Following Me by Linde, K.A. (best books to read in your 20s .txt) 📗

traveled over his body, and she tried to keep theappreciation off her face.  But it was too early, and it must have showedbecause he smirked at her.  What did he expect her to do when he walkedaround the apartment shirtless?

Devon pointed out her feet untilthey touched the other end of the couch.  It felt so good to just…be for once. She couldn’t believe how well she had slept after last night.  But she wasthinking that discussing what had happened to her, even if everything had goneawry, had helped her…or maybe it was Brennan.  She couldn’t choose.

“Good morning,” she said throughanother yawn.

“How do you sleep so much?” heasked, leaning against the doorframe.

“I haven’t slept this much inmonths.  I feel like a new person.”

Brennan laughed, and Devon sighedback into the couch at the sound.  She wasn’t sure she had ever seen him laughlike that—loose, happy, and free.

“Well, I hope this new personlikes bacon.”

“She does,” Devon said, nodding. She flipped the covers off her body.  When she stood, the shirt fell nearly toher knees, and she blushed, remembering that she had taken off her jeans beforeshe fell asleep.  She snatched them off the ground and darted into thebathroom.  After tugging the jeans back on to cover her exposed legs, shequickly tied her hair in a knot and then splashed cold water on her face.  Sheneeded to wake up and not blush so much.

Brennan had a table big enoughfor two against the wall in the kitchen, and Devon took an empty seat.  Heplaced a plate with eggs, bacon, and toast in front of her.

“Coffee?” he asked with a smile.

“Sure,” she said.  “Lotsof cream and sugar though.”

He laughed again, obliging. After pouring his own coffee, he took the seat across from her, and they ate incomfortable silence.  Last night felt like a lifetime ago.  But Brennan likedher; he had told her.  Well, at least, he had kind of told her.  He had toldher in a completely Brennan kind of way.  It made her sigh happily as she ate.

Despite his protests, Devonhelped Brennan clear the table, and then she washed off her plate and placed itin the dishwasher.  When he finally pushed her out of the kitchen, she walkedover to the couch and sat back down.  She flipped on the television to somerandom channel and waited for Brennan to return.  It didn’t matter what was onTV because she wasn’t really paying attention.

A couple minutes later, Brennanwalked into the living room.  He slid into the seat next to her and wrapped hisarm around her shoulders.  She leaned back against him, snuggling into hischest, and he intertwined their hands in her lap.  It was comfortable andnice.  How long had it been since she had felt like this?  It had beenat least a year, probably longer, since she had done this with Reid.  Shecouldn’t remember that far back, back when it had been different, and shedidn’t want to think any more about it.  She wanted to be content.

They sat like this through themindless television show.  Devon couldn’t have told anyone what happened on theshow, but she knew the rhythm of Brennan’s heart, the small movements he madewhen he nestled closer to her, and the soft caress of his fingers on her hand.

When the show ended, Devon shiftedto reach for the remote, but Brennan moved first.  He clicked the power button,and the screen went black.  Devon turned her face up to him, her eyebrowsscrunching together.  When she found him staring down at her in adoration, allthe tension eased from her face.  His hand moved and tugged lightly on the hairtie, freeing her long locks to fall down around her face.

“I love your hair,” he said,running his hand through one side, causing her to shiver.  “I love when youwear it down.  I love when it irritates you, and you throw it all over oneshoulder.”

His hand brushed her hair toexpose her neck, his fingers trailing lightly across her skin.  Her breathingturned shallow, and her eyes darted to his lips and then back to his eyes.

“I love your big blue eyes, andthe way they can find me in a crowd even when you don’t mean to.  I love yourlips that you constantly bite out of frustration, that you suck on when you’rewriting lyrics in your journal, that you pucker when deciding on what toorder.”

Devon swallowed.  She couldn’tbreathe.

He leaned forward, cupping herchin with his hand.  “I really love your lips,” he whispered softly beforepressing his lips against hers.

This time, Devon sighed into him,not even thinking about pulling away.  She was lost—mind, body, and soul—to theman before her.  Somehow, along the way, he had captured not just her lips butall of her.  How had she evaded him for so long?

His tongue stroked her bottom lipand opened her mouth.  She met him tentatively at first, and then she whollyindulged in the feel of him.  Her senses intensified all at once, feeling thesoftness of his lips against hers, the calluses on his hands touching her skin,his taut body pressing into her.  His scent clouded her mind, and she forcedherself not to move too fast.  His fingers moved to knot in her long hair, andshe moaned lightly into his mouth.

Being kissed this way was liketasting the first strawberry of the season—so sweet and way better than youever remember.

They remained kissing leisurely,distractedly, happily until Brennan remembered that he actually had to go intowork that day.  Devon didn’t have many days off, and since she had worked sohard the day before, today just happened to be one of those days.

Brennan left to take a shower,and Devon pulled out her phone, trying not to envision him naked.  She wasn’thaving much luck.

She had turned off her phone lastnight because she hadn’t wanted to be disturbed.  Mostly, she hadn’t wantedGarrett to call her.  When the screen brightened and finally reached a signal,her phone lit up with messages, missed calls, and voice mails.

What the hell? shethought, clicking on the first message.

She had expected Garrett to leaveone or two texts and maybe a voice mail, asking her to come back.  Maybe hewould even apologize for his behavior.  But