Page 86 of An Inevitable Marriage

Chapter twenty-three

Liam

ItwaspreciselywhatI wanted to hear, yet I wasn’t prepared for the impact of those words.

My skin tightened over my bones in a new, unfamiliar way. My pulse raced. Warmth bled into every pore, every cell, and flooded my veins, turning my blood into lava. With one single word floating around in my head.

Mine.

I wanted this woman to be mine,just mine, more than I’d wanted anything in my entire life. The reality of that slammed into me with such force it almost knocked me back. It was crazy, exhilarating, and fucking terrifying.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, a small voice whispered for me to walk away before I fell too hard, too fast. But that thought was quickly silenced when my heart whispered back.

Too late.

And there it was, the truth I couldn’t admit out loud.

I swiped a rough thumb over Snow’s bottom lip and repeated my words, “I don’t fucking share.”

Her breath hitched, but she held my stare. “Neither do I.”

“You don’t get it.” My face inched closer to hers. So close, the warmth of her breath skated over my lips. “There was no one before you and there won’t be anyone after you. I just want you.”

Snow stared at me for a few seconds. Then her mouth was on mine, kissing me softly, tenderly, and in stark contrast to the way I ached to devour her. The way I intended to devour her.

Unfortunately, before I could even think about taking over and deepening the kiss, she pulled away with a gasp.

“I’m sor—”

I wasn’t having it. Cupping the back of her head, I closed the little distance she’d put between us. I slammed my mouth over hers in a bruising, punishing kiss. Hard, painful, and achingly beautiful.

Every bold stroke of my tongue against hers warned me I’d just fallen headfirst off a dangerously high cliff, and there was no coming back. I didn’t care. I couldn’t. Not when everything about this moment, about us, felt so damn right.

“Fuck,” I breathed.

I dragged my nose along her jaw and down her neck and lost myself in the way she smelled. Delicious. Intoxicating.

She pushed her fingers into my hair and dug her short nails into my scalp. I couldn’t keep the deep groan from rattling through my chest. Nor could I stop my wandering mouth from drifting farther down her throat.

I let out a satisfied hum when Snow angled her head on a low moan to give me better access. I licked along the gentle slope of her neck, reveling in the tiny bumps I left in my wake.

Another one of those needy sounds rolled over her lips, and I nearly lost my damn mind. Because, holy shit, it was sexy as damn sin. And I wanted to hear it again. Louder.

Kissing my way back to her waiting mouth, I slowly lowered us to the mattress, twisting our bodies so we were chest to chest. The position allowed me to wedge my knee between her legs and pull her flush against me.

Our kiss deepened, tongues twisting and tasting. I wound my hands in her hair. I wrapped those tresses around my fingers and held her tight.

Seconds turned to minutes. My jaw ached, my breaths were short and choppy, and yet, I couldn’t tear my mouth from hers.

In fact, I wanted more.

So much more.

And judging by Snow’s restless hips, so did she.

Gently, slowly, I slid my palm down her back, brushing the bumps of her spine as I went. I’d intended to keep my touch light, but the instant I reached her ass, it was impossible not to dig my fingers into the soft flesh.

She liked it, too.