fucking hard. As my lips travel down the expanse of her throat, she rubs herself against the bulge in my pants. I’m knocking on orgasms door, ready to explode in my jeans.
“Gray, stop,” she pants. But then she grabs my shoulders and pulls me closer, so I don’t. I keep going until the name of her sister punctures this haziness we’re sunk in.
Shit. Alyse. The reason I’m here. I want every part of Livia’s life to be part of mine, too. So, though I wasn’t invited, I’m going to her sister’s volleyball games. I don’t intend to spend a second apart for the little time we have left unless Livia’s working.
“Sorry,” I croak, my forehead now plastered to hers. Our eyes are shut. Our breaths rapid. I feel her body buzzing underneath the tips of my fingers. “Got carried away for a minute there.”
Man, that smile. That beautiful, mind-altering smile of hers. I feel it a second before I open my eyes and see it. I knew it was there because it radiates warmth that, hand-to-god, I feel every time.
“I think we both did,” she rasps, still breathing hard. When she licks those lips, the ones pink and swollen from my kiss, I start throbbing all over again.
“I want you, Livvy. Fuck, I want you so much,” I blurt. She is so gorgeous, so goddamn desirable it’s making me stupid.
She leans away, tipping her head back until her stunning green eyes pierce mine. She blinks a few times, those long lashes fanning the tops of her plump cheeks every time she does.
“I don’t mean to pressure you,” I start to say. “This is not—”
When she lays a single finger against my lips, I quiet. Before I know what I’m doing, I dart my tongue out and slide it up to the tip, drawing it into my mouth. Bright green darkens to liquid pools of seaweed before her lids fall half-mast. She swallows hard.
“You’re not pressuring me.” Her voice is husky and needy. It’s sexy as fuck. “I want this, but Alyse…”
Reaching up, I draw her finger back out, wetness sticking behind on my lips. Then I tuck her hand in mine so she can’t pull away. “I know. That’s why I’m here.”
She eyes me for the longest time. Finally, one edge of her lip tugs up before the other follows. Then she’s full-on grinning and I am done for. I am completely and irrevocably in love with this woman and would do anything she asked. Bow before her. Hunt and kill her dinner. Worship her endlessly, forever. Even leave, if that’s what she wants.
“You want to sit for three hours watching a bunch of high school girls grunt and smack a ball around?”
“Why wouldn’t I? They’re wearing short shorts, right?” I tease, my grin now matching hers.
I laugh when she whacks me on the chest, but it gives me chance to draw her in tight. “You know the only person my eyes will be on is you, right? I’m blind to anyone else but you, Livia Kingsley. Have been for the last twenty-five days. And I have a feeling I will be for the foreseeable future.”
She bites that lip. Again. She glances back over her shoulder into her house, then back up at me. I, however, never take my eyes from her.
“You and me. That’s all that matters, angel. You, me, and Alyse.”
Like a hose just turned on, her eyes fill with water and start to spill over. I cup her cheeks and wipe them away, one after the other, knowing this moment right here is defining.
“You, me, and Alyse?” she asks in a small voice. She’s unsure and, once again, I get it. But I’ll never betray her. I’ll never leave or abandon her, even though miles will separate us for the next few months. I will always be by her side, as long as she’ll let me. I already know this is woman is my future. My forever.
“She’s important to you, so she’s important to me. The end.”
I slant my mouth and put it on hers, kissing her gently. It’s colder than a witch’s tit in January out here, but if she needs us to stay on her stoop until this—us—is all sorted out, I’ll stay here