Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 72 (Angel's POV) And just like that, we kissed again, more urgently this time. He shifted and gently pusheddown onto the grass, his body hovered over mine. I felt his warmth and the way his heart beat against my chest, and for once, I didn't feel alone. Thomas's lips met mine again and everything else faded away. The world around us melted into the night-the songs of crickets, the cool breeze moved through the trees, and the scent of grass and earth mixed with the warmth of his skin. He kissedslowly at first, like he savored every second and every taste. There was something so gentle about the way he held me, his hands cradled my face like I was made of glass, like he was afraid I'd shatter if he pushed too hard. But as his kisses deepened, I felt a shift, a spark ignited between us. His hands moved from my face and slid down to my waist, pullingcloser and pressingagainst him until there was no space left between us. My heart pounded against my ribs and I couldn't stop the soft gasp that escapedwhen his lips trailed down my jaw and brushed against the sensitive skin of my neck. Every touch sent shivers throughand I arched into him. My body reacted to him in ways I never expected.

I'd never seen this side of him before. Thomas had always been the steady one, the gentle one, but now... now there was something more. His kisses grew hungrier and more insistent, and I felt his fingers dig into my waist, pullingcloser and needingcloser. His hands moved up my sides, and his touch left a trail of heat behind. I felt my pulse quicken and my breath caught in my throat. "Thomas," I whispered, the sound barely more than a breath, but he silencedwith another kiss. His lips claimed mine with a ferocity that lefttrembling.

My fingers slipped into his hair, and I tugged gently. He groaned against my mouth, and the sound vibrated through me, making my whole body ache with want. I'd never known he could be like this-so intense and full of need. It made something insideuncoiled and madewant to lose myself in him, just for a moment. I let my hands wander and traced the lines of his shoulders and his back. I felt the strength of him, the way his muscles moved under my touch. He was solid and real, and I clung to him like he was the only thing keepinggrounded.

He shifted and pressed his body deeper into the grass, and I felt the weight of him and the warmth of him settle over me. His lips moved lower and traced a path down my neck and over my collarbone. I couldn't stop the soft moan that escaped my lips or the way my body arched into him, begging for more. I'd never felt like this before never felt this kind of heat or this kind of urgency and it scaredhow much I wanted him, how much I needed him to keep going. His hand slid under my shirt, and his fingers grazed the bare skin of my stomach. I felt my breath hitch, and my heart skipped a beat as his touch moved higher, more confident and certain. I'd always thought of Thomas as gentle and kind, but the way he touchednow was anything but. There was a hunger in his movements and a need that matched my own, and I felt my head spin and my body burn with every brush of his fingers and every press of his lips.

"Angel..." he murmured against my skin, roughly, and the sound of my non his lips sent a rush of warmth flooding through me. I could feel his heart racing against mine, could feel the way his breath hitched every tI touched him, and it madewant him even more, madeforget every reason why this was a bad idea.

He pulled back for a moment and looked at me. His eyes were dark and intense and his breath cin ragged gasps. And in that moment, I saw him. He was the young man who stood by me, who waited, who saw me, truly saw me, even when I couldn't see myself. "Thomas..." I breathed and I didn't know what to say. I didn't know how to tell him everything I felt in that moment.

But he just smiled and leaned down to press a soft kiss on my forehead. His hand still cradled the back of my neck and heldclose. "It's okay," he whispered and his voice was gentle and reassuring. Then he kissedagain, and all the words and all the fears melted away.

We lost ourselves in each other and tangled together in the grass, surrounded by the night, by the stars, and by the world that seemed to fade into nothingness.

In that moment, everything felt right, so right that it almost scared me. His eyes never left mine. He watched every reaction, every breath, as if he memorized this moment and neededto know that I was the only thing that mattered to him. "You're beautiful," he murmured and his fingers trailed down my cheek and brushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this, how long I've dreamed about this." I felt my breath catch and my heart raced as his words washed overand filled every crack and every insecurity I'd ever felt. "Thomas," I whispered, feeling a warmth spread throughthat made every doubt and every fear fade away. He leaned down and captured my lips in another kiss, this one softer and deeper, as if he was pouring every unspoken word into me, and I melted against him and let myself get lost in him. His hands moved lower and traced the curve of my waist, his touch light and teasing, and I arched into him with a soft sigh escaping my lips. "You makefeel so... so alive," he breathed against my skin, his voice thick with emotion.

His hand moved higher and grazed the curve of my breast, and I felt a rush of heat bloom inside me, makingache for more. He paused and met my eyes, searching, asking for permission, and I nodded because I couldn't find the words. He cuppedgently and brushed his thumb over the sensitive skin, and I couldn't stop the soft moan that escaped me. I couldn't stop the way my body responded to him, craving his touch, craving him.

"You're perfect," he whispered as his lips trailed down my neck, and each kiss sent sparks of pleasure through me. I've always known it... I just needed you to see it too."