Chapter 35

35

KANNON

W ell, that was intense. And incredible.

It was the kind of night that made you rethink everything you thought you knew about yourself, about her, about what we were doing here, in this bed, tangled up like there wasn’t a single reason to let go.

Merritt’s breath was soft against my chest, her head resting just below my shoulder. I ran my fingers through her hair, trying to let the moment sink in, trying to savor it. But before I could slip too far into the haze of euphoria, her voice pulled me back.

“I’ve been thinking,” she said softly.

I opened my eyes and looked down at her. She was propped up on one elbow now, her messy hair spilling over her bare shoulder. She looked at me like she was trying to decide whether to trust me with what was on her mind.

“Tell me,” I said.

Her gaze dropped for a moment, like she needed to gather her courage before diving in. Then she looked back at me. “I’ve missed you,” she admitted. “I’ve missed you so much, and it scares the hell out of me to admit that. I can honestly say there hasn’t been a day since I left Dallas ten years ago that I haven’t thought about you.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I cannot tell you how many times I picked up the phone to call you.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I was afraid,” she admitted, her voice barely louder than a whisper. “Afraid that you would reject me, that you had moved on or—or that you’d ask me to come back.”

The raw vulnerability she displayed moved something deep in my chest. I touched her cheek gently with my fingers. “Merritt,” I whispered, trying to quell the storm of emotions in her eyes. “You should have known I’d never be able to move on from you.”

“You did,” she countered. “You built a life without me.”

“I existed,” I corrected her.

“Still.”

“Tell me,” I said again.

She took a deep breath. “I already have enough regrets, Kannon. I can’t carry the weight of more of them. And that’s exactly what I’d be doing if I went back to work on Valentine’s Day without giving this a real shot.”

“This?” I asked, tilting my head and forcing her to spill it out.

“Us,” she said, her lips twitching into a small smile. “You know what I mean.”

Us .

That sent me reeling in the best way. I traced my thumb along her cheek, down to her lips, enjoying the softness of her skin. “Us,” I repeated, my lips curving into a grin. “I like the sound of that, Buttercup.”

She didn’t roll her eyes or tell me to stop calling her that, which was new. Instead, she leaned her cheek more firmly into my palm and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, there was a vulnerability there that I wasn’t used to seeing from her. Merritt was a fierce woman that had proven time and again she was not afraid to conquer the world. But in that moment, I saw a hint of fear. It made me want to pull her into my arms and shield her from the world.

“Merritt, what’s wrong?” I asked.

“I’m scared,” she admitted. “I’m scared that it could ruin everything. That if this doesn’t work out, our friendship might not survive. It’s either us together, or we’re over as we know it. I know we haven’t been super friendly these last ten years, but now that we’ve been friends again, I don’t want to lose that. It’s too important to me. You’re too important.”

I didn’t say anything. I knew she wasn’t finished yet. This was classic Merritt. She was going to spin out and then I would be there to bring her back down.

“It’s a risk,” she said, her eyes searching mine for something—reassurance, maybe. “If this thing blows up in our faces, you and I both know there isn’t any real hope at a friendship. We’ll never talk again. If we do, it will be a weird, awkward encounter.”

“Merritt,” I said, silencing her ramblings. “Look at me. Remember when we were sixteen? We had that crazy plan to run away together, to navigate the world just the two of us. We didn’t fear the unknown then because we believed in us. Yes, we’re older now, and there’s a lot more at stake, but we’re still the same two people at our core.”

If she only knew how far I would go for her. How much I was willing to risk. For Merritt, I’d pour out my soul, drench it in kerosene, and light it on fire if that was what it took. There was no way in hell I was going to let her go. Not again.

“Merritt Jacobs,” I said, my voice serious despite the grin on my face. I saw the look of panic in her eyes. “I’ve wanted to ask you this for a long time.”

“Yes?” Her voice was small.

“Will you go steady with me?” I asked, grinning like a schoolboy, knowing full well how ridiculous I sounded. The old-school terminology was on purpose—a throwback to the way kids used to ask each other out, back when things were simpler.

It worked. She laughed, her whole face lighting up as she leaned in to kiss me. “I’m going to have to write your name all over my notebook now and doodle hearts around it,” she teased, her nose brushing against mine. “And ask the DJ to play our song.”

“I might have my old letterman’s jacket somewhere,” I mused.

“And a promise ring?” she teased, arching an eyebrow at me, playing along with our little game.

“In my sock drawer,” I replied, deadpan. “It’s a mood ring, like the one you had when we were kids. Remember? It turned blue when you were calm and red when we fought.”

She laughed again. There was a softness in her eyes that stirred something deep inside me. “I remember,” she said. “You always teased me about that.”

The years had given us both scars, but underneath all of it, under the tough exterior and the protective barriers, we were still those two kids who had dreamed of running away together. We had been separated by time and of course distance and we took different paths but finding our way back to each other felt right.

I saw the best friend from my childhood still inside her. She was a woman now, one who possessed a fierce determination. And yet she was still the same girl I fell in love with all those years ago.

Mrs. Merritt Warner. The thought crossed my mind, making my heart skip a beat. I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying it out loud. Not yet. That was down the road maybe, but I was pretty sure we were on the same road, which was enough for now.

