Page 84

She scrutinized his expression.
No fury. No frustration.
She had expected him to lash out, call her jealous, crazy, and accuse her of being petty—but there was none of that.
He just looked at her calmly.
Then, she realised and her mouth dropped open in disbelief, "You already knew about this?! That’s why you’re not angry?"
Sawyer nodded. "Yes, but also because I have no feelings for her." His hand softened on her face as he met her gaze. Then, in a whisper against her lips, he said, "You're the one I love."
Before she could take another breath, his lips crashed against hers, hot and demanding. His tongue traced the seam of her lips before pushing inside, claiming every inch of her mouth with a fierce, unrelenting hunger.
He tasted like danger and dominance, a mix of raw desire and something darker—something that sent a shiver down her spine. His teeth grazed her lower lip before he sucked it between his lips, tugging just enough to make her whimper.
His hands gripped her waist, pulling her closer until there was no space left between them. His kiss deepened, his tongue stroking hers in a slow dance that left her breathless, trembling, and completely at his mercy.
By the time he pulled back, Ellie was breathless, gripping his shoulders to steady herself. Her heart pounded as she stared at him, her expression clouded with confusion.
"Sawyer, you don’t love me," she said, shaking her head. "You’ve always been in love with Olivia."
But he cut her off, his voice calm, his thumb gently brushing her cheek as he gazed at her with an intensity that made her heart pound.
"At first, you were just someone my mom sent over to distract me from Olivia," he admitted. "But Ellie…" His voice wavered slightly, emotion thickening every word. "The moment I saw you get hit by that car, I didn’t want to live anymore either."
Her breath hitched as his eyes bored into hers—dark, intense, filled with something that terrified her.
"I love you," he said, his voice laced with desperation. "There’s nothing in the world that will change that. I can’t imagine a life without you in it.” He took a deep breath, his grip on her tightening. “It happened suddenly. I don’t know when or how, but the second you were hurt, I knew—if something happened to you, my life would be over. There would be nothing left in this world that would make me happy ever again. And that feeling… it was fucking terrifying.”
His fingers curled around her jaw, pulling her closer as his lips brushed against hers. "Ellie Madden, I’m in love with you."
His kiss this time was different—soft, lingering. He teased her with gentle pecks, slow and wet, before his tongue traced her lips in featherlight strokes. Then, just as she parted her lips for air, he deepened it, sucking on her lower lip with a hunger so intense it sent a shiver down her spine.
By the time he pulled back, her lips were swollen, her breath uneven, and her entire body tingling from the lingering heat of his touch.
Still, she gripped his hand and pushed it away, her heart pounding erratically.
"Who knows if you even mean what you're saying," She huffed, her voice edged with suspicion. "Right now, you’ll say all this, but tomorrow, you’ll change your mind. And I’ll be the idiot who fell for it."
Sawyer narrowed his eyes. "You don’t believe me?"
"Nope," she said defiantly, folding her arms.
Without a second thought, he grabbed her arm and pulled her off the bed.
"Hey! What—where are we going?" she protested, struggling against his grip.
"To get married."
Ellie froze.
Sawyer turned to her, his expression dead serious. "Let’s get married right now. I’ll make you my wife. That way, you won’t have a choice but to believe me."
Ellie froze, a flicker of panic flashing in her eyes. “What?! Who wants to marry you?” Snatching her hand back, she held her wrist protectively, giving him a wary side-eye. Then, tilting her chin up, she smirked. "Besides, I even have a supermodel who wants to date me. I have options, you know. I need to choose wisely."
At the mention of Jeremy, Sawyer’s expression darkened. His jaw clenched, his entire demeanor shifting.
"I’m much better looking," he growled. "Are you blind?"