Don't Need You - Lilian Monroe Page 0,67

slow, tender, yet firm. Unyielding. Kit teases my lips open, sliding his tongue against mine as a groan rumbles through his chest.

“I’ve missed you,” he says softly, lips moving against mine. “So much.”

“No talking,” I say, nipping at his lip. “More kissing.”

Kit chuckles, splaying his hands over my lower back and sliding them down to grip my ass. I sigh, trembling, allowing myself this moment.

Heat rips through my core, chasing away the chill that had settled in my bones when I arrived back home. As Kit drops his lips to my neck, tilting my head to the side with his hand as he runs his lips over my sensitive skin, I let out a shiver.

I forgot how good it felt to be in his arms.

“Serena,” Kit growls.

“What did I say about talking?” I quip, sliding my hands over his chest and sighing when I feel the bumpy, hard muscles on the way up to his shoulders.

“I love you.” The words tumble from Kit’s lips. His eyes widen slightly as his sentence hangs between us. I freeze, my heart hammering so hard I think I might pass out.

“You…what?”

Kit sighs, his shoulders rounding. “I love you. I’m sorry if it’s too soon. I just couldn’t go on without telling you.” His eyes search mine as he sucks in a breath.

My throat tightens as my pulse rages. The words are on the tip of my tongue. Isn’t that what I feel, too? Love? Isn’t that what’s made me crawl back to him, night after night, falling asleep with the phone to my ear? Isn’t that why it feels so damn good to be in his arms?

But how would it work? Kit wants to be flying planes as people jump out of them. He wants to be running his own business in his town with his friends, even if he tries to convince me otherwise. Relationships are built on more than just love. What about everything else?

“Kit, I can’t leave here. I have to stay with my family for the foreseeable future. They need me.”

“I know,” Kit replies. His thumb brushes my cheek, sending tiny little shivers tumbling through my veins. “I’ll move here.”

“You…what?”

“I know it sounds crazy, but I’ll do it. I don’t care about Woodvale. Not really. I can move here.” He pauses, sighing. “If you want me to, I mean. It just feels too good to be with you, Serena, and it hurts too much to be apart.”

My heart flutters. Images flash in my mind, showing me what our life could be if he stayed. Marriage. Maybe even kids. With him, I’d want to try again. To trust my body to work properly the next time around. My family would be around, welcoming Kit and any children of ours with smiles and hugs and too much food.

We could be happy.

I open my mouth, not quite sure what’s going to come out. If I tell him I love him back, I’m denying him the future he deserves. I’m complicating both our lives for selfish reasons. I’m robbing him of the career he wants, because there’s no way in hell I can leave New Haven now.

A knock on the door makes us both jump, and a whoosh of air leaves my lungs. With my head spinning, I move to answer the door—and avoid the Kit-shaped elephant in the room.

27

Kit

I probably shouldn’t have said that, but I couldn’t help myself. The word ‘love’ has been floating around my brain for days. Weeks, even. Every time I think about Serena, I think about my feelings for her. I know I love her. It’s a desperate, hungry feeling in the depths of my core. It’s an ache that goes all the way down to my soul, needing the balm of Serena’s touch.

I love her so completely it nearly consumes me whole.

Serena slips by me and opens the door. Her mother stands in the opening, eyes flicking from me to Serena. I feel like a teenager caught in the act, and my cheeks burn.

“Thought you two might want some food,” her mother says, gesturing downstairs.

“Uh, sure,” Serena replies, glancing over her shoulder at me. I nod, vowing to pick up this conversation later. I follow the two women downstairs. Somehow, there’s a full spread of food prepared already. Serena’s mother is in full hosting mode, spooning out mountains of food for me, Robbie, and Serena.

I accept it gratefully, taking a seat at the table as someone pours some wine for me.

I could get used to this.

Serena doesn’t