody.

Grams laughed, long and loud as she replied, “I’ll see you next week, babies.”

He held open the car door and reached out to palm my ass while I slid into the back of the sedan. Smacking his hand, I felt heat rising in my cheeks. The driver didn’t say a word and I thanked the heavens for that small miracle.

After he slid in through his own door, his palm connected back with mine and I looked down at it. As thecity flashed by, I thought of seeing Grams again and the thought made me feel gooey inside.

Belly full and laughed out, I leaned my head against Hugh’s shoulder and watched the city drift by.

“I’m going to get ready for the morning,” I said.

We’d just gotten back, and it was starting to get late.

It was the last thing that I wanted to do. Going through my clothes was going to be a rabbit hole. I spent so much money and time building my wardrobe. I hadn’t even managed to grab half of it. Looking at what I had was going to confirm all that I’d lost. I sighed, trying to prepare myself as I walked into the spare bedroom.

Hugh followed behind me. When I grabbed the first case, he watched as I unzipped it.Something passed across his face before he stepped inside, crossing over to the other side of me. Unzipping the other case, he grabbed a pair of shoes, walked over to the massive walk-in, and placed them on a shelf.

When I raised an eyebrow at him, he didn’t say a word, just grabbed another pair of shoes and headed back to the closet.

“I wasn’t going to—”

“We should talk,” Hugh said as he moved.

The bubble we’d built over the last few days was bound to pop, but I didn’t realize it would have to be right now.

But it made sense. We had to work tomorrow, and we’d likely spend all of our time together in the coming weeks. I thought I would have to be the one to bring it all up, but Hugh was beating me to it.

I nodded and tried to hide the immediate nervousness that zipped through me.

“We should,” I agreed.

I grabbed a dress and hugged it close, using it like a shield to hide the unease clawing around in my stomach.

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