AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ismiled through my nerves and surveyed the place rather than looking into his eyes.
“I’ll go get you some water. Or tea?” He offered it to me as if yesterday hadn’thappened. It could’ve been either good or bad, but Ididn’twant to dwell on it. Ididn’twant the doubts to hinder me from speaking my mind.
“I’dlike tea.” Icleared my muffled voice and pulled my shoulders back. “Tea.”
His full, luscious lips curved to the side, and he silently walked into the kitchen to put on akettle. Ifollowed him and his gorgeous smile.
“Iwant to…” Icoughed again, urging my stupid throat to unclog itself. “Iwant to apologize.”
“Erin…”
Iraised my hand to silence him, needing this apology to come from me.
He crossed his arms, leaned against the counter with his lips still curved up. He watched, examined, probed me with his gaze, without giving me any indication of his thoughts.
That was the Thomas Iremembered from our long days at the studio, the one who let me state my mind, the one who undid the conditioning Greg implanted in me. Since Greg thought my opinions were silly and irrelevant, over time, Ibelieved they really were.
Thomas didn’t, and in that kitchen both of us gave Greg abig mentalfuck you.
With that power behind me, Italked. “I’msorry, Ishouldn’thave rushed you to make promises or to tell you you’re ruining our relationship, not at all. It sounded awful and Iapologize.” Irubbed my palms against my thighs to stop them from shaking.
“Also, um, Iwant to be with you. The full package.” Inodded to him and to myself. “We’ll make it through together.”
He winced, his eyes losing their amusement. “Is there anything else?”
“No.” My shoulders slumped. Iguessed Ihad ruined it after all. As Iturned and made abeeline to the door, Iclung to the belief Icame in here with, repeating to myself,No regrets, no regrets, no reg…
“Erin…” Thomas’slarge arm slipped around my waist, spinning me and pulling me to his chest. “Do Ihave your permission to reply?”
“Yes.” Idirected my gaze at him, giving him my most confident look. “But you should know Ihave no regrets.” Because Ididn’t.
“Iknow you don’t.” He brushed aloose strand of hair behind my ear, holding me firmly in place. “And Iadmire you for it. Iwant to be with you too, but that is somethingyoualready knew.”
“Mm-hmm,” was my response, giving him equal space and respect to speak.
His eyes flickered between mine. “Ihad time to think and I’mcommitted to taking any route you choose to make this work. It’ll be apainful, long conversation, but I’mhere for it. I’mnot running anymore. Idon’twant to have secrets if you believe they’ll cause me to act out and intimidate you.”
Despite Thomas squeezing me to him, fresh air filtered into my lungs. Thomas surprised me and gripped my soul as well as my body by agreeing to pick through his painful past, and yet Icouldn’tdo that to him; Icouldn’tand wouldn’tforce him into it.
Before Ihad achance to tell him that, he added, “Iwas wrong to act like Idid. Icalled Zach earlier too, to apologize. He said Iwas cute.”
His coy smile derailed me from what Iwas about to say as Icommented on their cute back and forth, “You two are perfect for each other.”
“Youare perfect for me, Erin.” He gripped me tighter and kissed my forehead. That simple, that real, that much of azap to my heart and ahuge zap to my lips.
Thomas crushed our mouths together, parting his lips as Ilet him in, searching and tasting me with his tongue. The knots in my stomach from this morning unraveled as his hot breaths infiltrated into my mouth, my throat, my lungs. He relieved the tension with these slow strokes, with his hand as it traveled down my body to dig into my behind.
My body responded to his touch, my chest pressing to his and sharing with him my heartbeats, our heartbeats. He overwhelmed and titillated my senses, and for asplit second my mind almost dove headfirst into the oblivion of him.
Almost.
Iraised my hands to cup his cheeks and draw him back. He didn’tgo far, his forehead resting on mine, his eyes traveling to my lips.
“Thomas.”
“Yeah?” Wrapping one hand around the back of my neck, he pulled me to him. Icould see nothing except him, not like Iwanted to see anything else.
“Idon’twant you to tell me everything.”
