Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 126

“Have you made up your mind?” Daniel asked her softly.

He was still holding her from behind, arms snug around her waist. It wasn’t the most comfortable position—he had to stoop slightly, given the height difference between them—but he wouldn’t let go. With her in his arms, it felt as if something missing inside him was finally whole, and he wanted to linger in that fullness just a little longer.

Amelia knew he was talking about the trip. “Can we invite some others? Maybe a couple of your friends, if they’re free.”

Daniel’s jealous streak showed up right on cue. He turned and nipped at her earlobe. “Let me guess—you want to invite Charles, but you’re trying to cover it up by asking everyone else?”

He didn’t bite hard, just enough for his teeth to graze her skin and send a shiver down her spine. Amelia tilted her head away, dodging him. “Then don’t invite Charles. I never said I wanted him to come.”

The truth was, she just didn’t want to go away with Daniel alone. Having more people along gave her yet another excuse to convince herself.

Daniel was easygoing about it. “Alright. I’ll ask Finley and his girlfriend. He’d rather do anything than spend the holidays at home with those half-siblings of his.”

Suddenly, Amelia felt a burst of happiness. The decision that had been weighing on her was finally made, and soon she’d be escaping the bleak winter for a sun-drenched island paradise. Just imagining it sent bubbles of joy fizzing up inside her.

“Feeling better?” Daniel watched the smile spreading across her lips, his teeth grazing her skin again, hungry for another bite. “So you’re only happy when you don’t have to go away with me alone. One of these days, you’re going to be the death of me.”

Amelia had always had the makings of a heartbreaker. She pushed his arms away from her shoulders. “You’ve hugged me long enough. Let go.”

Daniel glanced at his watch, then suddenly covered her eyes with his palm. “Count down with me. Three, two, one.”

She had no idea what he was up to and refused to play along, but in the next moment, his low, magnetic voice sounded right by her ear.

“Three… two… one.”

As his last word faded, he lifted his hand from her eyes. Suddenly, the world bloomed into color—stunning blue fireworks burst like a rainstorm across the sky, lighting up the night.

Daniel’s voice was filled with a gentle, lingering smile that seemed to float on the wind. “Amelia, I—”

“Wow! Blue fireworks!” A child’s shout from downstairs, followed by the crackle of the fireworks themselves, drowned out his last words. Amelia didn’t catch them.

Sometimes, being so familiar with each other’s bodies was a blessing. But sometimes—like now—it was dangerous.

He breached her defenses with almost no effort, coaxing her desire until, before she realized it, his hand had slid up under the hem of her sweater.

“No…” she gasped, grabbing at his hand.

He laughed, a deep, husky sound. “Oh, I definitely can.”

Amelia knew all too well that he could. If anything, Daniel was relentless when it came to this. She was just about to push him away when her phone suddenly vibrated.

Right at the height of the moment, she didn’t want to answer, no matter who was calling. Daniel tried to kiss her again, but Amelia, alarm bells blaring in her mind, buried her face in his chest. “Answer your phone.”

Daniel ignored her, eyes dark with longing. Amelia gave up and reached for his phone herself. The number was unfamiliar—area code from Elm City.