“Tess.” My pulse is pounding in my temples. “Come here. Please.”
She’s already at the door, her hand on the key. Her mouth quivers. She doesn’t move.
Fuck this. This is all my fault.
“Tess.” Throwing the covers off, I swing my legs off the bed and push myself upright. “Please,” I whisper.
Sweat breaks on my forehead, and black spots swim in my eyes. My knees start buckling, and darkness rushes in with a roar. I think I hear my name being called as everything fades.
***
I blink, wincing as light stabs my eyes, and stare up at a jagged crack on the ceiling. I’m lying on my back on the bed, staring up, and someone is holding my face in both hands. A scent of vanilla and cinnamon teases my senses.
Smells like Christmas.
“Jesus, Dylan, what were you thinking?” Tessa is frowning down at me. “You’ve been on your back for days now, and you’re still feverish.”
“I was thinking,” I say slowly, gathering my thoughts, “that I’m not letting you go again. Not if I can convince you to stay.”
Her eyes go round.
“I’m so sorry I hurt you before.” I love you. Why is it so hard to speak the words? She is everything to me. “My fear of losing you… it’s nothing compared to the fear of never being with you again.”
Color rises to her cheeks, making the blue in her eyes glow. “What are you saying, Dylan?” I can see it all flicker through her gaze—fear, uncertainty, hope.
Just say it.
“I…” My mouth is dry like a desert. Desperately I lick my lips. “I don’t… just love you.”
“You don’t love me?” She bites her lower lip, and it’s driving me crazy. And damn, I’m scaring her again.
“Dammit, Tess, I’m gonna spell it out for you.” I draw a deep breath. “I don’t think I can live without you. And that’s scary as fuck, but I don’t care. When I thought I lost you forever, I realized what was important. You are important, the most important thing in the world for me, and I… I want to ask you…” I close my eyes briefly, then open them again to look into her face. “Is it too late?
“For what?”
“For a second chance. I’m asking you to stay with me, move in with me. Be my girl.” I glance around the dim room. “I know it’s not much. But all I have is yours.”
The pain her eyes eases, but tears slip down her cheeks, and I frown as I reach up to gather them, wipe them away. She’s smiling, though. What does it mean?
“I do love you, Tess,” I say, cupping her wet cheeks, relieved I can finally speak the words. “More than I can ever tell you.”
When she kisses me, it’s salty and bitter and so sweet I don’t think I can ever stop. I kiss her back, pulling her to me, needing to feel her. Feel her skin on skin, nothing between us. We’ve said it all. No more words are needed.
Her hands slide down my chest, grab the hem of my T-shirt, and tug. I let go of her face to lift my arms and help her undress me. I let the T-shirt drop off the bed to the floor. Her warm hands are on my pecs, moving down, sliding over the growing bulge in my pajama pants, and I hiss, my hips lifting.
Fuck. I need her naked skin on mine right now.
Frantically, I pull on her blouse and lift it, uncovering her white bra. She pulls her blouse off all the way and leans over me again, our mouths coming together, the kiss growing deep and demanding. Our tongues clash and twine, and I cup her breasts and knead them, feeling her nipples harden under the thin fabric.
Her hair is loose, falling in waves around us, tickling my shoulders, my jaw. It smells of flowers and spring meadows. She smells like summer. Feels like summer. I smile against her lips and slide my hands around her back to unhook her bra.
She makes a sound in the back of her throat as I let it fall and replace it with my hands. I tease her nipples until she moans breathlessly. She breaks the kiss to gasp my name, and I take advantage to lick and suck on her breasts. She rocks on top of my cloth-clad erection, and my eyes all but roll back in my head with the pleasure of it.
“Shit.” I reach for her pants, try to pull them down. “Take these off.”
She sits up, rises on her knees, and pushes her pants and panties down her legs and off. I stare at her, unable to look away. So beautiful.
“Come here,” I whisper, my voice hoarse with need. My cock throbs in time to my heart, and my balls feel like rocks. “So fucking pretty. My girl.”