Page 57 of Forbidden Romeo

I gave her hand a squeeze as I exhaled a deeply relieved sigh.

She still cared for me.

That gave me… hope. Or something.

My chest rose and fell, releasing the tension that had been building in my body. Our bodies close together, I could see the slight flush on her cheeks and the crease between her eyebrows, signs of her worry and anger towards me.

I pulled her close to me, the warmth of our bodies pressing together. My hand tenderly cradled her jaw as I leaned in, my forehead gently resting against hers. Our breath mingled as our lips met in a soft, lingering kiss. The faint taste of her favorite cherry lip balm lingered on my lips, adding a sweet note to the intimate moment.

For a second, it was like before. A moment of pure and tender intimacy as our breaths became one and our lips explored each other in the soft, lingering kiss.

Her moan echoed in my mouth as I pulled her closer to me, deepening the kiss. Her lips parted and I seized the moment, gliding my tongue along hers.

When she wrapped her arms around my neck and twisted her fingers through my hair, I grunted and slid my hands down to the small of her back. Hoisting her up onto my hips, her ankles latched at the small of my back as our mouths moved together.

Frenzied and dizzy with lust, I maneuvered us to the makeup counter, never breaking contact. We collapsed in a tangle of limbs and lips, our hands roaming feverishly over each other. She sighed in pleasure as I trailed my lips down her neck, the back of her head hitting the mirror gently.

With a sharp tug, I pulled her button-down shirt open and she arched into me as my mouth found her nipple. I rolled her sweet, hard pearl over my tongue, sucking it like hard candy as her nails dug into my back.

God I missed her. I missed her touch, her taste, the intoxicating way she made me feel.

But we were in dangerous territory.

I knew I was bad for Katherine. I knew that I would probably end up hurting her again. But right now, any and all rational thought was overridden by intense desire.

"Holden, no." She gasped softly, trying to catch her breath. "I can't... I just can't..." Her cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen from the kiss. "We can't do this," she whispered, looking down at the floor.

I paused, stopping immediately and pulled her shirt closed for her. With my hand on her sternum, I could feel heart racing, slamming into my palm.

"Okay," I said, my voice hoarse.

I stepped back and looked away, running my hand through my hair in an effort to compose myself. “I’m sorry,” I said, ignoring the bitter taste in my mouth.

The room seemed too small for both of us after that kiss. The lights flickered above us, casting long shadows on the walls and making our breathing seem even louder in the deafening silence.

Katherine slid off the counter and melted into the chair next to it, taking a moment to calm herself.

I stared at Katherine for a long moment where she sat wringing her hands in her lap.

I took a deep, shaky breath, trying to keep my composure. Letting Katherine go would be the hardest thing I've ever done. I owed it to her to set her free. I owed it to her to walk away and allow her to move on. Find someone better suited to her. Someone who won’t keep scarring the beautiful canvas that was Katherine Harris.

But I couldn’t.

Because I loved her too much to walk away.

The thought swirled in my mind like a leaf caught in a gust of wind, refusing to be buried by the cruel, cold tempest of snow.

But I couldn’t deny it any longer…

I loved her. I loved Katherine.

Holy fuck.

The words echoed in my head, a mantra that I couldn't silence. They pulsed with the beat of my heart, sending shivers down my spine.

My mind raced as I struggled to comprehend the magnitude of my feelings. This was no mere infatuation or fleeting crush. No, this was a deep, passionate love unlike any I had ever experienced before.

How had I not seen it before? How had I been blind to this intense, all-consuming love? My mind spun with questions and doubts, but one thing remained certain: I loved her more than anything else in this world.