Page 78 of Chasing Home
It’s only been a few weeks, and with everything going on in her life, it feels wrong to push for more between us. Like I’m getting greedy or something. I’m content following her pace and hoping that one day she’ll wake up and decide she’s ready for the next step. I know I’m not going anywhere.
“What if he doesn’t believe me? Or does and tells me that he wants me to leave?” she asks, the words reeking of vulnerability.
“He won’t say that, darlin’.”
“You can’t be sure of that.”
“You’re right. I’m not sure of it. But I’m going to try and speak that shit into existence because you don’t need any more doubt in your life.” I lay my hand on her back and shift, my ass hanging half off the porch so I can get a full look at her. When she doesn’t look away and instead fearlessly stares back, I think my heart doubles in size. “You’re going to go meet him, and I’m goin’ with you. Tell me when you want to leave, and I’ll make it work.”
She scoffs in disbelief, lightly pushing at my chest for me to sit back. “You’re not coming, Johnny. Don’t try and make me feel better by giving me false hope.”
I fight against her push and inch closer toward her, taking her chin between my thumb and forefinger. Her breath grows tight, those pretty pink lips that I haven’t stopped thinking about kissing for a week parting on nothing.
“I’ve never lied to you, Aurora. Don’t plan on it either. Everything I’ve said to you has been the truth. I’m not the guy that’s going to tell you what I think you want to hear if I don’t believe it. I know you know that.”
“I can’t ask you to come with me,” she murmurs.
“You didn’t. I told you I was. But I would have dropped everything to come if you had asked.”
“Will we finish the porch when we get back?”
I search her eyes for the meaning behind that question, the doubts in her mind, but get distracted by the beauty in them. The rough waters I’ve grown used to seeing have stilled, not a wave to be seen. They’re inviting, the soft lapping of the tide nearly audible like a shell from the beach pressed to your ear.
“We’ll finish it before we go,” I promise her.
A crinkle forms between her brows as her lips close, expression closing off. “Oh, right. I guess it is almost done.”
Reaching toward her, I wrap my palm around the back of her neck and bring her close. Forehead to forehead, a million words float in the space left between us. Some I have no fear of saying but would send her running for the hills if I did.
“Once the porch is done, I can focus on other projects. Like the state of the fireplace and lack of screens in the windows. I have a million things I want to do, Rory. But my priority is takin’ care of you.”
Her lashes flutter as her eyelids droop. The gap between our lips closes slowly, a millimetre at a time. I can almost taste her next words.
“How are you real?”
“The same way you are,” I breathe against her mouth before taking it in a soft kiss.
It’s gentle at first, tastes mingling. But then she’s pressing harder, like she’s searching for something. I’m happy to let her explore every inch of me for the answer. I’d offer her unlimited access to my mind without fear or hesitation.
I groan when she sets her hands on my shoulders and urges me back again. This time, I let her guide me, putty beneath her touch. There’s nothing that could prepare me for her next move. I drop one hand behind me to balance myself when she sits herself in my lap, straddling me.
Gripping her waist with my other hand, I encourage her to drop her full weight onto my thighs, my skin burning with anticipation beneath my jeans. She lowers more, jean brushing jean.
“Is this okay?” she asks breathlessly, resting a palm along my jaw, stroking it.
“So fucking okay.”
I kiss her like I’m scared she’ll disappear. Like from that very first night, I’ve been hallucinating her. If she didn’t feel so real beneath my fingertips, I’d think I was dreaming. How else could I get this lucky?
My plans for tonight linger in my head, an annoying buzz I can’t shake. All I want is to keep her on my lap, in my arms, her hot breaths panted across my lips, swollen from the pressure of her kisses. But she needs what I have planned. More than she knows.
“Come with me somewhere,” I pant, dragging my lips over her cheek to settle against her ear. “I plan to revisit this. Fuck, I could keep you here forever.”
She blinks her eyes open, a gorgeous, dazed expression filling her face. “Where are we going?”
I tuck a piece of soft blonde hair behind her ear, tracing the shell of it. “Somewhere special.”
“Did you miss work already?” she asks once we step out of my truck outside of the Steele Ranch stable.