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He lays his palms flat on either side of my head then runs his tongue over my top lip. A chill passes through me and pulses between my legs.

He pulls his head back and looks me in the eye. “I love you, Claire. I’ll never stop loving you.”

I grab the back of his neck and pull him to me. I wrap my legs around his waist and he grinds against me. There are too many layers of clothing between us. I reach for the button on his jeans and he moves my hand away as he kisses my neck.

“Slow down. We have all night.”

His hand slides under my shirt as he gently sucks on my earlobe. I lift my back so he can undo my bra. I hastily peel off my tank top and bra then toss them aside. His fingers move lightly over my stomach until he reaches my breast. I draw in a sharp breath as his mouth covers my nipple. He licks me slowly and torturously, moving from one breast to the other as his hands unbutton my shorts. I lift my hips so he can pull them off, but he leaves my panties on. He takes his shirt and jeans off and tosses them onto the floor before he settles himself between my thighs again.

I can feel him stiff between my legs as his bare chest slides over my breasts. He kisses me and I gasp as his tongue parts my lips and thrusts inside my mouth. I clutch handfuls of his hair to keep his head still. I don’t want him to move. I don’t want to ever stop kissing him.

He grinds himself against me and my panties are soaked with my need for him. “Please, Chris,” I whisper against his lips.

He kisses my neck as his lips travel down to the hollow of my throat. His tongue traces a line straight down my center until his face is between my thighs. He pulls my panties off and pauses for a moment. I look down to see what he’s doing and he’s staring at me.

“I’m going to miss this,” he says, before he kisses me so lightly I can barely feel it.

His fingers part my flesh and he kisses me tenderly, teasing me with feather soft licks. The pleasure builds inside me and I grip the blanket underneath me to keep from writhing.

“Oh, Chris,” I moan.

His tongue flicks and torments me into a frenzy and soon I find my release as my body convulses with ecstasy. He lays a soft trail of kisses over my belly and kisses each of my breasts before his mouth is on mine again. He kisses me tenderly as the tears slide down my temples and into my hair.

He pulls his head back and looks down. His boxer briefs are gone and we both watch as he enters me slowly, my mouth opening wide in a silent gasp. I wrap my legs around his waist, beckoning him farther inside.

He takes his time, sinking in and out of me with the ease of a boat bobbing on a calm sea. That’s what I am right now. I am a calm sea because the storm hasn’t arrived yet. I know everything will be different when Chris leaves, but right now I want to enjoy this small sliver of peace.

He kisses the tears as they slide down my temples. I tighten my arms around his shoulders and crush my lips against his as we both let go … forever?

Forever Lost

“Are you calling me from a pay phone?”

Claire’s voice sounds like a beautiful symphony on the other end of this staticky pay phone.

“I lost my phone at the airport, but I had to call you as soon as I got here.” I look around my new L.A. neighborhood. A hot, simmering concrete jungle; lifeless and loveless. “I miss you so fucking much.”

“You've been gone ten hours.”

“Worst ten hours of my life.”

She’s silent for a while, then she lets out a soft, forced chuckle. “Hey, want to hear a funny story? Your mom came home this morning with a sunburn. A bad sunburn. So I went to the drugstore to get her some aloe vera and the clerk — ”

“Claire, I don't think I can do this.”

“Do what?”

“Be without you.”

Silence again. I’m getting so fucking tired of silence.

“I don’t think we should be talking about this,” she says, her voice hardly louder than a whisper. “I think you need to give yourself some time to adjust first. Then we can talk about it. You can’t throw away all those years of hard work.”

It’s hard to argue with Claire when she’s right. But I still fucking hate that she’s right. I want to throw it all away.

“I love you.”

“I should go. I have to take the dog for a walk.”

“Claire?”

“Yes?”

“Are you still wearing your ring?”

She lets out a soft sigh. “I can’t do this, Chris. It hurts too much. Goodbye.”

Forever Torn

August 20, 2012

My phone vibrates on the nightstand and I know it’s going to be him. I haven’t heard from Chris since the semester began last week. He’s been spending fourteen hours a day in the studio. Or so he says.

I slide the phone off the nightstand and stare at Chris’s name flashing on the screen. Then I take a deep breath and touch the green button.

“Chris.”

“Were you asleep?”

“No, I’m just studying.” Lie number one.

“Do you have time to talk?”

“Not really. I’m trying to finish a paper.” Lie number two.

“You don’t have ten minutes to talk? I want to hear about your week.”

I pause for a moment, trying to gather the courage to say wha

t needs to be said. Then I realize I will probably never have the courage. So I might as well just say it.

“Chris, you have to stop calling me.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s too hard.”

“But we agreed to stay friends.”

“Friends,” I repeat this word with a level of disgust that surprises even me.

“You don’t want to be friends with me?”

“That’s not what I meant.” I try to swallow the lump in my throat, but it’s useless. “I don’t think that’s possible for us. Friends tell each other things, Chris. And … I don’t want to know what you’re doing.”

There’s a long, heavy silence where I begin to believe he may have hung up. Then, “Claire?”

“Chris, please. I’m sorry. It just hurts too much. And I want you to do what you want. I don’t want to worry about who you’re fucking or — ”

“ — I’m not going to — ”

“ — Chris, stop.”

“I’m coming home.”

“Stop! Stop calling me … Please!”

“Claire.”

“Stop saying my name. I have to go.”

I end the call and throw the phone at the wall so he can’t call me back. Then I pull the covers over my head and allow myself to cry. I tell myself that this will be my last day to let myself remember Chris. My last day to revel in the memories and soak my pillow with the tears. This will be the last day.

Tomorrow, we will no longer be Chris and Claire, past, present, or future. Tomorrow, the process of forgetting begins. I don’t know how I’ll forget the most amazing years of my life. But there’s no other way.

I can’t let Chris throw away everything he’s worked so hard to achieve. Not for me … or anyone.

Forever Shattered

I stare at the phone in my hand, trying to figure out what the fuck just happened. I mean, I knew this was coming. I could hear it in her voice. She’s not the same. Neither am I. The distance has killed who we were.


Tags: Cassia Leo Shattered Hearts Romance