Page 22 of Unmasking You (Hidden Hearts #1)

Chapter 21

Jamie

He looks so cute, flustered by my behaviour, which is less than perfect in a meeting situation. I’m not very good at flirting but doing it with Shane is fun and comes naturally.

I couldn’t resist when Shane, without thinking, offered me some food using his fork, as if we were boyfriends.

The word sounds so hot.

Actually, since he talked about his foundation, about his need to help those kids, and about his project, I’m hot for him. I knew he was clever, and I knew he was always willing to help, but I never knew he was so selfless as to give up on his dreams to make it possible for others to have one.

Before, I couldn’t see, too blinded by what had happened in the past and by my own memories and desires.

It didn’t take me a day to forgive him, and I’m not sure I even have, in full. When those memories attack me, I still want him to save me, to side with me, and to protect me. The past cannot be rewritten, and it’s never going to change, but sometimes I wish it could because then our love would be perfect.

But love rarely is.

Sometimes I wish I could turn my brain off and just enjoy a day without thinking, without worrying.

I spent hours after he left, talking with my mum, Ruby, and Alexi. I’ve also spent time rethinking our conversations, measuring every single word and trying to understand if he was lying to me.

Until I realised that he’d never lied to me. He’d avoided me, pushed me away, but not once he did lie to me.

What convinced me to give him a second chance before today, before witnessing his selfless behaviour, was his call with his father, and everything he said about living with him, and what I witnessed myself when he didn’t even ask Shane how he was.

Today, though, sealed the deal. Because no one with a family like his would stay put if others weren’t important to him.

I always thought he was free, rich, and with no problems, but instead he was suffering as much as I was.

I don’t want to think about our past today. Instead, I want to create a new wonderful memory.

After more than a month of texting, I should have asked him for a date instead of asking him to take me home. But I’ve always been weak for a happy, funny, and bold Shane, and tonight he was that and so much more.

I love his brain, I love the way he talked about the kids at the foundation, and I love the project he’s putting in place to help them. Tonight he showed me how much he’s changed, how selfless he is, and how much he’s fighting to keep the place going, even if that means dealing with his father.

Now I understand what his father meant during the call, when he talked about his stupid project, or something like that.

If I hadn’t seen him tonight, talking about those kids as if they were his, it would probably have taken me a long time to trust him again, and to allow myself to acknowledge the feelings I have for him.

“Guys, I’m leaving,” Karl says while standing up. “I have a lot to do tomorrow, before the weekend.” Then he turns to Shane. “Do you still need a lift?”

Alexi takes that as an invite to do the same. “I need to leave as well.” Then he turns to me. “Are you coming with me?”

Shane’s hand lands on my thigh, and if I had any doubts before about what to do, they would have disappeared at the touch. However, I don’t have any doubts. I know where I want to be, and that’s in Shane’s bed, in his arms.

“No, I don’t.” He answers Karl’s question, and his hand grips my thigh a bit harder, as if he doesn’t want to let me go.

He shouldn’t worry, because I’m not going anywhere.

I turn to Alexi. “I’m staying a little longer.”

His smile is full of understanding and his lips curve in a beautiful smile. Sometimes I wonder why he doesn’t have anyone. He’s such a catch, and not as awkward as I am. Maybe now that I’m not so egotistically focused on myself, I should prod Alexi a little more.

“Okay, then. I’ll see you tomorrow.

“Yeah… maybe,” I say with a grin.

Once they’re gone, we look at each other, and we both stand up at the same time. I hope he’s as eager as me to be alone.

We stop at the till and then head outside to catch a cab.

We jump in as soon as one stops, and Shane gives the driver his address. As soon as we’re on the way, Shane takes my hand in his, and I find the gesture reassuring and exciting at the same time.

I don’t look at Shane, instead I look out of the window, still in some way surprised to be here with him. The night is quiet and the world seems to have slowed down. The lights of the city look like stars, and even the traffic seems less chaotic, just like the emotions I’ve had spinning inside me since the last time we saw each other, and long before that. Until Shane takes my hand in his.

I glance at him and our gazes lock, and everything around us fades away. The car seems to fill with energy, and my heart begins to race, making me wish we were at his flat already. There’s nothing more in this moment that I desire more than a kiss from Shane. Our first kiss.

We’ve been here before, but it never felt right, or as right as it feels right now. Only once before we were as close as we are today, and that was ten years ago.

The stolen glances, those quiet and bold touches we exchanged, and his hand lingering on mine, they all led to now. To the now where we’re sitting next to each other, and giving a go to what we missed ten years ago.

Shane lets go of my hand when the taxi stops in front of his building, and I’m pleasantly surprised when he jogs to my side to open the door then holds his hand out for me to take. I do, and I like to believe I’ll be doing this in all our future lives when we meet again.

