Page 100 of Defend Her Heart

“More than anyone.”

He slides out of bed and moves to the side I’m lying on, reaching out his hand to me. “Come here.”

I fling the covers off me and make sure my robe is tied tight before getting out of his bed. He takes my hand and leads me to the mirror I vacated before he got here.

Connor moves behind me and slides his hands up and down my arms.

“Can I tell you what I see?”

I’m not sure I’m going to like this, but I nod anyway.

His hand moves to my neck and he glides his fingers along my throat. “I see an exquisite woman who has been through hell but still came out on the other side looking more beautiful than ever.”

I shake my head. “You can’t believe that.”

“Avery. Truer words have never been spoken.” His fingerstrail up to my jaw line before stopping on the birthmark over my lip.

“This birthmark reminds me of all the times my lips have felt yours and taunts me every single day when I see you.” A smile stretches across my face knowing he’s been thinking about me the same way I’ve been thinking about him. “And there. That dimple.” His thumb strokes the place where my dimple is almost permanently on display when he’s around. “This dimple is my fucking undoing. From the first day I met you, I’ve wanted to make you smile as much as possible so I can see it.”

His hands slowly make their way down my body to where my robe is tied in front of me. “Can I untie this?” He’s watching me in the mirror, and I nod. As slowly as possible, he unties the ribbon, sliding it from the loops on the robe, and drops it to the floor.

I watch his eyes widen when he sees I’m not wearing a bra. He grabs my hand with his now and places it over my stomach.

“Your body may have changed, but it’s still amazing, Avery.” He moves his arm in front of me and pulls my back to his front. His hand cups my breast and I can feel him growing hard behind me.

“Do you feel what you do to me, Avery?” He pushes himself into my backside. “You could be wearing a garbage bag and I’d still find you the most beautiful woman on the planet.”

His hand moves from my breast and stops over my heart. “Because, no matter what, I know what’s inside here. I know how fuckinggoodyou are. You’re the best fucking person I’ve ever known.”

Connor spins me now so I’m facing him and takes my face with both of his hands. “Not a day has gone by that I’ve stopped loving you, Avery Chamberlin.”

Tears fill my eyes at his confession, and I gulp down theemotion. Because the truth is, I’ve been carrying around those words for years.

They’ve lived inside of me through every chapter of my life. Every milestone, every heartbreak, every night I spent trying to convince myself I was over him. Even through my marriage and the wreckage my ex-husband left behind.

I should be terrified to say those words again. But when Connor looks at me like this, like he’s handing me the most fragile piece of himself, I realize something devastating.

Loving him has never been the hard part.

My breath shakes as tears blur my vision, and I lift my hands to cover his where they’re holding my face.

“I never stopped loving you either.”

His mouth finds mine, and I wrap my arms around his neck. I stand up on my tiptoes and push myself against him, feeling just how hard he is for me now. He breaks the kiss first, lust-filled eyes peering down at me.

“Let me show you just how much.”

I nod, and practically beg when I say, “Please.”

Connor takes my hand and leads me to the bed. Before I can climb in, his hands find my robe. “Can I take this off?”

For some reason, standing in front of him like this, I’m not as self-conscious as I was when I was alone. The way he’s looking at me and the way I canseehow much I affect him, makes me feel wanted for the first time in years. That alone gives me the confidence I need to shrug off my robe and drop it to the floor.

Connor slides into the bed first and holds his hand out for me. I take it and climb in after him, settling myself on his lap so I’m straddling him. Being here, looking down at the man who never left my heart, is completely overwhelming.

I can feel my confidence coming back with each brush of his finger against my skin and with each hungry look he gives as he scans my body. It’s been years since anyone’s looked atme like this. I can’t quite figure out what it is I’m feeling until he swallows a ragged breath.

Beautiful.I feel beautiful.