Page 79 of Embracing the Beat
I rack my brain for memories, for anything that would have tipped me off to the torch she supposedly carried as a teen, but nothing comes to mind.
“You can trust me with your secrets too.” My hand lowers only enough to allow me to draw an index finger along her jaw, down her neck and shoulder to rest against her hand.
“I know.”
“Anything. Nothing you tell me will change anything between us.”
Her eyes are luminous in the light from her bedside table, and I want to kiss her so badly it physically aches as I hold myself back.
“I want to kiss you,” I admit, tangling my fingers with hers.
“Do it.”
She doesn’t need to tell me twice. I close the distance, my hands cupping her jaw as I sip at her lips, nibbling cautiously until her mouth parts on a sigh. I slip my tongue in to taste her, to revel in the flavors that are uniquely Michaela. The prick of her fingernails against my biceps barely registers against all the emotions trying to escape from my chest.
“Kayla, West, dinner!” Kelly calls up the stairs, and we break apart, smiling at each other while we both breathe deeply.
“My mom has an uncanny ability to interrupt us,” she teases with a smile, and I can’t help the laugh that escapes.
“She’s really good at it,” I agree. “But as she said, dinner’s ready, and I’m pretty sure you didn’t eat anything today.”
Her sheepish expression confirms my assumption, and I pull her out from under the covers, grateful she tossed on a t-shirt and yoga pants earlier. I don’t think I could deny a naked Michaela anything she asked of me.
“You need to take care of yourself,” I lecture, and she rolls her eyes, yelping when my hand finds her backside.
“Hey!”
“I care about you too. Take care of yourself, if not for you, then for me. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
She nods, stepping close enough to wrap her arms around my waist, her head finding its place above my heart. I engulf her in a hug, dropping my nose to her hair as I breathe in her coconut shampoo and thank the universe for giving me a chance with her.
