Page 77 of After You Returned

I snarl. “Will you stop saying the perfect words?”

“Nope.” He kisses my nose. “I will spend the rest of my life searching for the perfect words to tell you how much you mean to me.”

“Miles.”

“Shush now. Let me show you how I feel.”

He melds his lips to mine and I gasp. He seizes the opportunity to thrust his tongue into my mouth. His wild, ocean taste hits me and I forget all about being cautious. Forget all about my fears, he’ll abandon me.

Forget everything but how he tastes and how he makes me feel.

Chapter 26

It’s not my fault Hazel is impossible to resist.

Miles

Igrowl before deepening the kiss. I angle Hazel’s head to give me more room to maneuver. I love how she tastes. I could spend the day with her in my arms, tasting her.

She wiggles in my lap and my cock takes notice. It hardens and lengthens at the feel of her grinding against me.

How I want to sink deep inside her until I don’t know where I end and she begins. Until all the worry I’ve carried for the past days disappears. Until all I know is the beauty and passion of the woman I love.

But I can’t. I promised her no sex. I promised her I’d show her there’s more to us than the passion we share.

“Blaze,” I growl as I tear my mouth from hers. “Stop.”

“Stop what?” She grinds down on my cock. “This?” She nibbles along my jaw. “Or this?”

“Blaze.”

She bats her eyelashes. “What? Why are you being Mr. Grumpy? I can feel how much you’re enjoying yourself.”

She grinds down on my cock again and I nearly say fuck it. But I can’t. I made a promise to her and if she’s ever going to fall back in love with me, she needs to know she can rely on me. That I’ll keep my promises to her.

“Blaze, we agreed to not have sex yet.”

“Nuh-uh.” She wags a finger at me. “I never agreed.”

“I’m trying to show you there’s more to us than our red-hot chemistry.”

My resolve is quickly disintegrating with every swirl of her hips and touch of her skin against mine. I need to hold strong. But how? I’ve never been any good at denying myself what I want. And I want Hazel more than anything in the world.

She giggles. “You brought me daisies. You know where I keep my vases. You haven’t had sex with anyone else in a year. You are going to visit me every weekend on the mainland. And you love me. We’re good.”

“But I tried to control you. I asked Hudson to give you a job.”

“I know.” She sighs. “But did you learn from your mistake?”

I nod. “I did. Don’t control Hazel.”

She grins. “Correct answer.” She nibbles on my earlobe. “Now, are you going to make love to me, or am I going to have to kick you out of the house so I can take care of matters on my own?”

I growl. “I’ll take care of you. But we will revisit you taking matters into your own hands at another time.”

She giggles. “Such a man.”

“A man who loves you and don’t youforget it.”