He strutted in with a sense of purpose as though I were the last woman on earth and he needed me to save him.
Little did he know that he might be saving me. He might be giving me hope that we had a future together. I was deathly afraid he could or would break my heart again. Yet in that moment, with the way sparks were flying and the heat between us was sizzling, I would give him a hundred more chances.
He grasped my hand and brought it to his lips. “Hey, beautiful.”
He must have been looking at a different woman, because the last time I’d looked in the mirror, I’d screeched. My black hair was oily and matted to my head. My green eyes were dull, and my skin was ashen. I had managed to give myself a quick sponge bath, but I desperately needed a shower—a long, hot one that went on for days.
Denim showered kisses on the back of my hand, igniting a string of tingles that zipped up my arm, down my chest, and settled in my belly.
“Tito didn’t kill you. Wait, was Tito the one who tried to kill you?”
Denim gave me a lopsided smirk. “He tried.”
I tugged my hand free and tucked his blond strands behind his ear. “I’m so happy you’re alive. Tell me everything. How did you get away? Does Dillon know you’re okay?” Although I wanted to know the answers, I didn’t want to talk. I wanted to stare into his eyes and absorb him and the way he was looking at me with so much love and devotion.
His grin grew wider as he leaned into my touch. “I’ll tell you later. Right now, I just want to look at you. I’ve been worried out of my fucking mind about you.” He stared at my lips hungrily, marking his time like a wild predator eyeing his next meal.
Goose bumps popped to attention at the very idea that he could devour me. He’d done just that when I’d first met him.
The bell had rung, and kids spilled into the halls. I’d hung behind in chemistry lab to ask the teacher a question. Afterward, I bolted out of the class to get to my next one. Only I didn’t get far. I plowed into a hard chest and would have fallen on my butt if it weren’t for the hottest boy in school catching me.
“So sorry, baby doll.” His voice was raspy and gentle.
I let out a squeal.
He chuckled, guiding my chin up until our eyes met.
My mouth went dry, and my pulse banged hard against my skin.
“I’m Denim. And you are?”
I’m in love. But I didn’t say that. I couldn’t even speak.
His beautiful blue eyes penetrated through me with temptation and sin, and my brain shut down.
We stood there in the hall as kids ran by us, carving out our own private space.
My tongue snaked out to lick my lips.
He flinched.
“I’m Jade,” I finally said.
His gaze had roamed wild and free down to my chest and back up. “Gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous.”
He groaned, snapping me out of my trip down memory lane. He bowed his head until his lips were a tiny fraction from mine.
My pulse ignited in a steadyboom, boom, boom.
Before I let my brain get ahead of my body, I pressed my lips to his.
He groaned again, a sound that shot spikes of ecstasy straight to my clit.
His lips were familiar yet new as he thrust his tongue into my mouth. He took like he once had so many years ago when I was his. Actually, I’d always been his. He’d never lost me. I had never given my heart to another man since him. In some twisted kind of fantasy, I’d always hoped we would reconnect one day.
He flattened his hand on my face, nipping my lips and my tongue, groaning and moaning with me.
Memories came roaring back of Denim and me stealing a kiss in between classes, hiding in closets at school, under the bleachers, and anywhere we could find to devour each other.
