Free All of Me (All Series Book 2) by Natalie Ann

mean?”
    She clearly offended him. “Not that way. I meant it was safe when you were with Linda. It’s easy to be carefree with someone when you know it can’t go anywhere. Safe.”
    “Great, just what every guy wants to hear. They’re safe, ” he said, disgruntled.
    “You’re taking it wrong. You were safe. You aren’t anymore. So don’t get your panties in a twist.”
    He snorted, then looked at her deeply. She knew he understood what she was saying. She didn’t need to explain further. She never seemed to have to explain much to him before. He always knew what she meant, even when she didn’t say all the words. “There is no reason why we can’t go back to the way it was. Minus me being safe.”
    She shook her head. “Too much has changed. We can never go back to the way it was,” she explained.
    “Not as much has changed as you think. And I don’t really want to go back to the way it was. I want to move on to something more.”
    “Phil, I don’t think that’s smart. Not right now,” she said patiently. She hadn’t figured it all out in her mind yet. And she needed to. She had to find the perfect time to move forward. Make sure all the stars were lined up and know that nothing could stand in their way.
    “You have to explain that.”
    So much for him always understanding her. Of course, no one knew but her in regards to this. “Another time. Let’s go back to being friends for now. It’s a start, right?” She couldn’t tell him about her fear of being the rebound girl. He wouldn’t understand.
    “If it’s the best I can get, I guess I’ll take it. Can you answer one question for me?”
    “Depends on the question,” she said, smiling at him.
    “What do you want?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I want to know what you’re looking for. What do you want in a relationship? What do you want out of a guy?”
    She froze. Not what she expected him to ask. “Does it matter?”
    “Of course it does.”
    “It doesn’t matter if you know or not. Or anyone for that matter. Either the person has it or he doesn’t. They have to have it in them, not be told what it is I want. Otherwise, I’ll never know if it’s true or not.”
    “That makes no sense at all,” he said, frustrated.
    “Did you expect any different?”
    “Actually, yes. You’ve always been good at throwing out hints and never giving all the answers, but I’ve always seemed to understand what you were saying.” He shook his head and put a dangerous smirk on his face. “But I’ll get it out of you.”
    “Is that a threat?” she asked, falling back into teasing and trying to push the seriousness away.
    Her eyes grew wide when he reached over and placed his hand on her cheek, lowering his mouth to hers. What a wonderful mouth he had. All the memories of that night flashed through her brain, clouding her judgment as his lips moved over hers. Involuntarily her mouth opened and he swooped in, tasting her, and pulling her in.
    Minutes dragged by. Finally lifting his head, he whispered, “It’s a fact.”
    Closing the door behind him ten minutes later, she rested against it and groaned. Tonight did not go as well as planned.
    Seriously though, what was she supposed to say when he asked her what she wanted? Was she supposed to say, “I want someone who wants all of me, for me? Not just my name, or my job, my looks, my brains or my connections. Just me, all of me, for me and for no other reason.”
    He had to want her for that, without being told. Otherwise it was meaningless. She’d never know if it was truly her he wanted, or who he wanted her to be.

Remember Everything
     
    Phil rolled over and opened his eyes. A tender look spread across his face as he extended a hand out and lightly traced his fingertips along a smooth thigh, over her hips, up her waist and cupped her breast—overfilling his hand.
    Feeling her body come alive again, he shifted closer, trailing his lips along her collarbone and under her ear. His tongue