Page 119 of Stay With Me

Tripp rubs his thumb along my flushed skin, looking at me like I’m the most precious thing he’s ever seen. “Be careful, Sunny.” His voice is just above a whisper and it sends my pulse into overdrive.

My face tilts in confusion. “With what?”

He plucks my bottom lip, tracing over it with his fingertip. “My heart. I know it’s quick, but it’s all yours. And well, maybe it’s not that fast because it’s been yours for a long time. You just didn’t know it.”

My pulse has officially flatlined.

This sweet, brooding man is pouring his feelings out to me, and all I want to do is cry.

It’s overwhelming to have someone like him be so genuine and tender after fucking my imprint into the mattress. The most perfect words I’d wished to hear for years and now he’s telling me I own his heart.

It’d be impossible not to fall for this man.

I flatten my palm against his bare chest and feel it beat rapidly. “You’ve had mine since I was fifteen when I realized these weird feelings I was having were actually more than you just being my best friend’s brother. Flutters in my stomach that I didn’t get for anyone else, so it’s safe to say mine’s been yours for a long time, too.”

Even in between all the times Travis and I were dating on and off, I was never fully his. I’d known Tripp for years at that point,and he always watched out for me. Anytime Noah and I got into sticky situations, we knew we could rely on him. He’d come and even help us in the middle of the night, no matter how inconvenient it was for him.

Most of my middle and high school memories involve him in one way or another.

And then I add, “So I’ll gladly take yours if you promise to protect mine.”

He thumbs my chin, bringing my lips toward his, but he doesn’t close the gap. “I would take a bullet for it, Sunny,” he whispers so earnestly.

Tears form in the corner of my eyes and before they fall, I wrap my arms around him and crash my mouth to his.

After several moments of getting lost in each other, he breaks the kiss. “As much as I’m enjoyin’ the view of you in the sexiest lingerie I’ve ever seen, I need to clean us up. Take a shower with me.”

“As long as you carry me. All my limbs feel like Jell-O.”

He chuckles and then winks. “I think I can handle that.”

Instead of lifting me up in his arms like I presume, he sits on the edge of the bed with his back facing me, grabs his hat off the floor, and then looks at me over his shoulder with the hat pointed at me. “Hop on, cowgirl.”

A laugh bubbles out of me as I move closer and he sets it on my head. I climb on his back and hang on for dear life. “Don’t drop me.”

He secures his hands behind my knees and stands. “Doubtin’ me over the simplest of tasks is gonna bruise my ego.”

“It was just a statement, likedrive safeorbreak a leg,” I defend as he walks us toward his bathroom.

“Mm-hmm, right. Guess I’ll have to show you just how strong I am by pinning you against the shower wall and fuckin’ you into the tile.”

“Keep threatenin’ me with a good time, and I’ll make sure to rip apart your masculinity next.”

“Ouch, Sunny. Low blow.”

He sets me down on the counter when we enter and then he spins around between my thighs. “Can I rip this thing off you now?” His dark gaze lowers down my body.

“Like riprip?”

“Yes. The only lingerie I want you wearin’ is ones I buy you.”

“You’re really possessive of my wardrobe,” I taunt, licking my bottom lip in anticipation of him kissing me again.

“Just the ones another man paid for.”

My cheeks heat at how deep and serious his tone is.

“Okay, cowboy. Do your best.”