Page 53 of Obsessed

“Must be a brain tumor.”

She starts laughing, and I follow suit.

Later that night, we are in bed. There’s a spark of hope in me after the meeting with my dad; it looks like things might just work out on that front.

; I turn to Emily, and she’s on her phone. Snaking my arm across her bare stomach, I nuzzle up to her. “Penny for your thoughts?”

It’s become this sweet exchange between us since she first said it to me. Now we use it when we want to let the other know that they’re not alone. Usually, Emily melts against me and the words spill out of her mouth.

But not tonight.

Instead, she tenses up under my touch. That’s never happened before.

“Hey.” I touch my finger to her chin and make her look at me. “Are you okay?”

Emily sets her phone down on the bedside table and twists onto her side so she’s facing me.

It doesn’t escape me that the way she moved also made sure she’s no longer so close to me.

“I can’t lose you, Peter.” Her eyes are glistening with tears that haven’t fallen yet.

It strikes me how heavy her heart is, when I’m right next to her feeling light and hopeful.

“You won’t,” I say, and cup her cheek with my hand. “You’re not going to lose me.”

She leans into my touch and closes her eyes. A single tear falls then, and she sniffles as she lifts her head again.

“That’s just it. I almost did,” she says.

“The accident?” I scoff. “That was nothing, Emily. The guy is more bark than bite, I swear to you. His driving skills confirm that.”

But my attempt to lighten the mood isn’t working.

She sighs heavily.

“Look, I’ve dealt with a lot worse in my career,” I say. “So trust me when I say that there’s no way this guy will ever get the upper hand over me.”

I close the gap between us, and with no more space on the bed for her to go, Emily lies back and lets me. I press up against her. The feel of her soft, supple skin against mine works its magic and I immediately get hard.

“I’m really tired tonight, Peter.”

Her words stop me in my tracks. This is the first time she’s made an excuse to get out of sex; her appetite has been unfailingly voracious. I understand she’s going through a lot, but I also know the release will help ease her nerves.

“Are you sure?” My fingers create a ghostly trail down her slender neck and across her chest.

Her breathing deepens as I take her nipple, tugging it lightly.

She turns on her pillow and her mouth is right by my jaw. “I’m scared,” she says.

It’s a whisper that’s barely there, and it damn near breaks my heart.

“Don’t be. You won’t get rid of me that easily.” I bend down to kiss her, teasing her nipple some more.

My cock is pulsing against her thigh, and I begin rubbing myself there to ease the tension.

Her soft moan trembles into my mouth and she pulls me on top of her, spreading herself wide for me. I go to kiss her again, but this time she turns her head and buries her face in the curve of my neck. So I close my eyes and slide into her. The feel of her tight sheath around me sends sparks of lightning up my spine.