Stepbrother Thief(87)

But Gill isn't just any man. He's my man, and he always has been. Since the moment we met, when I was sixteen and he was seventeen, I knew. For half my life, I've loved him.

“I can't see you giving up so easily,” I say as he runs his finger across my naked collarbone and I shiver again, goose bumps racing down my arms.

“Maybe you're right,” he says with a bemused smile, getting awfully close to the tucked edge of the towel. “But I'll at least try to leave you alone.”

“That's not creepy at all,” I say, trying to imagine him keeping an eye on me all these years. When I wept for him, he was there. When I ached, and I hurt, and I wanted to give up on everything, he was right fucking there. I know I couldn't have watched him from afar and never reached out. How and why he did it I'll never understand. Unless, of course, I let him finish his story and I listen, really listen, and keep an open mind, an open heart.

I take a deep breath as he reaches for the edge of the towel, pulling it open and letting it drop to the floor at my feet. I wrap my arms around my bare chest and close my eyes for a moment.

“I'll listen, Gill,” I tell him because I'd always planned to. “And I'll think about it, really think about it.”

“So there's a chance?” he asks me, and I nod.

“There's a chance.”

My voice comes out in a whisper as his arms slide down my sides and take hold of my hips, his mouth dipping to mine in a soft brush of lips that sends those pesky butterflies flapping around inside my belly.

“Say it again for me, Regina,” he whispers as he moves his mouth to my ear and nibbles on the lobe. I should be telling him to get out, to stop touching me, but I can't. I just can't. No matter what happens, I need this right now. I need it.

“Say what?” I ask, my fingers sliding under his shirt, greedily taking in the hard planes of his abs. If I'm in right now, I'm all in. Then, even if I decide to walk away, I can have this night for the rest of my life.

“That you love me,” he growls, his fingers tightening on my arms for a moment before he relaxes and breathes deep, leaning in so that our bodies press close—his warm, dry, clothed and mine, wet, shivering, naked. The contrast excites me enough that I feel like I should fight against it, the feelings so intense that I'm scared by the fact that they could backfire on me. But no. No, I'm saving those thoughts for later. Right now is only for … this.

“I still love you, Gilleon. And I never stopped. That's why it hurt so much, all these years.” I reach up and run my fingers along his smooth cheek, turning his face to mine so our lips can touch, so we can kiss long and deep and sensual, slow. We've been fucking lately, but we haven't been doing this, loving each other like this.

“God, I missed you, Regi,” he says, pulling back just long enough to speak the words before he reaches down and scoops me up into his arms. I don't stop kissing him as he carries me, running my mouth up the side of his jaw to his ear and enjoying the shiver I get in response. “I missed you so fucking much.”

Gill lays me down on the bed and stands up, pulling his shirt over his head and reaching down to remove his belt before climbing in between my legs, looking down at me with an arm on either side of my head. I can't help myself, finally giving into the wonder I felt after seeing him again for the first time. I touch his face, trace his lips, run my fingers up into his hair.

When Gilleon leans down to kiss me, I wrap my arms around his neck and drag him down so that our bodies are pressed close, naked chest to naked chest, the firm bulge of his erection brushing against me through his jeans. We don't rush things though, not this time, letting our hands roam, our mouths taste, our breathing even out until the pulsing pound of our heartbeats feels like it's in sync.

Gill pulls back, moving his mouth to my breast, running his tongue in a circle around my nipple before reaching up to knead and caress the tender flesh. His fingers scald my skin as they travel down and trace my ribs, making me realize that I'm holding my breath again. I let it out in a rush as he continues kissing down, across my belly and towards the patch of honey blonde hair between my legs.

I spread my knees as Gill runs his fingers up the insides of my thighs, drawing me open before he dips his mouth down and breathes hot against me, making me arch my back and bite my lower lip so hard it bleeds. No more words pass between us. We're beyond them now.

I moan, turning my head into the pillows to keep my voice down. Stars flicker across the insides of my eyelids as I bite the fabric and gasp at the sudden pressure of Gill's fingers gripping my hips tight. I realize why a moment later when he moves his lips over my clit, kissing me gently and testing the waters before increasing the pressure.