“It sounded like you were only doing this because you thought it was the right thing to do, not because—”
“I love you,” I finish for her. I do everything because I love her. Because I’ve always known that she was the one for me. That I would protect her, love her and honor her for all the days of my life whether she reciprocated those feelings or not.
“I know you love me, but I mean like love. Beyond friends.”
“Tinsley, I’m not even sure love is a big enough word for what I feel for you. What I’ve always felt.”
“But-”
I keep going, needing to get this out. She needs to know it all. To understand I’m all in. Always have been and always will be when it comes to her.
“Why do you think I’ve never been with another woman, Tinsley?”
“I just thought”—her eyebrows furrow together—“you don’t like people.” She finally comes up with, making me let out a bark of laughter. I don’t know if I really don’t like people or if I’m just in a shit mood because I can never have what I truly want. Her. “I love when you laugh.” She reaches up, touching my face. I lean into her touch, needing it like I need my next breath. Knowing that now that I’ve had her that I’ll never be able to be without her.
“You’ve been it for me, sweetheart. Been waiting for you to be ready.” Her whole body goes soft under me. Fuck. She’s finally getting it. What I said on the phone was the truth. I’d do anything for her.
“You’ve been stalking me.”
I shrug. She only smiles up at me as she wraps her arm around my neck, looking pleased with the idea of me stalking her.
“You gave me an in with this whole trying things out shit. All you really did is seal your fate.” There was no fucking holding back after that. Or trying to give her space. She better get used to me because I’m going to be around all that time. I couldn’t go back to not touching her every night or day whenever I wanted. Now it’s her turn to laugh.
“I was trying to seduce you.”
“Seduce me?” Why the hell would she need to seduce me? “You breathe and I’m turned on.” She pushes on my chest. I don’t move.
“Move. I’m not running.” She pushes my chest again. I roll over because I can’t deny her. She climbs on top of me, straddling me.
“You make it hard to concentrate.” My eyes go to her swaying tits. My cock is begging to get out of my jeans and into her.
“Well, I’m about to tell you how much I love you so—”
My eyes snap up to hers. She’s giving me one of her dimples. I grip her hips, wanting to hear it.
“Been in love with you since you punched Ben for pushing me into the pool all those years ago.”
“Should have done more than punch that little prick.” He had a crush on her. So he pulled her hair. She never paid him any attention, so his ass pushed her in the fucking pool. After I got her out I’d lost it. We might have only been little kids at the time, but it had been the day I’d learned what rage was. It was also the day I knew I’d do anything to keep Tinsley safe from the Bens of the world. When I’d lifted her out of that pool and her little arms wrapped around my neck as I carried her to safety, I silently vowed to always protect her.
“When the suggestion came up that I stay with you while I went to school I knew it was my chance to get close to you. To see if we could have something.”
“That suggestion came from me,” I admit. I’d pushed for her to come here. I knew she had college applications out here. That she wanted to get away from her hometown. I slipped right in and took her when she was vulnerable. That probably makes me an asshole, but I don’t care.
“I was planning to come out here before everything happened, Reed. Getting to stay with you was just a bonus. Why do you think I applied to so many schools out here?”
“Baby.” I roll her over again, pinning her below me. I can’t help myself. I don’t know what comes over me with her, but I can’t control it. It’s worse when I see she gets off on it too.
“Don’t baby me. I’m mad at you.”
“Mad? What did I do now?”
“Oh my God.” She bursts into a fit of giggles. “Are you pouting? You’re totally pouting.” She keeps on laughing.
“I don’t want you mad at me,” I defend. Not like I can say I haven’t done anything for her not to be mad about. I’ve done all kinds of fucked-up shit to keep her close to me.
“I’m mad because we could have been doing this for a long time.” She pulls me down for a kiss. I take her mouth, kissing her back. She was right, we could have been, but it doesn’t matter now.
She is mine. She now knows it all and she isn’t running. She only tried to run because she didn’t know I was all in when it came to her. I’ll spend my life making sure she never has that doubt again. She’ll never question what I feel for her again. I belong to her. This woman has owned me all of our lives. And I’m going to cherish her for the rest of our days.
“I need you inside of me,” she demands. I lean up, hurriedly undoing my jeans. I need inside of her so badly that I only push them down enough to free myself and thrust all the way inside of her wetness. She’s still wet from her last orgasm. But I plan to make her come so many more times tonight. Her greedy cunt squeezes me, but I don’t move for a second, waiting for her to adjust. She’s still so tight that I don’t want to hurt her.
“I need more.” She pushes on my chest again, wanting control. I roll over, keeping me inside of her. She can take whatever she wants. It all belongs to her. I watch as she leans back, her arms falling to each side of me to steady herself.
“Take me.” I watch as her eyes heat at my command. She moves her hips, lifting them up and down slowly. “That’s it, sweetheart. Ride my cock.” I watch as the speed of her hips picks up. I want her to have the power in this moment. Her taking me is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
She’s mine and I’ll never let her go.
22
Tinsley
“Where are you going?” Reed snags me around the waist, pulling me back into the bed making me laugh. I love how much he can’t keep his hands off me. I can’t keep mine off him either.
“Food. You never fed me,” I remind him.
“Fuck.” He starts to get up. This time I grab him.
“Kiss me first.” He doesn't have to be asked twice. He leans over, kissing me. Before it can get too heated, he pulls away.
“Food,” he reminds us both, making me laugh. I watch as he strolls into the closet. A few moments later he’s back in gray sweatpants and handing me a shirt. I pull it on over my head. “So fucking good seeing you here. We’re moving your shit out of your room and into here tonight.” My whole body warms. It is more than good. It is right. We belong together.
“You’ve already moved a bunch.” I look around the room. He’s been slowly bringing things from my room into here. I should have seen Reed’s intentions long ago when it came to me. Once he told me how he’s always loved me, so many things slid right into place that I should have seen before.