100 Lifetimes of Us (The Romantics #1)

by Maggie C. Gates

It had been fifteen minutes and forty-seven seconds since I opened my eyes. Fifteen minutes and forty-seven seconds of staring at Annie as she slept peacefully in my arms. Fifteen minutes and forty-seven seconds of her cheek pressed to my bare chest. Fifteen minutes and forty-seven seconds of calm. I brushed her hair away from her face so I could study her parted lips. Soft like silk. Supple like butter-soft leather. Sweet like cotton candy. I just wanted one more taste of her. One more moment of her lips on mine. Two kisses last night hadn’t been enough. We had been sitting beside a fountain when she kissed me. I couldn’t hear her breathy little whimpers over the pouring water. My hands were on her face, so I didn’t get to feel the way she moved when her mind wasn’t focused on anything except how good she wanted to feel. Slowly, Annie’s lashes parted and she looked up at me with bleary, tired eyes. I was lying on my back with her up against my side. The curve of her breast felt so good against my ribs. Her leg was tossed between mine. My hand was wrapped around her thigh. After deciding that waking up was a terrible idea, she closed her eyes again. I pressed my lips to the top of her head. It was the closest I’d let myself get to kissing her. “Time to get up,” I murmured into her hair. Annie’s lips turned down into a frown. “If I open my eyes, the ducks are there.” I laughed and stretched my limbs. “I solemnly swear to protect you from creepy waterfowl.”