As our bodies brush against each other my breath becomes shallow, and everything around me goes silent as if the world around us has stopped to witness this moment between us.

As if this moment is fated .

The silence extends as we look at each other, and my body fills with tenderness and love.

Our fingers brush together, then intertwine, and then we take a step closer to each other at the same time. When our chests brush, I watch Shane shake his head, and uneasiness fills me, but he crashes it immediately with his words.

“Not here. Once I start kissing you, I won’t be able to stop.” His grin is needy and wicked, and I love it very much.

He pulls me behind him, and in passing we greet the man at the reception, but we’re still in a world made of us. I don’t even remember the way up to Shane’s flat, the only thing I remember is his thumb caressing my palm and making my body and my cock ache.

He lets go of my hand when we reach the door, and I watch in awe at the way his hand trembles while he tries to open the door. That settles something inside me.

I want to be with him, and I love his touch on me. I’m worried about the memories that could make today a failure, but being with him overshadows everything. I follow him inside because nothing, not even the past, can keep me away from him right now.

When he pulls me inside and then plasters me against the door, I chuckle, but it dies when our eyes meet. The hunger in his makes my insides do somersaults.

He places his big hand on the side of my face, his fingers enveloping my neck and one resting on my ear, while his thumb rests on my chin, making me feel protected and wanted. I love how his eyes lock on mine, as if there’s nothing more important to him than me. As if I’m all he sees.

I watch as he leans closer, and I don’t even blink, because no way in hell am I missing any of this. He does it slowly, leaving me time to avoid the kiss if I want.

There’s no way I don’t want this.

I’m yearning to taste him, and to have his lips pressed against mine.

For a moment my fears take over, and my brain convinces me that something bad is going to happen, and it’s going to rob me again of what I desire most. Rob me of this so much awaited and desired kiss. But then… Shane’s lips touch mine, and the past is cloaked under the rightness of our lips locked together. Finally, after ten long years, I’ve got to kiss the boy I loved.

The first brush of his mouth is tentative and sweet, as if he doesn’t believe we’re here doing this. It doesn’t take away anything from the kiss, though, because it’s still like I imagined it ten years ago. Yet it’s so much more.

Emotions, need, and love explode inside me, and I moan when his lips move slowly against mine. Goosebumps rise across my body at the intensity of the feelings inside me.

Shane pulls back, and I miss his lips already. His forehead comes to rest against mine, and in his eyes is everything I need to know. There’s the same want and the same joy because finally we’re together.

While we stay there for a moment there’s no need for words, as the kiss has expressed everything we have inside.

He leans in once more, and again I expect the kiss to be hard and passionate, but instead it’s a caress of lips that when it’s gone leaves me wanting more.

Shane pulls away, and I place my hand on his hip to keep him close. He leans his head against mine, and our eyes lock, capturing both in a world made only of us . A beautiful reminder of the past. A past where we didn’t know yet, how much pain we would go through. A past full of hope and now, I believe, love. I’m not sure we can be those people anymore, but we survived, and because of this we’ll be able to appreciate even more the second chance we’ve been given.

He frames my face with his hands and leans in again, aiming for my mouth. His warm breath washes over me, and I inhale his scent, and for a moment I’m back there, at that moment when we were close to kissing for the first time.

I open under his questing lips and welcome his tongue in my mouth when he searches for more. I moan under his assault, give him everything. I groan when he takes it and doesn’t leave any part of my mouth untouched.

Between his kiss and his touch, when he pulls away I’m a mess. My legs are trembling and I’m glad I’m pressed against the door, because they can’t hold my weight.

“Finally,” he says, and his relief, so similar to mine, makes me chuckle. “I can’t believe I had to wait ten years to kiss you.”

“Ditto. But let’s not wait that long for our second, third…”

He takes my mouth with his and stops me from babbling. When I’m moaning again from pleasure he pulls back.

“There won’t be any other kisses but mine.”

And damn if Shane staking his claim doesn’t make my cock fill, eager for more. And damn if I don’t like his possessiveness way too much. Maybe I shouldn’t, but after what happened between us, I need him to show me how much he wants me so I can believe it’s real.

“Does that mean you’re mine?” I ask, only half jokingly. Because somewhere inside me, I still can’t believe he’s really here, and that we really are doing this.

“I’ve always been yours. I’ve been yours since the first time we met.” He places a gentle kiss on my lips before continuing. “It just took me a while to find my way back to you.” His hands grip me a bit too tight and his body presses a little more against the door, showing me how vulnerable Shane is.

Damn, though, if what he said doesn’t deserve a kiss.

I’m more than willing to oblige, so I stretch up, like a purring cat looking for cuddles, until I reach his mouth. I press my lips to his, letting the desire, passion, and need I have for him show.