Page 156 of Between Passion and Revenge: Part Two

Storm blows out a breath and puts his hands on my shoulders, bending down to look me in the eye.

After a long moment, he says, “I’m scared, too.”

Despite their soft delivery, I still flinch at his words.

“I feel like I’m holding on to you by my fingertips. I don’t want to drop you, and yet, I’m trying to figure out what the hell to do next to get us back on solid ground.”

He opens his mouth again but looks away.

“I’m scared to lose you forever, Shae, and that’s the risk I’m taking here. So, I need to learn how to live with this discomfort, this uncertainty, until you’re ready to take a step together back on land.”

Tears well up at my waterline, and I sniff to keep them at bay. But I don’t look away.

Placing my hand on his chest, I say, “I promised I’d try, Storm. And I will try. If I set a boundary, I promise it’ll only be because I need it, not because I intentionally want to push you away.”

Storm stares at me for a long second, his eyes roaming over my face, then he leans down with slow, controlled movements and kisses me.

Tenderly.

The press of his lips to mine is another apology.

“I’m sorry, Shae. I know I said I’ll be patient, but I guess the more primitive parts of me want to lock your ass down sooner rather than later.” He grins, his eyes flashing with amusement. “Drag you by the hair to my cave and knock you up to stake my claim.”

I bark a laugh, but all he does is smile.

“Look, our first fight since getting together, and we’ve managed to resolve it in less than five minutes. We’re winning at life, baby,” he says.

I hum.

“Yeah, but going back to the whole knocking me up thing. You know that’s not happening, right?”

Storm lifts an eyebrow and reaches for his boxers, pulling them on while staring me down.

“You mean, again?”

I suck my teeth and put my hand on my hip.

“Whatever, Storm. I’ve got an IUD now, and that thing has a good three years left on it.” I cross my arms. “No more Sandoval babies for you. Not from this womb.”

I deliver the news with a joking tone, but Storm’s face is anything but amused.

“Storm?”

“We’ll talk about that one later,” he replies. What?

Spinning me around, he walks us toward his door.

“I’m assuming you don’t want to be caught together by the kids, so I’ll let you go first,” he says, his voice neutral.

He grips the door handle but doesn’t move to open it.

“Storm?”

“One more kiss before you go?” he asks, his breath moves the loose strands on my neck. Turning, I lean into his embrace, tilting my head up toward his.

“One more,” I reply, and Storm grins.

If I were wearing shoes, my toes most certainly would curl in them. Storm devours my mouth, sucking out all my air and reason and making me instantly wet.