“I can’t promise to know where this will go, but I can promise that I’ll never push for more than you can give. You hold all the cards as far as that goes.”
He thunked his head on my chest. “God. Why does that turn me on so much?”
“What?” I asked, unable to help my Cheshire Cat grin. “Are you saying that me respecting your boundaries makes you horny?”
More thunking. “Fuck you. How’m I supposed to go into the restaurant with a steel rod in my pants?”
“If it makes you feel any better...” I grimaced and looked down at my own situation. “Also, I didn’t lie about this being one of my favorite restaurants, but I mostly chose this spot because it has a private parking garage.”
His eyes widened, and he—lightly—smacked my chest. “I’m not letting you fuck me in a parking garage, Kess. I don’t care how private it is!”
I snort-laughed, and he punched my arm, this time with a bit more oomph. “Stop laughing!”
“Sorry!” I held up my hands in surrender. “I’m laughing because Ijustsaid that I would only kiss you. And you’re demi. Why would I try to seduce you in a parking garage?”
A line formed between his brows. “Isn’t that what you’re doing? Like, is this not a seduction?”
I bit off another laugh, not wanting to make him feel bad. There was, however, a sort of naivete in that question that...Huh. An impossible thought flitted through my mind. So impossible, in fact, that I dismissed it outright.
Surely he’s hadsomeexperience. Just not as much as I’d originally assumed.
“I’m not trying to seduce you, Rowd. I’m trying to woo you.”
Uncertainty filled his pretty eyes, and it made me want to hold him and never let him go.
“Really?”
My hands went to his face again—because how could they not?—and I kissed him. Then kissed him again because I loved the feel of my mouth on his.
“Yes, really.”
This statement seemed to have shocked him to his core. He could only gape up at me in wonder.
“Why?” he asked, bewildered and breathless.
That one-word question broke my fucking heart. How did he not know how amazing he was?
I gently pulled him back into the circle of my arms, rocking him gently. “Two reasons, Rowd. One, because you deserve it. Two, because you are stunning and mouthy and perfect. Actually three, because you just admitted that I turned you on.”
He glared at me through his thick lashes, sending daggers with those beautifully soulful eyes of his. “Don’t make fun of me.”
I shook my head, dizzy from the feel of him in my arms. “I swear, I’m not.” I waited until I had his full attention. “This afternoon with the kids, you explained that you specifically don’t experience sexual attraction without a deep connection. That when you’ve tried to force it in the past, it was always awful.”
He stuck out his tongue. “Blech.”
I couldn’t help the snicker that bubbled up. “So, maybe you being turned on is an indicator that you have feelings for me?—”
“That doesn’t mean...I’m not trying to rush you into a relationship. I promise!” he said, eyes impossibly wide.
“I know that, Rowd. And I guess what I’m failing to get across is that if you have feelings for me after knowing me for two years, that must mean you think I’m a good person. And, if I can turn you on, that means you think I’m a good person whomightone day be allowed to see your naughty bits and make them very, very happy.”
The red crawling up his neck made my heart go into free fall.
“I want to woo you because you fucking deserve it, Rowdy, not just because you might one day let me see your bits. I genuinely want to see where this can go.”
Rowdy dropped his chin, letting his hair cover his face. He fisted my shirt and returned to thunking his head against my chest.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.”
