Page 115 of Painted Truths

"Move in with me."

Her breathing falters, and her expressive eyes open impossibly wider. Time ceases to exist as her dimples appear, and her face breaks into the most captivating smile, eliciting a mirroring one on my own face.

"Yes." One word with so much meaning, so much emotion, I can't stop myself from skimming my hands up along her sinful body before settling them on her delicate neck to close the distance between our mouths.

I kiss her with all the years of emotion stored up inside me, with all the words I'm desperate to voice, willing her to take what she needs from me because everything that I am, everything that she makes me wish I could be, it’s all hers.

This woman owns me.

Body.

Soul.

Dare I say—heart?

Although I've only just come so hard, I swear that I saw stars; I can feel my dick start to twitch and harden, still seated within her heat as she presses her heaving breasts against the hardness of my chest, like a cat wishing to be stroked.

"No!" she moans, trying to stop me as I grudgingly pull my hardening length from her body. I can’t help but chuckle at the sexual fiend I've created.

Forcing myself to ignore her displeasure, I stand, setting her on the ground in front of me as I fix first her dishevelled state and then my own.

Reaching out my forefinger, I rub it under her swollen bottom lip, wiping away the remnants of that red lipstick she loves so much until only her naturally pink lips are visible.

"That's better, Peach."

She smirks before running her thumb all around my mouth. "Might want to fix that."

I playfully nip the offered digit, and a melody of her unique laughter chimes across the empty terrace at the sight of my irreverent grin as I clasp her hand in mine, pulling her gently towards the elevator.

"Come on. The night isn't over yet."

Her eyes narrow in suspicion, and I pull her closer, having pressed the call button on the lift.

"Let's get to know these girlfriends of yours. Only fair, since you put up with my two idiots."

Finding Nola and Josie holding court on the second floor, in the Autumn inspired section brimming with yellow, orange, and brown hues with Coldplay's Yellow playing under the din of raised voices in the crowded bar, I'm caught off guard to find my brother seated with them. I push the sharp pinch of envy down as deep as I can when Peach shouts his name, drawing the attention of everyone within a ten-mile radius.

Wincing, she squeezes my hand in that reassuring way she has about her before flying into his waiting arms.

"Hi! I'm Nola." A pretty redhead with a spray of freckles across her petite features holds her hand out as she tosses an easy smile my way, alleviating some of the tension in my chest.

I take her hand, pumping it up and down several times as she points with her free hand. "And that over there is my girlfriend, Josie."

The woman in question is dancing with much more gusto than the song requires, her antics putting a smile on the lips of everyone nearby.

Catching my eye, she tosses a saucy wink my way before starting to dry hump her stool, her short black curls bouncing as she laughs heartily.

"We call her Jo, but I'm fairly sure by the way she's grinding against that bar stool we should rename her 'Ho.'"

Unable to help it, I throw my head back and laugh loudly. I definitely like these two.

As my laughter fades, I meet Peaches’ eyes to find her big dimples on display while she watches me get to know her friends. The unrestrained happiness on her face is worth everything and more as she and Alex continue to speak quietly between themselves.

We settle into the booth with the most important woman in both our lives placed surreptitiously as the buffer between my brother and me. About an hour passes quickly and easily. The drinks have flown freely, and the banter even more so when the ladies excuse themselves.

"The little girls’ room calls. We'll be right back." Peaches moves to sashay away, only to fall back onto my lap when I grasp her hand.

"That's not how we say goodbye." Slamming my mouth over hers in a brutal claiming, my tongue forces its way past her teeth in my sudden desperation to taste her again. She melts against my chest and moans into my mouth, her own tongue duelling with mine.