“What about the distance? You’re in Miami. I’m here. We can’t just pretend that doesn’t exist. I think we both know the challenges of a long-distance relationship.”

Her expression softened, and she reached up to trace a finger along my jaw. “I’m open to considering a move. For now, let’s just see how the next few weeks go. I’ll be back in Miami for good on Valentine’s Day. Until then, let’s take it one step at a time.”

“Valentine’s Day,” I repeated, chuckling. “Stupid Hallmark holiday.”

“I like it,” she said, her tone defensive but playful.

“Of course you do,” I shot back, smirking. “The holiday was created to make guys feel inadequate without roses and chocolates and expensive pieces of jewelry.”

“Well, I don’t need roses,” Merritt said, her fingers moving to trace invisible patterns on my chest. “And you know how much I hate flowers.”

“But you love chocolate.”

She grinned up at me, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Well, that’s a different matter altogether. Although I would trade the roses and jewelry for a big bowl of spaghetti with chocolate cake for dessert.”

I laughed. “You say that now. But I have a feeling you would be pissed if I didn’t go the traditional route. A bunch of ugly ass roses that will die in a couple of days.”

She narrowed her eyes at me, her lips twitching like she was trying not to laugh. “You’re such a Love Day Scrooge,” she teased. Her finger trailed down my chest, over my stomach, until it stopped at my navel.

I caught her wrist before she could go any lower, pulling her hand back up and wrapping it in mine. “Careful,” I warned, my voice low and rough as I leaned in to kiss her again. “That thing has a hair trigger when it comes to you.”

Her laughter melted against my lips. She pulled her hand away and headed south. Her fingers brushed over my cock and it stirred to life. Her mouth practically swallowed mine with her tongue pushing inside. I didn’t need to ask her if this was real. I could feel it in the way she kissed me, in the way her body pressed against mine like she didn’t want there to be any space between us.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself believe that this could work. Believe that we could be more than the mistakes we’d made in the past. Believe in us.

I kissed her back, opening myself up to the possibilities she presented. Because for the first time in a decade, I felt like I was with the person I was always supposed to be with. And nothing was going to change that. Ever again.

Her hand worked my cock, bringing me to a full erection. I didn’t know how my body was managing to get hyped for another round, but it was happening. I should be passed out after the last orgasm. It had sent me right up to heaven’s gates but here I was again ready to have my way with her body.

“Full of surprises, aren’t you?” she murmured against my lips, her eyes filled with a mischievous glint.

I chuckled at that, my hands moving to the small of her back. I pressed her up against me. “You have no idea,” I whispered back before placing a lingering kiss on her neck. I felt her shiver in response, her hand tightening its grip on me.

I pushed her down and rolled on top of her. “Are you sure you’re ready for round two already?” I asked.

I didn’t wait for her answer. I tugged at her earlobe with my teeth and she moaned softly.

I felt the ripple of pleasure roll through her body. “Yes,” she whispered, arching her back to allow me better access.

I pressed my lips to hers. My tongue slid against her lower lip, pulling a gasp from her. Our tongues entwined greedily as I moved my body against hers. I trailed kisses down her neck, nipped at the delicate skin with my teeth. It was like a drug, her taste, her heat. I slipped off the bed and onto the floor, my body pressing against hers. I kissed a path across her chest. Her breasts were perfect, round and full with hard nipples that begged for attention.

Kissing my way up again, I licked the sweet spot between her breasts before moving down to suckle one of them into my mouth. She groaned loudly, arching into my touch. I could feel how aroused she was already.

I stood and turned her over. My hand slid down her perfect ass before I lifted her up to her knees. I parted her thighs wider before I guided my cock to her slick opening. I pushed inside her bit by bit, taking my time to enjoy the heat of her body clenching around mine. Her body pulsed with anticipation, her back arching while her fingers dug into the sheets.

Her gasps grew louder with every thrust. It was electrifying. She was so tight, so wet, that my mind almost went blank with pleasure. I slid my hands up her sides, tracing the curves of her body as I moved inside her.

I buried my face into the crook of her neck, nipping and licking at the sensitive skin there. Her gasps in my ear only served to fuel my desire, pushing me closer to the edge. I could feel the telltale signs of an impending climax building in both of us—the tightening knot in my belly, the way her walls clutched at me, increasing with every thrust.

I reached around and rubbed the sensitive nub that I knew would give her incredible pleasure. A strangled whimper escaped her lips as I touched her just right. Her body went taut beneath me. I felt a wave of satisfaction at the sound of my name being pulled from her in a broken sigh.

Her cries echoed in my ears and sent shivers down my spine. Her body tightened beneath me, and I knew she was close again.

“Come for me,” I growled into her ear.

I moved faster. Our bodies slapped together as I chased my orgasm. It hit with a force that nearly knocked me to my knees. She cried out, her body convulsing. I felt her climax around me. The sound of her pleasure, the feeling of her body tightening further around me, pushed me over the edge. My whole body shook as my climax hit, a low groan escaping my lips as I emptied myself inside her.

I stayed motionless, grunting with the aftershocks that coursed through me. When I felt my strength return to me, I slowly withdrew from her, both of us panting heavily.

I fell back onto the bed and pulled her against me. There was no stopping the sleep. We both succumbed in a matter of seconds.