He frowns at me. “What do you mean?”
“Josh, you weren’t thinking straight. You were going to ‘fess up to our parents.” He frowns again. “I was young and you were my older cousin.” He shakes his head as he listens. “Josh, if my father found out he would have killed you—he would have thought that you forced me.”
He steps back, shocked at my insinuations. “It wasn’t like that,” he whispers as his face drops.
“I know, but that’s how it would have looked. I had to do it.”
His anger reignites. “You had to conveniently sleep with someone else to save me? Do you think I’m that stupid?” he yells.
I step back. “No, Josh, I lied to save you.” He frowns again. “I lied. I would never sleep with anyone else, Josh.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I can feel those uncontrollable frigging tears appearing once again.
“How could you, Josh?” I choke out past the lump in my throat.
“Do what?”
“How could you think I actually slept with someone else? I was totally in love with you. It broke my fucking heart, Josh, and you believed it. Just like that you believed it.”
“It came from your mouth,” he points at me. “You are the one who said it. Let me see, it went like this. Have you slept with him? And you replied yes!” he yells.
I step back and cross my arms. “So you don’t believe me?” I whisper.
He drops his head again, his hands still linked on top of his head. “Let’s just leave it.” He drops his hands. “This is stupid.”
“No, Josh, you’re stupid.” His eyes ignite with rage.
“Do you really expect me to believe you didn’t sleep with him?” His eyes are questioning and hurt.
“I didn’t, I promise. I would never have done that to you. I kept waiting for you to work it out. Why didn’t you work it out, Josh?” Hot tears stream down onto my cheeks, tears of guilt. Through the lump in my throat I whisper. “Have you ever thought of me, Josh?” He nods, his eyes sallow. The sight of the emotion in his eyes opens a wound in my chest, and a sob escapes.
“Josh, I’ve missed you, so damn much it hurts,” I whisper. He stays silent as he inhales precious air deeply into his lungs. He lifts his hand and runs it over my hair.
“Show me.” He continues stroking my hair and wraps his fingers around the back of my neck. I look up at his lips as he lowers them to mine. He kisses me gently, swiping his tongue through my open mouth. A shiver runs through my body and a groan escapes me, one I can’t control. The kiss deepens and his tongue takes over every sense I own, taking what he wants. He brings his hands to my face and holds my cheeks as he kisses me again, deeper this time. His tongue demanding arousal. My body happy to oblige. A shiver runs through me as I feel a very familiar pulse start to throb between my legs. I can’t believe it, we are alone and he knows the truth. The last thought scatters goose bumps over my body.
“Show me,” he whispers in my ear as he bites it. “Show me how much you have missed me.” He runs his open mouth down the length of my neck. I pull back to look at him and his eyes have changed. They are now dark with desire. They call to a part of me that only he knows. Without breaking eye contact he grabs the bottom of his T–shirt and pulls it off over his head. Each breath I take is deeper than the last, my heart racing out of control. My eyes drop to his chest, holy fuck this body is ridiculous. It takes my breath away. He is tanned and muscular and his chest has a scattering of dark hair that picks up again below his navel in a thin line that disappears into his cargo pants. I look back up to see the anxiety etched on his face. I run my fingertips down the length of his body until I reach the tattoo. Ahh, that’s why he looks nervous, he doesn’t know how I will react. I turn him and lift his arm. He lets me and raises his arm for me to see. I follow my name with my fingertip slowly. My god, I adore this man.
“When did you get this baby?” I whisper… silence, he doesn’t answer. “Josh, answer me and I want the truth.”