“They’re old. It’s okay.”
“You’re bleeding.” He held her calf, wishing desperately he could take back the hurtful things he’d said and they could start over and deal with this before they started dating. Maybe then it wouldn’t feel like such a betrayal. But even that didn’t matter anymore. All that mattered was taking care of Lizzie, and by some grace of God, if she’d forgive him for his reaction, then he’d make sure she never felt alone again.
He wiped the blood from her knee, and tried to gain control of his emotions as desire to hold her filled him again. He finally rose to his feet and met her gaze.
“You should change so we can clean up your cut.”
Her lips parted as if she was going to say something, but he had so many things he wanted to say first that he cut her off.
“Lizzie.” He couldn’t resist touching her cheek, brushing his thumb over her jaw. “I’m sorry I said all those things to you. I had no right to judge you or to make you feel bad for what you’re doing. I love you so much, and you trusted me, but I was too blind to see it.” Her lower lip trembled, and he stepped in closer. “I don’t know where we go from here, but I miss you. I love you. I can’t stop thinking about you.”
She dropped her eyes. “Blue—”
He lifted her chin. “We don’t have to talk about it right now. We’ll just end up arguing, and I don’t want that. I just need this. I need to be close to you. Even if only for a few minutes. I need you to know I love you and to know how truly sorry I am for everything I said.”
She pressed her lips together and nodded, as if she needed him, too. And when she walked into his open arms, it felt like she’d come home.
“You smell so good, Lizzie.” He slid his hand to the nape of her neck and gazed into her eyes. “You feel like you’re still mine, and I know I have no right to even think that way.”
She lifted one shoulder.
“I hate myself so much for overreacting. I was hurt, but I understand now, and I feel like I betrayed you by saying I would be here for you and then wasn’t.” He cringed inwardly as that last bit of truth left his lips. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
He touched his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, breathing her in, hoping, praying she’d give him another chance. “Can you ever trust me again? Do you miss me at all, or did I ruin us?” he whispered.
“I…” Her whisper faded, and her hands clutched his waist. “Blue.” Her fingers dug into his skin through the fabric of his shirt, and she had that wanting look in her eyes, as if she, too, knew that their being close wouldn’t help, but she needed it as badly as he did.
“I know it won’t fix anything, but I so desperately want to kiss you.”
She nodded, the slightest of movements. She went up on her toes, as she’d done so many times before, and he lowered his lips to hers. The first touch sent a shock of awareness through him—chased by a wave of guilt. Her mouth was warm and tender, and when she pushed away, confusion in her eyes, he feared he’d made things worse.
“Blue,” she said sharply, covering her mouth with a shaky hand. “We can’t. You can’t kiss me. We’ll never make sense of this.”
“I’m sorry. I thought you wanted it, too. I can’t help it. I just feel so much for you.” He took a step away, rubbing a knot at the back of his neck. “I’m confused by everything.”
“So am I, but this isn’t going to help.” She took a step back.
Her words, her actions, told him to stay back, but the look in her eyes had him closing the distance between them again. He couldn’t talk, couldn’t think, could only feel, and damn it, he couldn’t let her walk away.
She stared up at him with defiance in her eyes. When she grabbed his shirt and tugged him into a savage kiss, his thoughts reeled away. Their bodies smoldered together like melted metal. His emotions soared and skidded, spiraling out of control as his hands moved roughly over her hips.
“You said no,” he said between kisses.
“I need you, too.” She sealed her mouth over his. “Touch me. Kiss me.”
Lizzie grasped at his chest, his arms, seeking purchase anywhere she could as he lifted her into his arms, holding her sweet ass in one hand and the back of her head with the other. She angled her mouth, allowing his to slant over hers and deepen the kiss. Setting her on the counter, he pushed in between her legs and yanked her shirt from her jeans, thrusting his hands beneath her shirt as she tore at his. He moaned at the delicious feel of her heated skin as she arched back, giving herself over to him. He pulled her shirt over her breasts and yanked her bra down, feasting on each beautiful mound and teasing the rosy buds.