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“Why did you kiss me at the motel?” I whispered. He lifted a hand and skimmed his fingers across my mouth. “You have the most perfect lips I’ve ever seen.”
“Or . . . you could just wear your underwear,” I suggested.
Those beautiful brown eyes drifted to my mouth, and I was done. I captured her lips, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her into my chest.
This kiss was the best of my damn life. Until the next. And the next. Something about this woman made me feel that it would only get better. Kiss after kiss, she’d put the past to shame.
On my bad days, I always reminded myself that I’d survived much worse.
I wasn’t settling for contentment. I wanted love. I wanted passion. I wanted a man who stole my breath when he walked into the kitchen. Who kissed me and made the world melt away. Who would make every day an adventure.
How long had it been since a man had stared at me with such lust? Such hunger? Pierce looked at me like he wanted to devour me whole. I’d let him.
“God, how I want you. From the moment I saw you, all I could think about was your mouth.”
“Hold still.” “With you on your knees? No chance.”
I already longed for her and she hadn’t even left yet.
“I need one more night.” My knees nearly buckled. “Give me one more night.”
“You came back.” “I did.” “Why?” He blew out a long breath. “For you.”
That pissant she’d been with earlier had competition. I hadn’t come all this way to walk away. I’d tried that once and it hadn’t worked. Now I was here until I won her back.
She was mine.
“There’s that brave face I admire so much.” I stepped in closer. “You wear it for everyone. You don’t need to wear it for me.”
Maybe shocking her wasn’t the best way to handle this, but tonight, I wasn’t holding a damn thing back. If it came to mind, it was coming out of my mouth.
This wasn’t how I was leaving. Not tonight. She could be pissed at me for pushing, but I didn’t care. I needed to see that spark in her eyes. I needed her to remember just how good we’d been. So I took her face in my hands, tilting it up. Then I smashed my lips against hers,
This wasn’t over. Not yet. Not ever. Not by a long shot.
“I was scared that if I was too busy falling in love with you, I wouldn’t fall in love with my son.”
“Not to you. Not to me.” Her heart was involved and that meant the world.
“When I got that check, I thought I’d lost you,” I said, holding her mesmerizing gaze. “I don’t want to lose you, Kerr.”
“You’re staring.” “I am.” “Why?” “Because I can.”
“Pierce is important to me. He’s here as my friend.” A friend? We’d be discussing that classification tonight.
Everyone important in my life knew about Kerrigan. Granted, that list was small. My parents. Nellie. They knew what she meant to me and what I was hoping to have happen by returning to Montana.
“Larke, this is Pierce. Pierce, this is my sister.” Larke held out her hand. “You’re—” “Kerrigan’s.” Might as well clear it all up right now. I wasn’t the investor. I wasn’t the friend. I was hers.
She laughed and his eyes whipped to her face. Then my entire world stopped. Elias gave her his wide, toothless grin and let out a string of baby babbles like he was telling her that he was going to keep her forever. With any luck, he’d get his wish.
I stretched back in the couch, relaxing as they talked to him. Mostly, I stared at Kerrigan. These months apart had been too long.
I opened my mouth to defend her, but I should have remembered it was unnecessary. Kerrigan could hold her own. Once, not all that long ago, she’d read me the riot act on First Street, and that day had changed my life.
“I’m not here for them. I’m here for you. After enough years, they’ll realize we’re a package deal.” “Years?” My breath hitched. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I want Kerrigan because I’m in love with her.” I whipped around at Pierce’s voice, stunned to see him striding down the hallway with Elias in the cradle of an arm. His gaze was locked on Dad as he came to stand by my side. “In your shoes, I’d be wary too. But I don’t need your approval because in time, I’ll earn it. Treat me however you like. That said, I’ve seen Kerrigan cry more tears tonight than she should have. So I’ll warn you, Colton, she doesn’t need me to defend her, but I will. Make no mistake about it, if you cause her any more pain, you’ll answer to me.”
“If you don’t marry him, I will.” Larke came up behind Dad. She looped an arm through his and dragged him away.
“God, I love your mouth. You are beautiful, Kerr.”
“I missed you. Fuck, but I missed you.” “I missed you too.” “Never again. No more time apart. For the rest of our lives, where we go, we go together.”
“Kerr,” he whispered, the playfulness gone from his voice. “I’m in love with you.” I locked my eyes with his and whatever fears I’d had earlier were . . . gone. There hadn’t been a time in my life when I’d wanted to say it. Not like this. “I’m in love with you too.”
“Why are you crying?” he asked. “I’m . . . happy. I didn’t even know that this happy existed.” “Neither did I,” he whispered.
