Page 144 of Devious Love

“I needed closure. It was the only way to keep myself from continuing to hurt people. If I didn’t figure shit out here, how would I ever give myself to another person? I thought that if I came home, I could see you and maybe finally move on.”

His deep chuckle rumbles through me. “I can’t believe you thought you could move on.”

A lightness I’ve only ever felt with him fills me. “I put you out of my mind in Phoenix, so I had hope I could do it again.”

“You only moved on then because you’d never actually had me before. Now? You’re all mine.”

“Still yours.” I sigh.

“Always, baby.” He kisses the tip of my nose.

I snuggle into him and close my eyes, resting my hand over hisMy Mayhemtattoo. Beneath my palm, his heart pounds steadily, easing my nerves. A wave of happiness washes over me. It’s overwhelming, yet at the same time, it’s not enough. I want more of him, more in every sense of the word. My love for him can’t be contained; it’s ever-growing.

Unreasonable.

Undeniable.

Unending.

That eleven-year-old girl who crushed on her brother’s best friend never would’ve believed that one day, that boy would grow into the man who belongs to her. That one day, he’d look at the grown-up version of her like she’s the only thing he ever wanted.

And that he’d mean every single word.

“Mia?” He slides his fingers into my loose hair. “If you knew I lied to you about Remi, why didn’t you confront me about it? Why didn’t you call me out on my bullshit?”

I prop myself up on my elbow. “Remember our first time? Not the Halloween party, but when we went to Santa Clara.”

“You’d be surprised how many memories I have of you, how many little details I’ve catalogued up here.” He taps his temple. “You are, indeed, my favorite subject to study.” With two fingers beneath my chin, he tilts my head until I’m looking him in the eye. “What about that night?”

“I told you I’d never fight for space in your life. You want me, I’m with you. The moment I feel I’m not needed, I’m out. Seeing you with her, her hands on you? How you let her kiss your neck? I knew in that moment, I was not needed.” I take a deep breath. “That’s all.”

“I’m gonna spend the rest of my life worshipping you, making space for you, loving you. You deserve all that and so much more.” He expels a breath, his body shuddering. “I fucked up once. I won’t do it again.”

He presses his lips to my forehead and clutches me to his chest. I nuzzle closer, inhaling his scent, feeling dizzy. Dominic Watson has always had this effect on me.

“I missed you,” I whisper my confession. “So many nights, I wanted to call you, send you a text, but I convinced myself you didn’t want that, especially after you showed up at the airport but didn’t even try to talk to me.”

“I was a fucking fool. When I found out you weren’t coming back, I went as far as selecting seats on a flight to Milan. I talked myself out of it, convinced it was the right thing to do. But I promise, baby, it won’t happen again. I lost you once. I watched you walk away. I let you believe I didn’t want to be with you. It was bullshit, and I’ll never make you feel that way again.”

“I’m taking your word for it.”

Sunlight filters through the window,stirring me from the best sleep I’ve had in years. I lie still, relishing in the comfort and safety of Dom’s arms.

I’m daydreaming about what the future has in store for us when his hot breath hits my skin as he tucks his lips to my ear. “How long have you been awake?”

“Maybe twenty minutes,” I whisper.

“How did you sleep?”

“Like a baby.”

We linger in bed for a long time, stealing touches, soft kisses, and even orgasms—because the man is dead set on eating pussy for breakfast.

When I finally drag him to the kitchen, I force him to sit at the table while I make his favorite pancakes. He entertains me with stories about Miles and Chiara while I tell him about my life in Italy, about my dad and his new girlfriend, Bianca. The more we talk, the more certain I am that the woman I am now and the man he’s become are perfect for each other.

Once we’ve polished off the pancakes and I’m so full, I can’t move, Dom loads the dishwasher. When he’s finished, he grasps my hand and pulls me to my feet.

“Wanna take a ride?”