Delayed Penalty (Crossing the Line, #1)(76)

I wanted this. For so long I wanted this. I wanted to feel her beneath me. I wanted to make love in the warmth of her blue eyes and be the stars I saw in them. I was.

I would do anything for this girl. And she knew that. It had never been about the sex for me. There was always something deeper with her, and I saw that from the very beginning. It was about her and what I saw in those starry blues. It was everything she told me through them.

It felt different being with Ami than it did with other girls. Maybe because I loved her and didn't love the others. Maybe it was because she loved me and not what we were doing, or maybe it was just Ami and everything with her was different. The way she looked at me, the way she touched me, the words she said, it was all different from everything else I had ever felt.

I knew when her hips began to move, still wincing from me being inside her, that I wasn't going to last long. It'd been six months since I had sex with anyone. I wasn't lasting long.

My movements became slightly more frantic as I rocked against her. Ami found my eyes again. I wanted her to come but knew that wasn't happening. For one, she was probably in too much pain. And two, I wasn't lasting long enough for that. Maybe next time.

Being with her like this was more than I imagined. And I imagined it a lot. Believe me. I was suffocating in the sensation of her, and I wasn't willing to breathe without her breath in my lungs.

It felt good to be close with her like this, feel myself moving inside her. Sure there was fear and anger anytime I thought about how I fell for her and who had hurt her, but this girl wrecked me. I was here, physically conveying my love.

Ami took my face in her hands and kissed me, pouring more emotion and love into that one kiss than I had ever felt in my lifetime.

There were so many times these last five months that I had to physically stop myself from feeling or thinking certain emotions, afraid of where they would lead me. Right here, right now, I wanted to feel everything, breathe it in, and remember it. I wanted her to feel those very same things just by touching my skin and feeling my breath.

I loved her. I wanted her not just to know it but to feel it consume her. I wanted my love beating in her heart.

When I came, she was watching me, the same passion displayed on her face as I felt. My eyes closed, feeling every last electrifying pulsation throughout my body. My breath, heavy and warm, touched her cheek and she sighed, her arms wrapping around me a little tighter.

Pressing my lips to her neck, I whispered that I loved her, so quietly, but I knew she heard me.

Rolling to lay beside her, I removed the condom.

That was when I heard her whimper, her hands brushing over her cheeks. The lighting was low, but I could see the tears sliding from the corner of her eyes.

"Shit…are you okay?" I asked, pulling the sheets up and around her shivering frame. My breath washed over her, turning her to face me. My hands gently cradled her head.

"Yes." Her voice shook. She wasn't okay. "I just have something in my eye."

"Bullshit." I touched her cheek, wiping away the tears with my thumb. "Did I hurt you?"

"No really, I have something in my eye," she lied, trying her luck again and sniffing, her body still trembling.

"Come here, you little emotional girl." I patted the bed, trying to coax her over to me.

She hesitated for a brief moment, wiping her eyes, and then looked over at me and then back to the ceiling. "All right, not so drunk boy, I'm gonna be a total emotional girl right now." I laughed, watching the tears as she refused to look at me, instead staring at the ceiling. "Can you just hold me?"

"I thought you just had something in your eye?" I whispered into her hair, my arms loosening around her so I could rub smooth circles over her back.

"I do. Tears."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. Just hold me. Stop talking. You're ruining my moment."

I did.

"Don't let go," she begged, tightening her arms around me. "Please, don't ever let go."

My arms wrapped a little tighter, an unspoken promise I would never break.





It had taken me a while, but I finally realized that Ami didn't need me to protect her. Though I always would, she needed me to be there for her. Just be there.

"Did it hurt?" I asked, pouring her a cup of coffee the next morning. My condo was trashed. There were beer bottles, red Solo cups, and empty bags of chips. A party went down here last night. After we got back from Philly, the party ended up at my place and then eventually at Leo's. I knew his place was worse than this, but instead of cleaning, I had other ideas for our afternoon together.

"Yes, at first, but it got better." Her eyes lifted from her cereal bowl and winked. "Wanna try again?"

I quirked an eyebrow, acknowledging her statement, and then swiftly carried her away. It was amazing how fast I was able to scoop her up.

She squealed when I slammed the door to the bathroom shower. My hands fell from her wrists, having moved to her hips, and settled on her panties. Bunching the fabric in my fingers, I gave them a rough and sudden tug that tore them away.





"Fuck, you feel so good," I moaned when I entered her moments later.

"I love your voice." She arched around me, her body curving to me.

"I know you do." I moved to kiss her brow.