Lipstick & Camera Clicks

by D.J. Murphy

“I’m not mad. I just learned not to let you go again.” He brushes sand from my hair, “I’m just saying he mishandled you in ways that will never make sense to me.”

I’ll be the bad guy if they want me too, but they can hate me while I collect that check.

“I can never not pay attention to you.” He runs his hands through his hair and his jaw sets into a hard line. He moves closer, grabbing my forearm and pulling me toward him. “Seeing you with Kade drives me crazy.” That familiar fire dances along my skin at his touch. “Why?” “Why do you think?”

I trace a path of kisses from his mouth, down his jaw and work my way along his neck. Each one leaves a lipstick stain against his skin, and it feels like I’m marking my territory. The thought of that shouldn’t send a thrill through me the way it does.

“I had it in my head since we were kids that you were mine. I’ve been in love with you since before I was old enough to know what love was.”

He looks at me with unfiltered adoration and I’m reminded again how much I love this man. “I’ll give you so many good memories there won’t be any room for the bad ones to exist.”