Page 47 of Vow

Deep, and aching, and true.

The taste of him on her tongue.

Salt, and man, and musk.

Those fingers of his tightened in her hair, and kept her close. Like this, though, there was very little chance she was going to push him away. This was predictable between them. Haven was not very good at refusing him—or herself—when they were this close, and he was kissing her.

It was the last thing she wanted to do.

That kiss of his slowed until he pulled away altogether. Still, even as she spoke, they were close enough for their lips to touch. His nose grazed hers, and their foreheads pressed together.

“I will be going soon,” she whispered. “When the club sells, and the ink dries. I have to go, Andino. I need you to let me do that, okay?”

There.

She said it.

Haven couldn’t be clearer.

Andino nodded. “Then, you will go.”

“And you’ll let me go.”

It was more than letting her leave.

More than knowing she would be gone.

It would be the end.

Of them.

An official end of whatever they were, and whatever they might have been. There would be no coming back from that because once she was gone, Haven wouldn’t be turning around.

Ever.

“I will let you go,” he murmured.

She still wasn’t sure she believed him. Or maybe that was just her heart wishing for things that could never be. Not now, anyway.

• • •

“You didn’t have to walk me to the house, but thank you,” Haven said over her shoulder.

Andino stayed at the bottom of the steps leading up to Haven’s house. Snaps had fallen asleep in the back of the car, and barely even moved when Andino got out to walk Haven to the door.

“Didn’t I?” he asked. “Who else is making sure you get home safely?”

She had the door unlocked, and the knob turning under her hand. She should have left his words alone, and just went inside the fucking house like a smart woman. She shouldn’t have turned around to look at him—for just one more peek—because then she wouldn’t have seen the darkness clouding his features. As if the jealousy coloring his tone wasn’t enough … no, she had to see that, too.

Goddammit.

Weak.

She was so weak.

Haven was a lot of things, but stupid wasn’t one of them. Yet, when it came to this man, that’s exactly what she turned into. A stupid woman with little morals, and no real control over herself, or her wants. He took all of that away, and more.

“No one is walking me home,” she whispered, “or anything else for that matter.”