ALEX

I let my fingers skim lower, brushing against the inside of her wrist where her

pulse is thudding like a fucking war drum.

"Tell me he touches you and your knees go weak."

She looks away, but I see the way her lips part, the way her chest rises like she''s struggling to breathe.

I inch closer.

Not enough to trap her. Just enough to remind her I''m here.

"I told you to stay away from me," she says, but her voice is shaking.

"I don''t think you mean that, baby." I murmur back, brushing my thumb along the edge of her jaw. "I love you. Do you know that?"fn05b9 For original chapters go to Find1Novel/fn05b9

She swallows.

"You don''t know what love is."

“I think I''m starting to get the hang of it." I lean in, my lips inches from hers. “ That includes, if you tell me to move away, I will."

She opens her mouth, but no soundes out.

I press my forehead to hers again, my breath fanning across her lips.

"That son of a bitch must have kissed you didn''t he?" I whisper, trying to keep my blood from boiling. I wish I could tell her he''s not as shiny as he seems but I want to give him a chance to fix his shit. For Athena''s sake.

"We need to fix that memory."

My hand slides to her waist, slow enough to give her time to stop me but she doesn''t.

"I don''t want to hurt you," I say. "But I''m not going to pretend like I don''t want you either."

Silence falls again.

But it''s not heavy now.

It''s fucking electric.

A live wire strung between us.

Her lips are so close I could taste her if I moved an inch.

And fuck, I want to.

But I don''t.

Not yet.

Because she needs to decide.

"Athena." I say her name like a vow, like a plea. "If you want me to back off, say it

now. Otherwise... I''m going to kiss you."

Her fingers curl against my chest, gripping my shirt.

I half expect her to pull away but she doesn''t.

Instead, she leans in just enough.

Close enough that I feel her breath on my lips again.

My restraint shatters.

I press my mouth to hers, slow and deep, like I''ve waited a lifetime for this moment.

Because I have.

And when she kisses me back, fierce and broken, I confirm what I already know, He can''t kiss her like I can.

She kisses me like she''s starved. Like she''s drowning and I''m the only air she can breathe.

Her hands leave my shirt and thread into my hair, tugging me closer, desperate and demanding.

And fuck, I lose it.

My hand curls tighter around her waist as I crush her body against mine, my mouth moving over hers with a hunger I''ve barely kept caged.

Her lips are warm and parted, and when I slide my tongue against hers, she lets out a soft sound, a half whimper and half moan that makes my cock throb.

I move without thinking, shifting her onto myp.

She straddles me now, her knees on either side of my thighs, heat radiating from her core like she''s already soaked through.

I grip her hips and pull her flush against me, grinding up just enough to make her gasp again.

"Fuck..." I groan into her mouth. "You''re going to kill me."

She rocks forward once, tentative but her body doesn''t lie. She wants this as much as I want it.

I kiss her like I own her, like I''ve earned this, paid for it in years of torment and jealousy and the ache of wanting a woman I could never have.

My lips trail down to her jaw, then

her neck. She tilts her head backet

baring more of that wless skin. I suck hard on the spot ist under her ear, and her body jolts in myp.  s

"Alex..." she moans my name and fuck it drives me insane.

My hands slip under the hem of her shirt, my fingers brushing her bare waist.

Her skin is fire, hot, smooth and trembling. She arches into my touch, and I feel the moment herst bit of resistance breaks.

My mouth is on hers again, rougher this time, dirtier. I nip at her bottom lip and she gasps, then pulls me in deeper. Her hips roll into mine and I nearly lose control right then.  s

"Say it," I rasp, breaking the kiss, my forehead pressed against hers Say he doesn''t touch you like can never kiss you

this. Tell me he can ent

again

like this.  s

She pants against my mouth, her eyes wild and her lips swollen.

"He doesn''t," she whispers. "No one does."

That''s it.

I crush her back to me and kiss her like it''s thest thing I''ll ever do.

She melts into me, hot and soft and utterly fucking perfect. Her hands roam over

my chest, my arms, clutching like she wants to memorize every inch.

I move against her slowly, deliberately, letting her feel exactly what she does to

me.

Her head falls back with a moan and my lips trail down her throat again, biting softly just above her corbone.

I want to worship her.

Ravage her.

And fucking ruin every man who thinks he can touch what''s mine.

Because this woman has my heart, body, and fucking soul.

And judging by the way she''s clinging to me, trembling in myp, breathless and

dripping for more,

I''m starting to get the feeling she feels the same.

And fuck that''s exhrating