“Goddammit, I’m trying!”
His face hovered only an inch above mine, both of us staring at the other, chests heaving. My eyes stung, and I sucked in a shaky breath.
“I told you I had baggage. It wasn’t some random metaphor. I like you, Garrett, more than I should, but—”
The arm across my body pulled away from the handle to grip the back of my neck, tipping my head up and allowing his eyes to rove over my face. He closed them for a split second before snapping them open, “Fuck it.”
Then he slammed his lips to mine.
There was no soft peck, no hesitation, just two forces colliding. It was as if he couldn’t take another second of not knowing how it felt to have his lips on me. As if his life depended on it.
I was frozen in shock, my hands glued to the door behind me until I felt the graze of his teeth surround my bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth. And I melted, molding to him like candle wax.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him even closer until the entire top half of his body covered my own. I slanted my mouth, opening for his tongue to dive in. I was a flame, pure star fire straight from space, ready to explode and take the earth with me. I dug my nails into the muscles of his shoulders, drowning in the feel of his tongue and full lips.
He pulled away, just far enough to drag his mouth down my jaw, leaving hot, searing kisses in his path before dropping to my neck. He nipped and sucked along one side and then the other until I was a panting, heaving mess. Then he was back at my mouth, opening me up and stealing every last piece of my soul.
It wasn’t enough. I wanted his skin painted against my own, I wanted to hear him groan in my ear and feel his breath ghost across my skin. And I didn’t just want it now. I wanted it every damn day.
It was that thought that had me coming to my senses, dowsing me in cold water. I tried to pull away, but the hand on my neck tightened, keeping me in place.
I sighed against his mouth, “Garrett.”
His lips pressed to mine again, then again, growing softer each time. Once. Twice. Four times. Finally, he retracted his hand from my neck, resting his forehead on mine and brushing his hands over the curve of my shoulders.
“I knew tasting your lips would be amazing, but if I’d have known it’d be fucking life altering, I’d have kissed you a long time ago.”
I dropped my hands to rest on his chest. “This doesn’t change anything, Garrett. It doesn’t change my past or my head or mean I’m suddenly fixed.”
His eyes zeroed in on me. “You don’t need to be fixed. I’m not expecting you to throw out your past like it never happened. I just don’t want it to be forefront in your mind when we’re together. I want you to feel safe to fight with me.”
He shook his head, breaking eye contact and staring at my hands. “You’re a fucking treasure, Maddie. A goddamn crown jewel, and everyone who meets you sees it, including your bar friend. I saw you sitting out there tonight with him, and my jealousy got the best of me. I can’t stand the thought of another man claiming you before I’m able to make you mine.”
Could your heart grow too large for your chest? I raised a hand and let my fingers rest against his cheek, already wanting to bring his lips back to me.
“There’s no other man, Garrett. Not yesterday, not today, and not tomorrow. I just need time.”
He closed his eyes and sighed, kissing my palm. “I can’t promise I’ll survive it, but I’ll back off until you’re ready. Just tell me when, baby, I’ll be here.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
She gaped at me. “I’m sorry, he did what?”
I didn’t repeat the story, instead knocking my head back to down my wine. Snagging the bottle next to her, I poured another ungodly full glass, emptying the bottle and licking the dribble from the neck.