Page 122 of Surviving Slater

He kissed me and I clasped his face as his mouth moved against mine. He lifted his lips from mine.

"You can't walk away every time we have a disagreement," I said to him. "I'm trusting you not to break my heart."

"I won't." His eyes glittered with promise.

I let out an emotional breath, riding the fear of him walking out on me.

"And no more games," he demanded.

"Yes," I confirmed. There would be no more Stevens.

It was like he sensed my emotions because he took my hand into his and pulled me closer. His lips touched mine and I wrapped my arms around his neck, not wanting to let him go.

His tongue touched my lips gently and I opened my mouth, allowing him access as my tongue swept against his. There was no resistance when his hands slid down to grip my waist. I lifted my leg and wrapped it over his waist as he deepened the kiss.

"I need you," I whispered against his lips as I maneuvered to straddle him. Leaning down, I kissed him, tongues swirling as our mouths fused together.

I ended the kiss only long enough to pull his shirt off me. His eyes darkened as he flipped us over, putting me on my back.

"You drive me insane," he murmured, taking his shirt off. I let my eyes drift over his ripped stomach and then upward to my name. I reached out and touched the tattoo.

He looked down at it while I trailed my fingers over it. When I drew my hand away from the intricate drawing of my name on his skin, he looked down at me.

"Is it weird that I like it?" I asked him.

"No," he said with a smile.

"Why did you get it?" I asked.

"What I feel for you is as permanent at the ink in my skin."

He kissed me again, leaving me breathless when he pulled away to fully undress me and get protection. The feel of his fingers against my skin made me melt as his eyes bore into mine.

The overwhelming emotions pressed down on my chest as he laid his body against mine, fitting perfectly like he'd been made for me.

"You feel so good," he whispered as he kissed my cheek, and I closed my eyes, allowing myself to feel everything, totally and without the fear that had hung over me.

I groaned as his lips trailed kisses along my neck, and I arched when his mouth closed over my nipple. The gentle sucking made me hold on to him, keeping him from moving away.

With every touch and soft-spoken word, we joined and he began to move against me, inside of me. Taking me higher. I held on to him as he loved me.

For once there was no hiding our feelings or physical response to each other when I shattered into pieces. He soon followed as he gripped my hips and tensed above me.

Afterward I held him.

We weren't a conventional couple; our pasts had molded us into complicated individuals who were trying to find their footing together in life.

Chapter Thirty

Seven monthslater

Oh, my God.I paced up and down as I eyed the offending object on the kitchen counter.

I was screwed.You can't be,I told myself, shaking my head to try and control my rising panic.

I thought about Slater. We had been so happy. He had never given me any reason not to trust him and at no time during the past few months had I ever felt he would walk out on me like he had before.

It wasn't like we were perfect, we argued and fought, but we always found common ground or agreed to disagree. But this would change everything. I bit my nail. I wasn't ready but I knew I couldn't put it off.