I right her panties but keep a grip on her as her knees wobble. There’s a pink flush on her cheeks and a heaviness to her eyes, lids hooded as she looks at me, completely sated.
So fucking pretty.
The first time I fuck her will not be up against some tree. I want to take my time, taste and tease and learn. I want to read her body like it’s a book, push every button, lickevery inch.
We both take a moment to catch our breaths, and when she’s ready, she reaches for the shorts lying on top of her bag.
Her blue eyes meet mine once she’s fully dressed, but there’s doubt there that doesn’t belong. Grasping her chin, I lower my mouth to hers, not hesitating, just taking. I haven’t kissed her, not since our wedding day. She’s always been the one to initiate anything, but I’m taking that back now. I won’t settle for that look on her face. I’m not going to hide how much I want her.
I sweep my tongue between her lips, feeling her melt in my arms.
If I could just hold all of her, I would. Keep her in my arms and glue every piece together. She kisses me back with as much as I give, matching the strokes of my tongue with her own, angling her head to allow me in further.
Eventually, I have to let her go. I feel on edge with her as it is, and the longer we remain here, the more likely it is I’m going to have her on that tree. We remain close as we both catch our breaths but then step apart. I fuckinglovethe way she looks right now, lips wet and swollen from my mouth, that post-orgasm glow still making her skin a little flushed.
“Are you going to say it?” I can’t help but reach for her again, seeking the feel of her.
“Say what?” She leans her head into my hand.
“That you need me.”
As my words hit, she pulls away. “Roman.”
“It’s okay,” I assure her. “We’ll get there.” There’s a surety to my words that probably shouldn’t belong, but I know it. Wewillget there.
I’ve gone so long not wanting this, not wanting someone close, and now that I have it I’m not going to let it go. Even when that part of me knows it’s selfish, that she’s in danger when she is with me. How do I let go of something that’s made me feel more than anything has ever made me feel? Goddamn I want her.
All of her.
“You’re so confident,” She chuckles.
“I am.” I agree, pulling the keys from my pocket for the ATV, “This may have started as temporary, but I plan to make it permanent, sweetheart. I’ll wait however long it takes, but one day, you’ll say the words, but I don’t mind saying them for us both. I need you, Niamh.”
“We’ve barely started, Roman.”
I simply shrug. “One of the things I had to learn real quick in this place is to watch. Always watching Niamh, I see you. I see how you want to hide, bury those feelings down deep so you don’t get hurt, and put up those walls, so no one gets close. You’re prickly, and that’s what drew me to you. I figured it would work in my favor.”
“With the whole fake marriage and all,” Niamh smiles, not quite what I want but close.So close.
“Yes,” I admit, “You were the one person who didn’t want more from me. In fact, I was sure you downright despised me, and I figured it would be easy to leave it all when our year was up. But they’re just thorns, Niamh.” I tell her. “But I see you. How you escape to the falls to clear your head, and you use the bar like a shield. But you care so fucking deeply, you take in semi-feral animals to help them. You’re scared, Niamh, but that’s okay. I’m going to show you that with me, there’s nothing to be afraid of. You just have to trust me.”
Her eyes bounce between mine as my words settle beneath her skin. It won’t be today, it won’t be tomorrow, but it will happen. I’ve gone my entire life not wantingthis; it wasn’t even about finding the right person, and then the right person fell into my lap.
“Let’s head back.” I turn to the trail that’ll take us from the woods.
“I want to.” I glance back over my shoulder, waiting for her to continue. “I just don’t know how.”
“First,” I give her a grin, “You’ve got to stop pretending this is pretend.”
“And how does that look?” She wets her bottom lip and drops her eyes to my mouth.
“By looking at me just like that, baby,” I rasp, “By letting me kiss you anytime I want. Step by step, sweetheart.”
“Step by step,” She repeats. “So where do we start?”
“You let me take you on a date.”
“Okay,” She breathes.
