When he finally lifted and looked down, it was to see Clara’s eyes half hooded, her cheeks a pretty pink and her chest finally slowing.
“Are you okay?” he whispered, concern now mounting. Concern that he hadn’t been gentle or slow enough for her first time.
The smile that spread across her lips was fucking gorgeous, like when the stars wake up in the dark of the night.
“No,” she whispered.
His heart stopped.
Until she added, “I’m so much better than okay.”
She tugged his head down and planted another kiss on his lips.
Eventhatmade blood rush between his ears.
He dropped beside her and gathered her into him, wanting her as close as possible.
What they’d shared wasn’t just sex. It was more. And it made him feel things,wantthings, that he’d never allowed himself to feel or want…
And no matter how much he told himself not to be scared, that fucking terrified him.
CHAPTER 19
Aray of sun danced over Clara’s eyelids, making her scrunch them and groan as she rolled to her side.
She frowned at the dull ache between her thighs. At the hard, warm body beneath her chest.
Then she remembered.
A breath slipped from her lips as everything from the previous night came back to her. Finding Scarlett. Waking in the middle of the night. Holden.
The arm around her suddenly felt hot and heavy, the heart beating beneath her cheek loud.
Her heart started to thump. Nervous thumps that made her rib cage rattle.
He was awake. Did he knowshewas awake?
“Morning, honey.”
She wrinkled her nose. Yep. He knew.
Slowly, she forced her head up to see Holden’s intense hazel gaze on her, his day-old stubble looking ridiculously sexy. “Morning. Have you been awake for long?”
“Long enough to watch the sun rise through the curtains.”
A small weight lifted from her chest. Because a part of her had wondered if he’d leave before morning came around. If he’d feel the magnitude of what they’d done and run from it.
But he was here.
He slid a lock of hair from her face. “How are you feeling?”
Her skin tingled where his finger grazed. “Good. Last night was nice.”
“Nice?”
Whoops. “Better than nice. Definitely better.”
“You mean I made your first time un-fucking-believable?”
