Page 172 of Lose You Twice

“Only since then?” I tease.

His eyes stay locked on mine, no sense of teasing to be found. “No.”

“How long?” I ask, even if I’m not sure I can handle the answer.

His gaze drops to my mouth. “You haven’t left my mind since middle school, Freckles, no matter how hard I tried to let you go over the last few years.”

The ache that moves through me is sharp and sweet at the same time.

I bring my lips to his. He kisses me thoroughly as his hands find the hem of my sweater and pause there until I nod. When his palms slide against my skin, I gasp into his mouth.

He stops. “Okay?”

“Kai.” I huff a nervous laugh, bringing his eyes to mine. “I promise I will tell you if I’m not okay.”

I sit up just enough to pull my sweater over my head and drop it on the floor.

He goes completely still.

Not in a way that makes me feel exposed. In a way that makes me feel seen. Like he needs a second to take in the fact that I’m here, choosing this, choosing him.

“You’re staring,” I whisper.

“I know,” he says, voice husky and gruff, but also reverent. “Committing this version of you to memory.”

My laugh turns into a shaky breath when he kisses my shoulder.

His shirt slips open under my hands, one button at a time until patience becomes laughable. I push it off his shoulders, and it falls to the floor. Our shoes are kicked toward the wall. His belt comes undone, my jeans hit the floor, he laughs against my mouth when we nearly trip over my sweater, and my hand tightens around his arm.

The laughter turns into a choked sound when my hands explore lower, opening the button of his pants, my eyes never leaving his. Carefully, I pull them down, leaving him in just his boxers, his body tense and breathing ragged.

Wanting to tease him more, I lean forward, placing a kiss just below his navel.

He sucks in a hard breath. “Fucking hell, Wren.”

“What?” I ask, continuing to place a trail of kisses along his waistband. “You want these off?”

He nods. “Yes.”

I hook my fingers under the material and drag them down his legs, giving him time to kick out of them, admiring the view.

He’s beautiful. The years of hard work in the gym are showing everywhere, skin taut over his muscles. I bring my gaze lower, and even his cock is perfect. He’s hard, very hard, and his tip glistens with excitement.

I graze my nails down his abdomen, and he inhales with a hiss as I move them lower.

I cock my head, looking up at him with wide eyes, feigning innocence. “What’s wrong?”

Kai wipes a hand down his face, muttering a line of curses that I can barely make out. I move my hands to the top of his hips, and he groans as I lean forward, kissing the spot there. He sucks in another breath, his entire body beginning to tremble.

“You sure nothing’s wrong, Kai?” I purr, moving another inch closer to where he wants my mouth. “You’re shivering. Are you cold?”

“Fuck, no, I’m not cold,” he nearly chokes out as I move my hand even higher on his thigh, skating right past his dick without touching it.

“What do you want then? You made the rules; use your words.”

“Please touch me,” he begs. “Hands, mouth, I don’t care. Please just fucking touch me.”

I smirk, licking my lips. “Good boy.”