CHAPTER 22

“You’re wrong, Ares.”

Nine years. She’d waited nine years for him to come around. Nearly an entire decade for him to look in the mirror and see what she did every time she looked at him.

Tonight, Kelsey was done with waiting.

Either he was willing to finally open his eyes to everything that she saw, everything she knew to be true.

Or he wasn’t.

“I’m not trying to fix you.” She refused to let her hands tremble. Wouldn’t allow her stomach to twist. “You don’t need anyone to do

that. Can’t you see that you’re already perfect just the way you are?”

He stared at her for a long moment.

“No,” he finally said, “you’re the one who’s perfect.”

She didn’t have time to breathe, or even to blink, before he was hauling her up the elevator wall and crushing his lips to hers. His

kiss was brutal and beautiful.

And, oh God, he tasted like pure bliss.

Her mouth opened beneath his, and she wrapped her arms and her legs around him, holding him tight against her. He consumed her,

testing every hollow and dip of her mouth, caressing her tongue with his, letting her feel all his heat, his muscles, his arousal against

her.

The elevator dinged, and he lifted his mouth from hers. “Don’t leave me.”

“I never could. Not then. Not now.”

She was still in his arms, still curled around him, as he strode out of the elevator and down the hall toward their rooms.

His defenses were down after the day he’d had, after all they’d talked about tonight. Any other night, she would have made

absolutely sure she wasn’t taking advantage of the situation, or of him.

But she couldn’t stop now. Even if he decided in the morning that it was all a mistake. She wanted all of him now, so she wouldn’t

worry about the rest until later.

Kelsey had fallen head over heels for Ares when she was twenty-one. She couldn’t wait another second to love him with every part

of her body, heart, and soul.

At the door to his room, he held her up against the wall and took her mouth hungrily. No man had ever kissed her as if he needed to

devour her, to make her his, to bind her to him.

Didn’t he know that her heart was already bound to him? That she had been his from the very first time she walked into his

classroom and he’d smiled at her?

His breath brushed her lips, his forehead against hers. “Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure.” Even if there were regrets in the morning, she didn’t care. Kelsey needed tonight. “I want you. I want

to be with you.”

He stared down at her, his gaze intense. And so hot with desire that it took her breath away. “I don’t have any protection.”

“I’m on the Pill. And there hasn’t been anyone for months.” There’d only ever been Ares in her heart.

He shoved the card key in and pushed the door open, pulling her inside with him. The lock clicked with finality behind them—and

this time, she didn’t wait for him to kiss her.

She was so done with waiting.

Pressing her lips to his, she reveled in his groan and in how badly he wanted her. She licked over his tongue once, then again.

Slipping her hand beneath his open coat, she splayed her fingers over his chest, loving how his body pushed into hers almost

involuntarily, tantalizing her with the feel of every one of his hard muscles.

All day and all evening, she’d been wholly aware of him, every move, every look. Now, her fantasies turned blissfully real as he

lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed.

He set her down and stepped back to look at her.

“Kelsey.” His voice was a reverent whisper as he slid her coat down her arms and let it fall to the carpet. “You are so beautiful.”

She pushed his jacket from his shoulders. “So are you. Not only beautiful, but a good man too. In every way.”

“I’m not.”

Her heart squeezed at the pain and guilt in his voice. “How can I make you see that you are?”

“If only I’d been able to not look at you,” he said, almost to himself. “To not see how beautiful you are.” He took her hand, lifted it

to his chest, as though she could absolve him of his crimes if only he confessed. “The Halloween party. I saw you there.” A muscle

jumped in his jaw. “I wanted you there. Wanted you with everything I am.”

“I felt your eyes on me.” She put her hands to his face, made sure he was looking into her very soul. “I wanted you too. With all my

heart. And I’m not sorry or guilty for the way I feel about you.”

“Kelsey.”

Her name was still on his lips as he gathered her close again and kissed her like he’d been waiting forever for her.

The way she’d been waiting forever for him.

He trailed his fingers down her face, along her throat, over her back to her hips. His fingertips played along the small bare patch of

skin between her jeans and her sweater. A beat later, her sweater came off, her jeans quickly following, until she was in nothing but

panties and bra.

“God.” His voice was reverent. And full of the most delicious lust. “Do you know how many times I’ve imagined you just like this?”

He skimmed his hands over her body without actually touching, and yet electricity arced between them. “Today, on the plane, you

were all I could think about. I wanted to kiss you. Touch you. Strip you bare and love every inch of you with my hands.” He traced a

finger along the sky-blue lace edge of her bra. “With my mouth.” His lips dropped to swells of her breasts.

Kelsey threaded her fingers through his hair and arched up into him as he brushed the gentlest, the sweetest—and the filthiest—

kisses along her flushed skin.

Her breath was coming in short pants when he finally lifted his head again. “You.” It was all she could get out at the moment.

“Naked.”

Her hands trembled from the force of her need as she reached for his shirt and slipped the buttons free. She’d seen him without his

shirt during pool parties and barbecues, but when she pushed the crisp blue cotton from his shoulders, she lost her breath.