“Stand up for me,” he instructed, and Peyton did.
She felt empowered the moment he got on his knees and dug his fingers into her hips. The sight was one she’d mark as one of her favourites. His hands left her and trailed the side of her body until he reached the knee-high boots she had on. He slowly unzipped one boot before pulling it off her leg and then the other. Then he stood back up and wrapped his arms around her waist as his fingers found the zip of her skirt.
Callum held his breath as he pulled the zipper down. The control in his eyes snapped, and she could see the desire in them. She would beg him if he tried to stop this. She needed him like she needed the next breath of air to enter and relieve her burning lungs.
He pulled down her skirt and said, “Lie back, Pey.”
Her knees went weak at just the sound of that three-letter name. She took a step back and sat on the bed. Callum’s pulling down of his jeans and underwear caused her to freeze. He noticed her staring, but she didn’t care. He was glorious and beautiful. And for however long this lasted, he was hers and she was his.
He stepped forward and kissed her deeply. The feel of his lips on hers caused her to ache all over, needing him. Then his hands made their way to the clasp of her bra, and in one swift move, he had it off her. Peyton moved back on the bed before he softly pushed her on the mattress. His tongue passed her lips and found hers as they stroked, kissed, and sucked. Fighting against each other before conceding defeat. Over and over until his hands reached the side of her underwear. Then he broke from her lips as she lifted her hips for him to take off the last piece of clothing she was wearing.
The moment he threw it on the floor, he settled between her legs. Then he propped himself on his elbows as he stared at her with a look she hadn’t seen in years.
Next, he kissed her lips once before the tip of him was at her entrance. Holding her breath, she expected him to thrust straight into her. But he didn’t, so she waited. Peyton wet her bottom lip as she kept her eyes focused on him, wondering.
Callum took a sharp breath in and studied where their bodies almost connected. He lifted his stare back at her. The sweet glint in his eye had made her heart beat harder in her chest.
“I’m confessing to you this way because, the moment I’m in you, I’m the most fragile. I’m the truest form of me when I’m in you, Peyton. I’m at my weakest when I’m this connected to you, emotionally and physically. This is the right way to show you how true and honest I am.”
She felt him tense, so she reached up and held his arms, making sure that he knew she was right here with him. Then she nodded her approval before he slowly entered her. It was achingly slow, but she loved it nonetheless.
“In this moment, right here and right now,” he said, pushing himself farther into her.
She bit back the need to close her eyes. She kept them open, memorising him and the look of utter pleasure that consumed his face.
He was halfway in when he thrust hard into her, making her gasp. “I’m in love with you, Peyton Olivia Spencer.”
“Say it again,” she whispered.
Her heart hadn’t found a way to operate its basic function. He’d said it. Words she’d never expected, words that had been meant for this moment and words that were about now and not the past.
She expected him to pull out and enter her again like last time. But Callum rested his forehead on hers for a moment before he drew back to see her.
Still inside her, he whispered, “I’m in love with you, Pey. I’ve always been in love with you. Then and now. Forever and always. I love you.”
Instead of protecting her heart, she brought his left wrist to her face and let the tattoo of her name touch her lips before she placed it on her chest and above her heart. Then she closed her eyes and allowed the pulse from his wrist to touch her chest. His heart beat for her, as did hers for him.
Peyton opened her eyes and said without reserve, “I love you, too, Callum.”
She softly stroked the back of his head as he slept. Inhale and exhale, his breathing was constant and steady. Each breath he let out touched her chest. Callum had fallen asleep resting his ear to her heart.
Four times. That’s how many times they’d made love. Each thrust, each digging of her nails into his flesh, each groan and moan had made it difficult for her to breathe. Peyton wasn’t sure how her heart had functioned after he’d said that he was in love with her. Not then, but now.
“I’ve spent the last four years in hell. Life hasn’t made sense since you.”