She turned and handed him a small leather bound book. “I ordered this when I saw it, because I thought of you right away.”
He grabbed the book, their fingers brushing together, and this shock of electricity moved through him. It was the same feeling he got whenever he touched her innocently, because that was all they were … innocent friends. She had been there for him during some of his most horrid times, and for that he would always hold her close to his heart.
Telling her that he cared for her more than he ever had for any other person would surely ruin what they had.
“I know you don’t read much, but I figured you could just keep it around to bring a smile to your face.”
It was a copy of Frankenstein, a book that to others wouldn’t be anything more than a horror story, but to Ace it was about a man that didn’t fit in, but wanted to survive. It had been the book he’d read to Lauren when she’d first asked him to hang out with her. God, that had been so long ago, seeming like ages now.
“I just remember sitting under that huge oak tree off of city limits, nothing but the sound of the reservoir in the distance and of you reading to me to drown out everything else in the world.” He looked up to see her smile.
“I hoped you’d like it.”
She would never know how much this meant to him, because although he could have gotten the book himself at any bookstore, Lauren had given it to him, and that meant the fucking world.
Epilogue
Several months later
“Come here, baby.” His voice was low, hoarse, and there was a touch of dominance in his words. There had always been a part of Toby that commanded people without having to do much more than give them a look. He had been like that in high school, and definitely was like that now more than ever in his adult age.
But right now all that Shoshanna could focus on was the way his mouth moved as he said those three words, and told her to come to him.
She licked her lips and moved that last bit of space it took to almost have their chests brushing. It would have been easy enough for him to move toward her, but she knew this wasn’t about who could surrender the most, but how much they wanted each other.
And Shoshanna would always want him, would always feel this burning desire to have Toby with her.
Even all this time later, and after the birth of the baby, she wanted him like she wanted to take her next breath.
He reached out and cupped her waist with one hand, curled his fingers into her flesh, and pulled her forward. With his other hand he covered one side of her face, and brushed the pads of his fingers along her flesh.
Back and forth he stroked her skin, staring into her eyes and making her feel like she was the only woman for him.
But she knew that was the truth, because not only did he tell her that, but showed her all the time. God, his eyes were so blue, so clear. Shoshanna felt herself leaning forward, felt his warm and sweet smelling breath brush along her lips.
But he didn’t kiss her, and instead moved the hand that held her face to the back of her head. He tunneled his fingers into her hair, tightened his hold on the strands until the pain mixed with her already climbing pleasure.
“You have no idea how much I want you, how much I love you.” His lips were so close to hers that if he just leaned forward that last couple of inches that separated them he’d kiss her. “No one will ever compare to you.”
She closed her eyes and breathed out. Her heart was thundering, and she swore her wetness was soaking clean through her panties. Lifting her own hands and tunneling her fingers through his hair, she stared into his eyes, and hoped he saw the love she had for him as well. “I love you, Toby.”
He was so much taller than her five-foot-three height. He was nearly a whole foot taller in fact, and she loved that with him she felt like this petite, tiny thing. The feeling of his hardness pressed against her softness had this desire filling her to the point she’d suffocate from it. She also felt the hardness of his erection pressing against her belly.
“God, Shoshanna, I want you so bad.” His voice was so harsh.
The baby was asleep, and this was their time now, their moment to be together.
“I need you, Shoshanna,” he groaned. They hadn’t been together sexually since the baby was born, but she was ready, and needed this. “Christ I need you so fucking badly.” And then he had his mouth on hers and his tongue speared between her lips.