Tears threaten as I take his words in. Goosebumps flood my skin as need and want coil through me.
I want this man.
I want him like I've never wanted anyone. He sees me,
really sees me
, and doesn't judge any of my pieces. He makes me feel safe and desired.
I can't find the words to express exactly what I want to say, so I reach my hand up and slide it around his neck. Pulling his face to mine, I kiss him. I pour every emotion I'm feeling into it, but his lips and tongue demand more, so I finally let my walls tumble down and give him everything I have to give.
Abandoning all conscious thought, I succumb fully to the desire that's overtaken my body. Pressing hard against him, I moan into his mouth, letting him know how much I love being this close to him. His arms scoop me up and carry me into my bedroom, and a moment later, we're on my bed, tearing each other's clothes off.
My body is alive and my mind is focused completely on him. No man has ever made me feel this way. I want to hand my heart to him and beg him to take care of me. For the first time in my life, I want to let someone in completely and give them the power to love me or break me, but I know he'll never break me. I know he will cherish me and make me feel like the only woman in the world.
He kisses me, breaking into my thoughts, and I thread my fingers through his hair, never wanting this moment to end. When he breaks the kiss, he looks down at me and says, "You're so damn beautiful, sweetheart."
My heart beats faster as happiness spreads through me. It's in this moment I realise I'm not feeling awkward or uncomfortable being naked with him. Sex for me is often weird the first few times with someone, and only having been with three men, I don't feel very experienced at all. But being with Tanner just feels so natural.
This is exactly where I'm supposed to be.
He puts on a condom and positions himself over me. Skin to skin and soul to soul, he takes me slowly to begin with, and after he makes sure I'm okay, he begins to move faster.
I wrap myself around him and hold tight while he delivers the kind of pleasure I've never known. We move together chasing our release, and when it rushes through me, I know this is so much more than just physical for me. This is an emotional release as much as a sexual one. I'm finally learning to lay myself bare for someone. Making myself vulnerable to love and hurt and joy and pain and all the amazing things Tanner can give me is what this moment is really about.
I never expected to find this with someone so different to me, but I know in my heart that he's my future. Tanner Brady might have been made differently to me, but he was most definitely made for loving me.
Chapter Twelve
TANNER
"I knew you two were made for each other the minute I met you," Lesley says to me over lunch a week after I made Juliette mine.
The three of us are having lunch at Juliette's favourite café with Ana before she flies out to the States to start filming a new movie. It's the first time our sisters have met and so far everyone is getting on well.
Juliette places her hand on my leg as she leans close to me. "And just how did you know that?" she asks her sister with an easy smile.
Before she can answer, Ana cuts in with a grin. "Oh, that's an easy question. The saying 'opposites attract' was made for you two. I've never seen Tanner chase a woman before and although I haven't known you very long, the way you argued with him was a dead giveaway, because up until that point, you were always so formal and professional around me."
"I just loved watching my always put-together sister lose her cool that day we were discussing star signs," Lesley says with a laugh.
"Wait, was all that information about our star signs bullshit?" Juliette asks.
"No, it was true, but damn, it was fun getting to say all that stuff to you guys and watch you both think about what I'd said," she replies.
"They just needed a little push, right?" Ana says.
"I don't think your brother did, but I know Juliette did."
"Okay, enough talking about us like we're not even here," I butt in.
"Thank you for giving me a push," Juliette says, surprising me. I thought this conversation would cause her to unleash beast mode on her sister, not this. "I've been hiding myself away for so long now that I'd forgotten how to live, and how to let someone in. As much as it was hard to hear, you were right about me being a crazy woman when it came to men."
Lesley reaches for her hand and squeezes it. "We can all be crazy women when it comes to men, especially our own men. You just need to remember that it's normal and not a reason to push them away. When you feel the crazy coming on, that's the time to hold them close and let them help you through it."
Ana nods in agreement. "And failing that, you pick up the phone and call us, and we'll get you through it. Crazy knows crazy after all."
"What the hell is all this crazy talk?" I ask, feeling like I missed something in the conversation.
The three of them laugh and Lesley fills me in. "Well, all women can get a little crazy sometimes when it comes to men, but Juliette has her own level of craziness and I pointed that out to her when she was trying to push you away. Don't worry, though, because I think we got the kinks all worked out."
I turn to look at my girlfriend. Sure, she can be unpredictable sometimes, but so can everyone. I wouldn't have her any other way. We might be opposites in many ways, but I'm growing to love all our differences. I'll take her in beast mode, goddess mode, or crazy mode.
She smiles at me and asks, "What are you thinking, Mr Ink?"
Grinning at her use of that nickname, I brush a kiss over her lips and love the hell out of the little moan that escapes her mouth. "I'm thinking that I'm the luckiest man in the world and that I want you, kinks and all."
And it's all true. I've never been a fan of the crazy shit women do, but when it comes to Juliette, it wouldn't matter what she did—I love her kind of crazy and I'm never letting go.
About Nina Levine
Dreamer.
Coffee Lover.
Gypsy at heart.
Bad-boy addict.
USA Today
Best-selling Aussie author who writes about alpha men and the women they love.
When I'm not creating with words you will find me either creating with paper or curled up with a good book and chocolate.
I love Keith Urban, Maroon 5, Pink, Florida Georgia Line, Bon Jovi, Matchbox 20, Lady Antebellum and pretty much any singer/band that is country or rock.
I'm addicted to
Nashville
and
The Good Wife
and wish that they would create a never-ending season of
Sons of Anarchy
.
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Also by Nina Levine
USA Today
& International Best-selling Author
Storm MC
Storm (Storm MC #1)
Fierce (Storm MC #2)
Blaze (Storm MC #3)
Revive (Storm MC #4)
Slay (Storm MC #5)
Sassy Christmas (Storm MC #5.5)
Illusive (Storm MC #6)
Command (Storm MC #7)
Havoc (Storm MC #8)
Sydney Storm MC
Relent (Sydney Storm MC #1)
Crave Series
All Your Reasons (Crave #1)
Be The One (Crave #2)
About the Publisher
Hot Tree Publishing opened its doors in 2015 with an aspiration to bring quality fiction to the world of readers. With the initial focus on romance and a wide spread of romance sub-genres, we envision opening up to alternative genres in the near future.
Firmly seated in the industry as a leading editing provider to independent authors and small publishing houses, Hot Tree Publishing is the sister company to
Hot Tree Editing
, founded in 2012. Having established in-house editing and promotions, plus having a well-respected market presence, Hot Tree Publishing endeavours to be a leader in bringing quality stories to the world of readers.
Interested in discover more amazing reads brought to you by Hot Tree Publishing or perhaps you're interesting in submitting a manuscript and joining the HTPubs family? Either way, head over to the website for information:
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Table of Contents
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