Chapter 24 #2
“I don’t need this,” I whispered, my voice low as her eyes told me everything her words denied, “...relationship-love crap.” I was aching to touch her. She swallowed hard, and every muscle in my body tensed, waiting for relief, but my mind clung to its last thread of logic and sense.
“Because you don’t believe in it,” she said, her cheek twitching as if she had bitten it from the inside.
Hazel, stop. Before it’s too late.
But her body didn’t care, just like mine.
“Because I don’t believe in it,” I echoed.
It was mind-blowing how much was at stake here.
This moment, suspended between desire and consequence.
A moment where I could lean in and trace the contours of her face, turning longing into reality, or take one step forward and plummet into the abyss and crash.
“Which means whatever happens here... stays here,” she said, and my heart started pounding. Banging my ribcage from within.
“Here? On this trip?” I asked, leaning in slowly as I reached for a strand of her soft hair and twirled it around my finger, knowing exactly how much it would take to make her move. “On this couch?”
She rested her head against the cushion, exposing the delicate curve of her jawline. My gaze roamed her face as my fingers traced the line of her neck, gliding to her collarbone. A small breath hissed through her nose, and her pupils dilated in pleasure.
“It can stay on the couch, yes,” she whispered. Our mouths hovered just inches apart. The only thing I felt was her breath, warm and tempting against my skin. My self-control was as thin as a glass noodle—until it snapped. And I just gave up.
On my own expectations. On what I should do and what I shouldn’t feel.
“If you say so,” I murmured, before softly crashing into her. I couldn’t help myself anymore. My lips, tender but firm, pressed against hers the moment she opened her mouth, and the world inside me exploded. Every good intention, every moment of restraint disappeared.
Her breath came in heavy gasps, mirroring my own, indicating she was affected by this as much as I was. She felt so damn good. Like I’ve wanted this for much longer than just a week. Months, even.
My hand slid to the back of her head, fingers sinking into her hair as I kissed her deeper.
She moaned, and somewhere between her lips and that sound, my groin had an existential meltdown, making me wonder if I had ever felt pleasure like this before.
I tried to control my impulses so as not to hurt her physically. That’s how bad I was for her.
I forced myself to pull away just for a second, trying to contain the rush of emotions threatening to consume me, but she took the moment to pause for a beat longer.
I pressed my forehead to hers, and Hazel’s eyes shot closed, grounding us both.
I don’t think I’ve ever had a kiss such as this one.
She brought her fingers to her lips as if savoring the moment.
It was my sign to let her breathe, but I didn’t let her go.
And God, I prayed she wouldn’t ask me to.
I didn’t know if I had the willpower. I hoped she would ignore the warning signs saying this was a bad idea, just like I did.
My palm covered her burning cheek, which was as red as her bruised lips. Finally, she opened her eyes, and there was something unreadable in those beautiful blue oceans of hers.
“Luke, if... if this is some kind of early birthday gift, I don’t need any favors. I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me,” she said, lowering her gaze.
“Hazel.” Her name tasted like smooth caramel on my tongue. Her intrusive thoughts tried to win, but I refused to accept that. I shifted, cupping her face in both hands. She raised her eyes to mine, and I saw fear. Fear that someone might pretend to want her.
“You have no idea. No idea,” I breathed out desperately wanting to show her everything I felt but couldn’t put in words.
My thumb brushed over her bottom lip. And this time I didn’t wait for permission.
I leaned in and kissed her. Hard. With no space between our lips.
No space for doubt. And as soon as I felt her body pushing against me, I was a lost man.
I was aching for her. For days, weeks now, I knew she had infiltrated my life somehow. I didn’t know what the future looked like for us, but I knew for damn sure she was in my blood now, and there was no way of getting rid of her.
I pulled her closer, her warmth searing against my skin.
But it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.
My tongue entered her mouth, drawing another moan from her.
It was agonizing. The position on the ground was a bit awkward, so I grabbed her waist and, with a swift move, lifted her onto me, her knees straddling me.
I pressed her against me, one hand gripping her nape, the other on her ass, separated only by the flimsy material of her shorts, which I could have ripped off with a single tug.
I held her tight as she tried to move, seeking more pressure, the undeniable bulge in my shorts heightening the tension.
Her hands slipped beneath my shirt, nails leaving trails of fire along my skin, and I pulled it off before I could think.
My mouth traveled to her neck, and her fingers tangled in my hair as my tongue spelled out the alphabet on her hot flesh.
“God, Hazel, I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long,” I breathed, hands greedy for every inch of her.
She laughed breathlessly. “Are you sure?” Her words made me slow down, which was funny because I thought even a hurricane couldn’t pull me away from her. I lifted my gaze. She was still catching her breath.
“You don’t believe me?” My lips brushed against hers, barely touching her.
