The Lover’s Promise (No Exceptions #3)(11)
Author: J.C. Reed

Dressed in a pair of black jeans and a white shirt that showed off his tanned skin and tattoos, Jett couldn’t look more gorgeous. With hair that dark, eyes that green, and skin that bronze, he was an awakening beauty, ready to stir everyone from their deepest slumber. He sure had woken me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, stunned to see him. All traces of sleep were gone, my heart pounding so hard I was sure he could hear it.

“I let myself in.” He smiled and showed me the key in his palm before he stacked it away. It was the key I had given him for emergencies. “I hope you don’t mind.”

In spite of the recent developments, I felt a tremendous relief that he was back. Looking around, I realized I was still in my bed and Jett was hovering over me—his height both frightening and enthralling. I must have fallen asleep and hours must have passed because the last rays of sunlight were shining through the window, casting a soft glow on the dark hardwood floor. It was probably late afternoon or early evening. For a moment, I watched the way the light turned into a beautiful shade of orange and red, which I hadn’t seen since Italy. It was unusual for New York City.

“I’m sorry,” Jett whispered, and I turned my head back to him. My heart lurched again. Even though he was usually hard to read, I could see the sorrow etched on his beautiful face, and I felt sad, too.

“About what?”

He shook his head slowly, his lips pressed into a tight line. “I feel terrible about what happened. I had no right to hurt you.” His tone was soft, and the skin on his forehead crinkled.

“What about Tiffany?” I asked.

“She doesn’t matter.” He lifted my chin and our eyes connected for a moment before I averted them again. “I missed you, Brooke. I had to come and see if you’re okay.”

A soft smile lit Jett’s lips as our eyes met again, and slowly dimples appeared.

Oh God.

Those dimples. Those lips. Those magnificent arms. The sunlight caught in his green eyes that reminded me of a wild garden. A savage garden. Wild. Unkempt. Full of secrets. Lost in them, I had to find a way out of the labyrinth. No guy I had ever met had that effect on me. Any sorrow, any pain—all vanished because of his smile.

“Maybe I missed you, too,” I whispered. “And I’m sorry about what I said that morning. Of what I thought of you. I didn’t mean any of it.”

“I know, baby. They were just words.” He stretched out his arms and his hands cupped my face. I leaned against his soft skin, marveling in the safety his hands seemed to provide. They were warm. Calloused. Strong. “Words don’t mean anything.”

I nodded. For a few seconds, neither of us spoke, until he stirred.

“Come here.” He let go of my face and held out his hand. I grabbed it and interlaced my fingers with his. With a gentle move he pulled me up and pressed me against his hard body, and I couldn’t help but notice how perfect he was, the way he did nothing and yet did everything—to me, to my whole being. Leaning against his sculpted chest, it felt so good to be in his arms, smelling his scent, hearing the pounding of his heart. To be back with him, forgetting the problems we had. To touch him and be with him, knowing that he loved me enough to return to me. Loved me enough to miss me. I had never known how much I loved him and how much I still wanted to be with him until that very moment when all problems didn’t matter anymore as long as we had each other.

“I missed you, Brooke,” he repeated, his thumb stroking the line of my jaw. “I missed us, but more so I missed this. Your face. Your voice. You.”

My eyes felt moist, and something hard lodged in my throat, rendering me unable to speak.

“But I have to be honest with you,” he continued, cocking a sexy eyebrow as his hand slid down my back. “It’s not the only reason I’m here. I miss you underneath me. I miss seeing you come. I miss dipping my tongue inside you and savoring your taste, knowing it’s me who can give you that much pleasure. Right now I just want to rip off your bathrobe and fuck you until you’re mine again.”

“I’m already yours. You know that,” I whispered.

He shook his head slowly. “No, you’re not. I still have to tame you.”

“I’m not tamable. You’d better get used to it.”

He drew me closer. “Well, then we’ll have to change that.”

There was a glimmer of amusement in those deep forest green eyes as his gaze locked onto my lips, signaling that he was about to kiss me. I wanted him to kiss me so much my skin prickled. My blood rushed fast at the thought of his tongue swirling around in my mouth, his breath on mine while he held me in his strong arms—and never let me go again. I hoped he’d made love to me in the countless ways only he knew.

And yet I had to ask. Even though our problems felt like a million light years away, I had to free myself from those doubts, mainly about him keeping secrets in our relationship. If I didn’t, I would feel like I was being pulled under into the deepest quicksand, drowning with no escape.

“Jett?” I asked softly and looked up, waiting to get his attention. His eyes met mine again, and for a second fear enveloped me. “Why didn’t you tell me about Nate?”

“Not now.”

“But—”

“Hush.” He pressed a finger against my lips. “No but. Not now. Reality will catch up with us soon enough. For now, I don’t want anything to ruin this moment.”

His hand pulled my hair back gently, sending another shiver through my spine, as his eyes kept looking at me with an intensity that sent waves of heat between my legs.

I swallowed. If he kept looking at me like that, there was no way I’d ever learn how to control myself around him, not when my body kept missing him and my mind reminded me of all the good times we had shared. His sexy rumble together with his sexy body and expensive aftershave were a heady combination, doing all sorts of things to me. His arms pinned me to him, making me want to do crazy stuff with him. To him. If only my nagging doubts would disappear and let me enjoy the moment.

“Don’t even dare to say no,” he whispered as if reading my thoughts. “We both know how much we need this. Spending so much time apart hasn’t done us any good.”

“It’s barely been a few days,” I muttered even though I knew he was right.

“A few days.” He cocked his sexy eyebrow. The hairs on the nape of my neck prickled as he leaned forward until feel his warm breath tickled my ear. “Way too many hours. We have to make up for lost time.”