“Your feet hurt?” He looks down at me, his handsome face marred with a frown.
“No, not yet, but if we walk to Mexico they will.”
“I’ll carry you.” He stops in the middle of the sidewalk and turns me so I’m flush to his body, pulling me closer with his hands on my hips. Even when I’m in heels, he’s taller than me. I angle my head a little to look up at him. I’m close enough to see every whisker, every crease in his handsome face.
“I might be too heavy.”
“Arianna, you’d never be too heavy. I’ll always be strong enough to carry you.”
I don’t think we’re still talking about Mexico; the look in his eyes tells me it couldn’t be further from his thoughts. I watch his lips part as he moves closer to me. They touch mine with the pressure of a butterfly—a sweet, sweet kiss, full of promise and I’ve never been kissed like this before. His sincerity steals my breath away. He presses harder then pulls away and I feel bare. My lips immediately miss his.
“Breathe, Arianna. I love that I make you breathless, but if you stop breathing every time I kiss you, I’m going to stop kissing you.”
I laugh and take a deep breath. “Okay, I’m breathing.” I pull my shoulders straight. “Where to now? Mexico?”
Before I can blink, I’m scooped up in Denham’s arms. I let out a squeal as I wrap my arms around his neck and he marches back in the direction of the hotel.
“I can walk. Honestly, my feet aren’t hurting, I promise.”
He stands still and looks at me. “I know, but I want to carry you.” He places a gentle kiss on the end of my nose and continues to walk down the Strip. I know this is Las Vegas and crazy stuff happens here so we probably don’t look out of place, but it still feels kinda weird. I’m so used to keeping up appearances that it feels strange to let go without a care.
“People are looking at us like we’re crazy,” I say.
“You care?”
“No, but …”
“But what? Are you happy? I don’t mean in general but in life. I mean right now, this very minute, being carried along this street, are you happy?” Denham stops walking again and waits for my answer.
I look deep into his eyes and answer him honestly. “Yes.”
“Well then, who gives a shit what these people think? I’m happy, you’re happy. What else matters?”
He’s right, I know he is, but years of careful actions leave it hard for me to think any other way. He’s exposed me in so many ways, and now he’s doing his best to strip me of my insecurities.
“Arianna, it’s been three days since we first met and I don’t know about you, but this feeling…well, I’ve never felt like this before. When I’m with you, you’re the only person in the world that matters.”
Well, shit. He’s voiced every word that’s going on in my head but was afraid to admit. He’s intense, self-assured and very convincing, and he’s doing irreparable damage to the walls around my heart, but it feels right. So right. Even in the beginning of my previous relationships it was never like this. It’s all too much and I can’t think straight.
“I think we should head back. I can walk now.” I wriggle and twist my legs to make Denham let go, but he just holds on to me tighter.
“What’s got you looking so frightened, Stunner?”
“Denham, put me down,” I sigh. I don’t want our amazing date to take a negative turn, but my self-preservation is starting to kick in.
“No,” he says flatly.
“What do you mean no?”
“I mean I’m not letting you go, not until you tell me what’s going on in the pretty little head of yours. I’m sorry if my words are too soon or too much, but I can’t be anything but honest with you, Ari.”
I look into his deep brown eyes and see nothing but pure intentions and genuine, heartfelt honesty. I may be way off the mark, but I can’t fight it. I’m already out of my depth, but it feels so goddamn right. The thought of not spending more time withhim stabs at my heart, but I can’t keep going back and forth like this. It’s not fair on him and it’s making me dizzy.
“Ari, I’m not going to apologize for the way I feel. It is how it is. I won’t force anything on you, but I won’t let you run from it either.”
He gently lets my legs fall until they touch the floor, but his eyes haven’t left mine. I’m not sure if he’s waiting for me to speak or looking for the answers in my eyes. He takes both my hands in his, pulls them up to his chest and holds them tight. “I don’t know who you’re thinking about but I’m not all those assholes that hurt you before. I’m not them.” With those few words, he confirms that he can, in fact, see into my soul.
There is no hiding from this man.