“I do. I know I’m not bad-looking, just... not your usual type.” I squeezed her hips, pressing her into me. Hazel moaned softly, her eyes fluttering shut.
“And how do you know my type?” I murmured, trailing kisses along her jaw. Her nails dug into my shoulders, and I rewarded her with a slow, open-mouthed kiss on her neck, drawing out more of those soft, sweet Hazel sounds.
“I’m not blind, am I?” she teased, but it felt uncomfortable. I had flirted with other women in the coffee shop. And in front of Hazel. At the time, I didn’t put much thought into it. Now I actually hated myself for it.
She doesn’t believe me.
Slowly, I pulled her off me, savoring the way her body resisted the distance. Her eyes flickered with panic and confusion, but I lifted her effortlessly, laying her back on the pillows. My gaze locked onto hers, commanding, unrelenting.
I watched her like my life depended on it.
The fear in her eyes dissipated, and her body followed my movements.
Like we were still on that dance floor. My hand traced her curves, drawing invisible lines down her chest, her waist, stopping at her hip.
Hazel’s breathing quickened, but her eyes were still on me.
My nose brushed over her freckles, tracing them one by one, teasing her.
I wanted to show her. I wanted to make her believe.
So, I let my breath fall on her one last time before I kissed her again, putting everything I had in that kiss.
My tongue swept along her lips, my hands gripping her like she might slip away.
Her body arched into me, chasing my touch.
Our bodies were crashing like waves flowing along one another.
I moved slowly but deliberately. Every brush of lips, every touch had a purpose.
I was tasting her, and she was melting into me.
I broke the kiss just enough to whisper, “Do you believe me now?” Hazel’s gaze changed, and after a beat, she nodded, confirming I’d done good work at the convincing department.
She tugged at my hair, pulling me down. My lips hovered over hers, the corners lifting as a rush of warmth spread through me.
Happy. I was fucking happy. Every tiny particle in the universe seemed to align perfectly for this moment to happen, but just as our lips were about to meet again, a loud sound shattered our little safe space, making Hazel jolt. Because life’s just that kind to me.
I felt a vibration under her. It was a phone. Her phone. I dug a little using the chance to slide my hand along her cute ass before handing it over. She was still looking at me when she picked up.
“Hello?” she said breathlessly.
“HAZZEEEEL!” someone yelled on the phone. “Happy birthday, girl! It is your birthday there, right? I calculated the time difference like ten times.”
Hazel smiled, her gaze softening. “Thank you, Mady. Is it past twelve?” I tipped my wrist toward her, letting her see the time. “It is. Your math is on point.”
“How’s Europe treating you?”
“I’m good. The sun is amazing, but the heat—” Her eyes dropped to my lips. “—is a bit more than I expected,” she said, and I grinned. I couldn’t help myself. How had I missed it? The way she was. So... ahh. Sexy.
“Excellent. Oh, by the way, I don’t want to alarm you, but I just wanted to let you know. Jackson called me.”
As soon as his name came up, Hazel froze. Her smile vanished. She tried to look unbothered, but I saw the panic flash in her eyes.
“What did he want?”
“Just wanted to know where you have disappeared.” She gulped.
I cupped her cheek, grounding her. Letting her know she’s safe with me.
She shut her eyes, leaning into my palm for a second, and her shoulders relaxed.
The gratification I got from that small gesture was something I couldn’t even explain to myself.
I kept my face calm, but inside I was burning with anger.
I wanted to keep her here. Safe and with me.
“Did you tell him where I am? Or when I’m coming back?” she asked, still calm. Still pretending. I put my head on her belly, hugging her waist.
“Hell, no. Told him I wasn’t saying jack shit.”
I liked her already.
Hazel’s entire body eased. Her fingers brushed through my hair, and I hummed softly against her, tightening my hold around her body.
“Thank you.”
“How’s your Mr. Hottie in the Suit? Has he ‘accidentally’ dropped his towel in front of you yet?”
My head snapped up at the sound of my name woven into the hilarious commentary. Panic on her face was back, this time accompanied by red cheeks and a frantic response.
“I gotta go, Mady. Love you. Thanks for the birthday wishes.”
“Haze—” The call cut off. I smirked.
“So... I’m a hottie?”
She groaned, hiding her face in her palms. I laughed, prying her hands away to see her adorable, flushed face. Our gazes softened in sync.
“Ace Ventura’s about to run around with arrows in his legs,” she said. I pressed a soft kiss to her lips, lingering just for a second, and we smiled at each other.
“Well, we can’t miss that. After all, it’s the highlight of the movie.” I pulled her close, leaning back against the couch.
A beat of silence passed before I whispered, “Happy birthday.”
She nestled deeper into my arms, letting out a soft, contented sigh.