Page 46 of Untamed Heart

I gave in to the urge that was making my palms reach out and touch him, placing a hand on his forearm. “Rightfully so. She’s cool as hell, knows her own mind, has incredible fashion sense, and stands up to bullies? You’ve got one hell of a little lady on your hands, sir.”

The way his cheeks pinkened at my praise of his daughter made my belly swoop and my chest ache. “I appreciate you sayin’ that. Truth is, I worry a lot of the time that I’m fuckin’ everything up and I’m going to do something to hurt her or destroy her confidence.”

Hearing him so vulnerable about such an important aspect of his life only managed to endear the man to me that much more. “I think that’s a parent’s job. You know, to constantly lose sleep over the fact they’re afraid of ruining their kids. If you aren’t scared, you’re probably doing something wrong. Being scared means you care. And it’s obvious you care, Roe. It’s written all over you. You aren’t hurting her. I’ve never met a more self-assured kid in my life, and that’s because of you. You made it safe for her to be herself. That means everything to a kid.”

I hadn’t expected it, so I didn’t have time to brace when Roe lunged at me, grabbing me around the nape of my neck, and jerked me closer so he could slam his lips down on mine. I could taste all the delicious flavors of dinner, but also something that was very distinctlyRoe.

I lost myself in the kiss easily. Too easily. Leaning in to him and moaning into his mouth as his tongue swiped against mine. It took an embarrassingly long time, but my brain finally reengaged and I became aware enough to pull back from the kiss and jump off the stool.

I tripped over my own two feet and would have gone down if Roe hadn’t moved faster than a man his size should and caught me before I landed flat on my ass.

“Roe, we can’t,” I objected pathetically, my voice sounding weak even to my own ears.

“We can,” he said on a growl. “Dakota, you’re the only goddamn thing I’ve been able to think about for weeks. It was bad enough, pining for you for sixteen fucking years, but having you back here and not being able to touch you is torture.”

God, he was killing me. I wasn’t sure how much more of this I could withstand before I caved. A-freaking-gain. “This will never work,” I insisted, stepping around and forcing him to let me go. He dropped his hands down at his sides, opening and closing them into white-knuckled fists. “Wewon’t work.” I waved a hand between us, my tone pleading. “Or have you forgotten that we already tried this and it failed. Epically.”

“It didn’t fucking fail,” he barked, the muscle in his jaw pulsing as he clenched his teeth, searching for his calm. “We ended, yes, but not because we didn’t work. We were fucking perfect together, Kota. You can deny that all you want, but you know it’s true. We were perfect, and I fucked it all up.” He took a step closer and I had to hold my hands out to stop him from taking another. Heat and hunger filled his eyes, and I felt like I was drowning in them. “But we didn’t fail. To this day, you are the only woman I’ve ever loved, and how I feel about you has never changed, not even a little.”

“Don’t,” I whispered brokenly. “Roe, don’t say that. Please. I can’t—I can’t do this. I can’t go there again. You crushed me the first time. I wouldn’t survive a second.”

“You think I survived losing you the first time?” He let out a bark of sardonic laughter that raked across my skin. “Not a fuckin’ chance. Hell, the only reason I didn’t lie down and giveup was because of Cassi. She’s the only reason I didn’t fade into nothing.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and lifted my hands like a shield against his words. “Stop it!” I snapped, treading dangerously close to losing complete control.

“Fine. Here.”

Something warm and solid slammed into my palm and Roe physically wrapped my fingers around it. When I opened my eyes, I saw that he’d pulled a switch blade from his pocket and shoved the hilt into my hand.

“What—”

“You can’t do this with me, at least do me the courtesy of carving your name into my skin so I can carry that with me when you leave again.”

“Roe, that doesn’t?—”

He took the hand holding the knife and stepped into me, pressing the tip of the blade against his chest. “You might as well. You’re already carved into my bones and my goddamn soul. You own every single part of me, Dakota. Always have and always will, so do me the kindness of giving me one more thing to remember you by before you leave me again.”

My heart started to race and my breathing picked up as I whispered, “You know, most men would just say I love you.” I was attempting to be flippant but failed miserably.

“Those three words have never been strong enough for us.”

Snatching the knife back, he closed it and shoved it back into the pocket of his jeans before pressing my palm against his chest and doing the same to mine. “It’s you, baby. It’s you. It’s me. It’s us.” Closing his eyes, he brought his forehead down to mine and squeezed his eyes closed like he was in agony. “Please, Honeybee. Please, just put me out of my misery and tell me you still feel it too.

That was the last straw. I couldn’t possibly fight this man for another second. “I feel it too,” I admitted softly. “I never stopped feeling it. That’s why I haven’t been happy a single day since I left here. Because no one else was you.”

He lunged then, hooking me behind my knees and jerking me up so I had no choice but to wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his shoulders as we devoured each other’s mouths like it was our last meal.

He moved with predatory grace out of the kitchen and down the hall to my bedroom, kicking the door shut loudly behind us. He took no time at all stripping both of us out of our clothes, and before I knew it, I was being shoved onto the bed, letting out a startled giggle as I bounced before propping up on my elbows and taking in all the beauty that was a naked Roe.

“Please,” I panted. I could already feel the wetness slicking my thighs, and if he didn’t come inside me in the next five seconds, I was going to explode. “Please, Roe. I need you.”

The wave of emotion that washed over his face stole my breath as he bent to grab his discarded jeans, pulling out the condom packet he had stashed in his wallet.

“No,” I said quickly as he brought the foil to his teeth, ready to tear it open. “Not now. I want to feel you. Just you. Nothing between us.”Ever againI thought as he braced a knee on the mattress and climbed over me. I opened my legs instantly to create a cradle for his hips.

“Say it,” he grunted as the head of his cock nudged against my soaked entrance. “You know what I want to hear, baby. Give it to me and I’ll give you anything you want.”

Lifting my hand to cup his cheeks, I said the three sentences that I’d never stopped feeling in my soul. Not for a single moment over the past sixteen years.