Stalking His Claim - Lucy Darling Page 0,36
shift, freeing her wrist to turn her head to look at me. I need to look into her eyes. “With your dad.” Who may or may not be on a plane here. He was pissed, but Tinsley is an adult. She can do whatever she wants.
“It sounded like you were only doing this because you thought it was the right thing to do, not because—”
“I love you,” I finish for her. I do everything because I love her. Because I’ve always known that she was the one for me. That I would protect her, love her and honor her for all the days of my life whether she reciprocated those feelings or not.
“I know you love me, but I mean like love. Beyond friends.”
“Tinsley, I’m not even sure love is a big enough word for what I feel for you. What I’ve always felt.”
“But-”
I keep going, needing to get this out. She needs to know it all. To understand I’m all in. Always have been and always will be when it comes to her.
“Why do you think I’ve never been with another woman, Tinsley?”
“I just thought”—her eyebrows furrow together—“you don’t like people.” She finally comes up with, making me let out a bark of laughter. I don’t know if I really don’t like people or if I’m just in a shit mood because I can never have what I truly want. Her. “I love when you laugh.” She reaches up, touching my face. I lean into her touch, needing it like I need my next breath. Knowing that now that I’ve had her that I’ll never be able to be without her.
“You’ve been it for me, sweetheart. Been waiting for you to be ready.” Her whole body goes soft under me. Fuck. She’s finally getting it. What I said on the phone was the truth. I’d do anything for her.
“You’ve been stalking me.”
I shrug. She only smiles up at me as she wraps her arm around my neck, looking pleased with the idea of me stalking her.
“You gave me an in with this whole trying things out shit. All you really did is seal your fate.” There was no fucking holding back after that. Or trying to give her space. She better get used to me because I’m going to be around all that time. I couldn’t go back to not touching her every night or day whenever I wanted. Now it’s her turn to laugh.
“I was trying to seduce you.”
“Seduce me?” Why the hell would she need to seduce me? “You breathe and I’m turned on.” She pushes on my chest. I don’t move.
“Move. I’m not running.” She pushes my chest again. I roll over because I can’t deny her. She climbs on top of me, straddling me.
“You make it hard to concentrate.” My eyes go to her swaying tits. My cock is begging to get out of my jeans and into her.
“Well, I’m about to tell you how much I love you so—”
My eyes snap up to hers. She’s giving me one of her dimples. I grip her hips, wanting to hear it.
“Been in love with you since you punched Ben for pushing me into the pool all those years ago.”
“Should have done more than punch that little prick.” He had a crush on her. So he pulled her hair. She never paid him any attention, so his ass pushed her in the fucking pool. After I got her out I’d lost it. We might have only been little kids at the time, but it had been the day I’d learned what rage was. It was also the day I knew I’d do anything to keep Tinsley safe from the Bens of the world. When I’d lifted her out of that pool and her little arms wrapped around my neck as I carried her to safety, I silently vowed to always protect her.
“When the suggestion came up that I stay with you while I went to school I knew it was my chance to get close to you. To see if we could have something.”
“That suggestion came from me,” I admit. I’d pushed for her to come here. I knew she had college applications out here. That she wanted to get away from her hometown. I slipped right in and took her when she was vulnerable. That probably makes me an asshole, but I don’t care.
“I was planning to come out here before everything happened, Reed. Getting to stay with you was just a bonus. Why do you