CHAPTER FIVE
AUSTIN
“Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?” Man, Stassi could kiss, but I would not push for more, no matter how much I and my dick wanted to be inside her.
“For calmly standing up to my brother. And because I’ve been thinking about what it would feel like to kiss you for three days. And since our first kiss was interrupted, I wanted to make extra sure that what I felt wasn’t based on some kind of… oh, I don’t know, built-up rescuer/damsel in distress fantasy.” Her face was sweetly flushed; her eyelids heavy, and I was mesmerized.
“Sorry, writer's brain. It drives everyone around me nuts.” Stassi’s words and her soft, throaty laugh were like a punch to the gut. I still wanted her, desperately and in a thousand ways, but as I struggled to concentrate on her words, they finally registered after what felt like a two or three second delay as I came down off the high of her kiss. Romance writer. Right, she believed in happily ever after’s while my past was full of family dysfunction stemming from my parents' cheating drama.
And yet in that moment one thing became crystal clear. Turning this into a simple hook-up was no longer my goal.
Sure, I wanted more of that melodic sound and her lips on mine, and yet I inwardly cringed at the thought of hurting her. I knew I was walking a thin line here, but I’d never felt so drawn to a woman as I did to Stassi Sheridan.
Clearing my throat, I went with my gut. “You’re certainly welcome. But you really didn’t need rescuing, if you recall. Maybe a shoulder to lean on, which I was happy to provide. I, uh, should get the gas line hooked up, then I’ll get it into position, and you can test it out before I leave.”
I definitely needed time to figure out if I could live up to the main character hero energy she was looking for me to fulfill. I could read people pretty well. After years of seeing people during the worst moments of their lives, I’d become adept at it. Empathy and understanding had become another tool, and sometimes a burden. Feelings and hormones are often on overdrive during a crisis. Probably why so many nurses and first responders ended up together.
There was a part of me, buried down deep I hadn’t realized was even there until she’d woken it up, that there was even a possibility that future me really didn’t actually want the bachelor life I’d told anyone who’d listen would be enough for me.
But then her face fell, and she withdrew from me, stepping as far back from me as the space allowed. Her arms wound around her waist, and she dipped her gaze to the floor. “Sure, of course. I get it.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. I don’t think you do.” I growled the words. There was no way I was leaving with her believing I didn’t want her. Hell, if she wanted to make out, I was more than happy to accommodate her, even if I had to spend half an hour in a cold shower once I got home.
“I don’t want to mess this up. But I need you to know, and let there be no doubt, how much I want to be with you because I do. So damn bad. But you write love stories, and I grew up with parents doing everything in their power to hurt each other. Love, romantic love, was something I never witnessed.”
Drawing in a much-needed breath of air, I ran my hands through my hair, trying to figure out how best to finish my confession. Hell, I just needed to be honest and let her decide if she wanted to take a chance with me.
“I’m not sure I’m built for forever, but damn it if you don’t make me believe it could be possible. I know that doesn’t make sense. We just met. But I’m drawn to you like no other woman. Ever.” My chest heaved from spitting out everything I’d been worrying about for the last forty-eight hours.
Stassi had gone still as I’d spilled my guts, but the uncertainty, and yes, hurt, I’d created by turning her down, announcing that I was leaving, had vanished and was replaced by hope and desire.
We stood there staring, neither of us making a move.What if I screwed up my one chance at experiencing real love?Fuck that, I’d show her exactly how I was feeling.
I grabbed her hips and pulled her toward me. She released a startled yet excited sigh of pleasure as I wrapped her tighter. My heart swelled and cock ached as she anchored a leg around my waist as she sank her curves against me.
The kiss wasn’t meant to be gentle. I put every ounce of need I possessed into it. I claimed her with my lips. Spurred on by her sweet moans, I captured her delicate tongue, kissing her deeper. Desperate to make this moment last and not trusting myself to strip her and take her right there on the kitchen floor, I tangled my hands in her long hair, cradling her head as I drank in every moment.
When air became an absolute necessity, I pulled back. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done. She slow-blinked, her lips forming an O, and my chest swelled with masculine pride. Realization hit that I wanted to erase the memory of any man who’d ever kissed her.
Scared spitless, this new feeling flowed through me, then settled in a surge of warmth and acceptance. I’d known there was something different about Stassi from the first moment I saw her in the kitchen, waving a towel to clear the smoke and cursing a blue streak.
But this kiss?
Our third in the space of an hour.
This one was epic. Life changing.
I’d never been one for exaggerating anything, and I wasn’t now. She deserved better than a horny firefighter looking for a good time, and I was done being that guy.
“Austin?”
“Yeah?” My breathing still heavy, l locked onto her questioning gaze. Desire still swirled, but was laced with doubt. Hell, that was the last thing I wanted her to be feeling.
“I'm not saying this because you rescued me or whatever. Or because of my brother or anyone else. I want you. Badly. And no man kisses a woman like that or has an erection…” She placed her palm over the bulge behind my zipper. “…and doesn’t want to…to…”
“Fuck her?” I said for her.
Her cheeks pinkened. “Yeah, that. You’d think if I could type it for one of my stories, I’d be brave enough to say it out loud, wouldn’t you?” Laughter and a sexy grin, Stassi was brave; she just needed a bit of practice.
