Always

Chapter 31

Our kiss was quickly becoming more heated when I shifted slightly in his lap and he winced.  I pulled back immediately, almost forgetting about the damage that had been inflicted on his body only the night before.

“Oh, god, I’m so sorry,” I said, anxious that I had hurt him.

“It’s fine, Joey, really. I forgot those were even there,” he said, chuckling slightly before glancing down at his torso.  His eyes took in the various shades of blue and purple, a frown creasing across his face. “Yikes.”

I also looked down his body, where I was once again surprised by the definition of his abdominal muscles.  Never would I have ever guessed that his body was in such athletic shape.  Despite the angry bruises and cuts, he was still incredibly beautiful. 

I sighed as I lightly ran my fingers down his torso.  Even though he had said multiple times that this wasn’t my fault, I couldn’t shake the unwavering guilt that was eating away at me.  He might not blame me, but I knew better.  This was my fault.  I am to blame. 

“Harry…. “ I started.  He needed to know how awful I felt.

“Joey, please stop.  I’ve told you it’s not your fault,” he looked at me sternly.  “I don’t want to hear that from you again.”

I exhaled sharply.  He refused to let me take the blame that was clearly mine.  “Fine.  It wasn’t my fault,” I said sarcastically.  “But let’s just say, that if it was, I would say how incredibly sorry I am that I got you into this.  I would say that I never wanted or dreamed that this would happen.  I would say that I will do anything I possibly can to make sure it never happens again.  And I would say that I’m going to kick the shit out of Colt the instant I see him.” 

I could feel my blood pressure rising just thinking about it.  Colt.  I wanted to punch him in his stupid, pretty face, kick him in the groin, elbow him in the throat.  Anything, really, in order to inflict as much pain as he did to Harry, if not more. 

Harry just chuckled.  Once again, his persistence to take this lightly grated on me.  “Okay, babe, okay.  I’d love to see that,” he said, smiling at me.  I just frowned at him.  He still would not accept that this was my fault.  He shifted to put his hand on my cheek and tug his thumb across my lips, smoothing out the frown.  “Smile, babe,” he said quietly.

“No,” I said stubbornly. 

“Smile, Joey,” he repeated, his thumb now running along my jaw before his fingers wound themselves into my hair.

“No,” I repeated, suppressing the smile that was trying to fight through.  He was so cute. 

“Please?” he asked, leaning forward to press a kiss to my jaw.  I could feel myself cracking.

I shook my head slowly, looking him in the eye as he leaned forward again, landing another kiss on my neck.  “Yes,” he mumbled against my skin, causing me to shiver again.  His lips moved slowly up from my neck, leaving a trail of kisses on their way.  The heat from his mouth worked up my neck, along my jaw, and to the corner of my mouth before he pulled back, hovering an inch away from my lips.  “Yes.”

I couldn’t hold back anymore; a soft smile pulled across my lips as I felt his breath tickle across my skin. 

“There you go,” he mumbled before closing the small space and pressing his lips to mine again.  Where he learned to pull a stunt like that, I had no idea, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it immensely.  Every little thing he did made my heart pound in my chest, every moment of contact set my skin on fire, and every look we shared was permanently burned into my brain.