Elise was practically panting. She could tell him he was right, but she could see it in his eyes that he already knew that…and he knew the reason behind it too.
“I’ve seen you, wandering around like an empty shell, that far-off look in your eyes…” His thumb stroked across the apple of her cheek. “I couldn’t get your words out of my head. About that being the best time of your life. I thought I couldn’t possibly have heard you right…but I did, didn’t I? You need this. You need me.”
Elise felt herself nodding before he finished his sentence. She did need him. She’d never needed anyone more than Marcus. Before him, she’d been alone and content with her life. For the most part.
How naïve she’d been.
It’d taken his considerable acting skills and quick hands shaking up her world like a snow globe to show her how wrong she’d been.
He’d woken Elise up, and now she couldn’t fall back to sleep.
And she didn’t want to.
Elise wanted to feel alive again!
“I’ll tell you a secret,” Marcus whispered beside her ear. “It was the best time of my life too…and I need more. I need you.”
Elise shivered at his heartfelt words. She lacked a ready response, words unable to do justice to how she felt inside. So, she let her hands do the talking for her, her fingers on his hips clenching his shirt tight.
“Buttercup, get in the car,” Marcus said with surprising care. “Let me take you away from here.”
“Where?”
Drawing back, his gaze met hers, and his answering smile twisted her insides. Lowering his head, he grazed his lips across hers as he said, “There’s a little cabin in the woods…”
Elise didn’t need to hear any more. Throwing her arms around his shoulders, she lifted to her toes and crushed her mouth to his. She was more than ready for her next adventure.
***