He shakes his head, his eyes flitting away from me and down at the floor. I take a step into his air, his cologneassaulting my senses, and I lift his chin with my fingers, my thumb skimming his bottom lip.
“You are everything to me,” I whisper.
“Lana?” His voice cracks. “Do I deserve you yet?”
“What?” I breathe.
“Am I the man you deserve?” he says, his voice hoarse. “And am I the man who deserves you?”
“Christian…”
“Lana, please,” he says. “I need this.”
“Yes, Christian,” I whisper. “Yes. You are. I deserve you and you deserve me. And you’re mine.”
Christian nods, his red eyes locked on mine. “Lana, baby…”
“Come inside,” I breathe, standing on my toes, just tall enough for my lips to brush over his. “Just come home.”
“Lana…”
“What?”
“I don’t want to be the thing you regret in the morning,” he breathes, breaking my heart.
“You’ll never be something I regret.” I kiss his jaw and lower onto my heels. “Come inside the house, Christian.”
He doesn’t move just yet. I take a step back and his hesitance doesn’t fade. I know this look on him.Fear. “Can I keep these?” I ask softly.
Christian nods stiffly.
“Come inside,” I say. “Please.”
His hand on the threshold of the door tightens, his tan hand pale.
“If you come inside, I’ll let you kiss me,” I propose. I catch his lips twitch and his eyes brighten a smidge, just enough to soothe my heart. I set the jar down on the entrance table, and twist off the cap. My eyes move over his face, and his eyes arestuck on my hands. I watch for his reaction as I drop his new chip in with the rest.
Something flashes in his eyes, but all I feel inside of me is pride. He worked for it, for himself. His eyes come back to mine and I see a hint of calmness now. In lieu of that, I step away from the front door and walk up the stairs, heading for my room. Upstairs is dark and silent, and at the top, I’m waiting to hear the door close.
Then it happens.
I hear his shoes come off at the door and his padded steps up the stairs. I slip into my bedroom and sit at the foot of the bed, and he comes in. The moonlight that pours in between the blinds and curtains bathes him, amplifying his hard features.
There is truly no lighting that can make this man look unflattering.
Christian takes a small step forward and with his eyes on me, his gaze so intense my lips part, he closes the bedroom door behind him.
“Lana,” he breathes.
“I said I’d let you kiss me,” I whisper quickly, “if you came inside.”
His chin dips only the slightest bit.
“Come kiss me,” I breathe.
My legs open to make room for him to stand between them, and when he does, his hands cup my face. “If I kiss you, I won’t stop.”
“I’m not asking you to,” I whisper. “No more rule.”
