The Rose He Killed novel Chapter 77

Chapter 69: Kissing him-2

His tongue traced my tips again, slower this time, and without conscious thought, my lips parted on a shaky exhale. He took the invitation immediately.

The first touch of his tongue against mine sent electricity racing down my spine. His tongue explored my mouth with devastating thoroughness, coaxing mine to respond, to dance with him in a rhythm that was achingly familiar despite the years apart.

A sound escaped me-half moan, half whimper-and I felt his answering groan rumble through his chest. His hand in my hair tightened, not painfully but possessively, while his other hand splayed across the small of my back, pulling me flush against him until there was no space left between us.

His tongue stroked against mine again and again, each caress deliberate and thorough, as if he was trying to memorize every inch of my mouth. He alternated between deep, claiming kisses that left me dizzy and slower, sweeter ones that felt almost reverent. When I tried to pull back for air, he followed, his lips capturing mine again, his tongue coaxing my lips apart when I tried to close them.

“Don’t,” he whispered against my mouth when I turned my head slightly. “Don’t shut me out. Not now. Not when you’re finally letting me.”

His tongue swept into my mouth again, swallowing whatever protest I might have made. My hands, which had been fisted in his shirt, slowly unclenched and slid up his chest to his shoulders, to the back of his neck. My fingers tangled in his hair-softer than I remembered-and I pulled him closer even as my mind screamed that this was a mistake.

He made that sound again, that low, desperate noise that bypassed every defense I’d built and went straight to the broken parts of me that still remembered loving him. His tongue tangled with mine, sometimes leading, sometimes following, always coaxing me deeper into the kiss, deeper into the madness of this moment.

I could feel myself melting into him, my body remembering what my mind had tried so hard to forget-how perfectly we fit together, how right it felt when he touched me like I was something precious instead of something disposable.

I felt him hard against my hip and it should have scared me, should have made me pull away, but instead I pushed closer. His hands dropped to my ass, lifting me slightly, and I gasped against his mouth.

“God, Bella.” He pressed me against the elevator wall, his body surrounding mine. “I’ve wanted this, wanted you, for so long.”

The rational part of my brain was screaming that this was a mistake, but the rest of me didn’t care. I kissed him back with everything I had, years of loneliness and longing pouring out of me.

His hand slid up my side, and I arched into the touch, wanting more, wanting everything.

Then the elevator lurched violently, the lights flickered back to full brightness, and the normal hum of

movement returned.

We sprang apart just as the doors opened on the parking level, both of us disheveled and breathing hard.

A maintenance worker stood outside, clipboard in hand. “Mr. Black, Ms. Hart, we’ve got the system back

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Chapter 69 Ang him 2

enline Sorry for the delay.”

“It’s fine.” Caleb’s voice was remarkably steady. “Thank you for the quick response.”

We stepped out of the elevator into the parking garage, putting distance between us immediately.

“I should go,” I said, not looking at him. “Maya’s expecting me.”

“Bella, wait”

“No.” I finally met his eyes. “That was a mistake. It can’t happen again.”

“It wasn’t a mistake.”

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“Yes, it was.” I wrapped my arms around myself, still wearing his jacket. “I’m not doing this, Caleb. I’m not letting you back in just to destroy me again.”

“I won’t”

“You can’t promise that!” The words came out sharp. “You can’t promise you won’t hurt me because you already have. That doesn’t just go away because you’ve read some parenting books and decided you’re in love with me.”

“So what, we just pretend this didn’t happen?”

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