When You're Mine (MINE #3)(19)

She gave me a weak smile. “My mother was the redhead.”

“Was?”

Folding her legs to her chest, she rested a chin to her knee. “She died when I was a little girl.”

“How?”

She frowned. “Cancer.”

“I’m so sorry, baby.”

Tears threatened to spill from her sad green eyes. “She used to sing to me and she always wore the color blue. That’s all I remember.”

Shifting closer, I draped an arm across the back of the sofa, dropping a kiss to her bare shoulder. I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear just as the first tear slipped down her cheek. “I miss her and I don’t even know her. How is that possible?”

My only instinct was to make it all better, but growing up around three women told me the best thing to do was keep my mouth shut and just be there for her. Stroking her back, I gave her silence. After several minutes and a few more tears, she lifted her red puffy eyes to mine. “Is this what you wanted? I’m a mess, Barrett. Pretty sure you don’t want all this emotional baggage.”

I swiped her wet cheek with my thumb. “I want you to share everything with me, including these.” Cradling her face, I used my thumbs to dry her tears, “Whatever it is… good, bad, ugly, or sad, let me have it all,” her lips trembled. “Let me have you.” My final plea earned me a small gasp.

Releasing her legs, she wrapped her arms around me, bringing her lips to mine. Hard and deep, we were tongue and teeth, set on devouring every last piece of one another. I eased her back. One leg curled around the top of my thigh, urging me closer while her hands drifted up and beneath my shirt, across my ribs.

With great strength I release her mouth. The air we shared, precious between us. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

“Me either.”

I pressed my forehead to hers and swallowed around the sudden dryness in my throat. “I need you,” fingers dipped beneath the band of my shorts, digging into my ass. “Now,” she demanded.

Pulling the flimsy tank top from her head, red hair fanned out across the brown cushion and her eyes flooded with the same need I heard in her voice. I took in the beauty beneath me, placing a kiss between her heaving breasts. “Are you on birth control?”

“Yes, why?”

I pressed a kiss to her lips. “I want to make you mine in every way,” I stayed in place, watching helplessly as she retreated.

I attempted to lower my mouth to her neck, but she jerked away. “I think you should leave.”

Shit, that hurt.

A lot.

“You’re joking right?”

She reached for her top, covering her chest as she shoved me away. “No, I’m not.”

When she moved to get up, my hand caught her wrist. “I thought we’d just taken a step forward, now you’ve taken five steps back. What’s wrong?”

“You.”

Oh, now the bitch was back. I released her. Was I wasting my time? Part of me wanted to walk away. There were plenty of other women out there who came with far less bullshit than this. But damn it, I wanted this one. I wanted her. Every cell and bone in my body screamed for it. And no matter how much my mind told me I should, my heart refused to let her go. “What’s his name?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“If you’re going to compare me to someone else, at least tell me his name.”

She refused to look at me. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,”

“You’ve been hurt. You’re afraid I’m going to hurt you, too. But I’m trying to prove to you that I’m different.”

“What exactly do you think will come of this? My God, Barrett, you were in love with my best friend. This could never be more than just sex.”

“I was not in love with her!” I threw my hands up, my blood hot and angry in my veins.

“She told me what you said when she gave you her notice. Do you still regret it? Being too late?”

I thought back to the day Madison had come to me, telling me she was leaving not only the firm, but Boston for good. I would be lying if I said it didn’t sting. I cared about Madison. Still do. But I never loved her. Because Madison walking away from me then… was nothing compared to the feeling I had in my chest right now. I had no idea what to say or how to explain any of this to her.

I gave her truth.

“My career has always come first. I’ve never craved an emotional connection with a woman. Ever. That all changed when I met you. Those lips had me wanting to tempt fate and your eyes urged me to take risks. I can’t explain it. Only thing I knew for certain… I wanted you. I couldn’t get you out of my head. You were everywhere. So three days later, in a moment of weakness, I kissed Madison. I was desperate. Desperate to know what those feelings meant and what the hell I was supposed to do with them,” I wrapped an arm around her waist, cupping the side of her neck. “I’ve been eating dinner at that damn pub every Friday night for a year. Hoping… praying I would run into you.”

A gasp parted her lips. “Barrett.”

“Just tell me what you’re so afraid of?”

“I’m afraid… I’m afraid of falling in love with you.”

Being fueled by the fire in my chest, heat coursed through my body. “Baby, when you’re mine… you don’t have to be afraid. I’ll always catch you when you fall.”