She stays silent for a while.
At first, I think it’s shock. So I kiss her lips. Her jaw. Trace a hot path to her neck, then back to her mouth.
When I look at her again, her expression has changed.
It’s almost as if she expects more now that I’ve told her I love her.
Like maybe she knows about the storage unit and wants me to spill everything.
My brow furrows as I realize how crazy that sounds. Of course she doesn’t know.
One day, she will.
Just not now.
“Hey.” Her lips don’t part when I press another kiss to them.
Maybe the position I’ve put her in is uncomfortable. Has to be it. I lower her leg to the bed and watch her closely.
Nothing changes.
“Lilith, I was serious before.” I kiss the corner of her mouth, my wet, softening cock resting over her belly. “If you need more time, if you don’t feel it yet, that’s okay.”
Finally, she blinks, and it’s as if she’s back. Her smile is genuine. A little shy even.
“What’s going on?” My heart gives a strange thump as I search her eyes. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”
“I love you too,” she blurts out, her hands yanking on my hair and dragging me to her.
I’ll never say no to that.
Our lips meet, our tongues tangle, and it feels so right. So hot that I get hard again.
No. Sheneeds me, not sex.
Pulling back, I ask, “Then what was that about?”
“I’m okay, promise.”
Lies. I can hear when she’s trying to evade me.
I arch an eyebrow and wait.
“Fine.” She massages my scalp, smirking when I groan and lower my forehead to hers. “You just told me you loved me, and it sucks that we’ll have to spend a day apart. I’m afraid it’ll feel less real. It’s weird. I’m being weird. Sorry.”
I figured my heart froze over a while ago. But every second I’m with Lilith, it melts and melts and Jesus, my chest is so warm.
“Nothing has ever been more real, Lilith,” I say, then add, “But I’ll tell you what.”
“What?” Her eyebrows shoot up.
“After I walk you home, I have to catch up on sleep, then take care of a few things around here. Will probably be up all night working.” My hand settles along her jaw, thumb moving slowly over her skin. “If you need me, though, if you want me to come over for whatever reason, just text or call. I’ll be there to remind you we’re as real as it gets. That I’m thoroughly and un-fucking-equivocally committed to you. Okay?”
She nods, but the glimmer in her eyes dims briefly.
“Lilith, I won’t fail you.” Dammit, I just remembered I’ll be pulling my SIM when I take Steven’s dad. “I might be working on my car in B1, where reception’s spotty, but the second I see your text or a missed call, I’ll drop everything and come to you. You have my word.”
“Okay.” That beautiful, genuine smile creeping over her lips makes everything in the world right again. “Okay.”