“I have not gone through life unscraped,” she said somewhat forcefully. “I’ve had my fair share of misery. But I don’t let my bad fortune dictate my life, like some people.”
He glared down at her.
“Like me?”
“You said it,” she said, ignoring the heightened speed of her pulse. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I think I’ll return home, of wish I’m certainly capable.”
Pushing past him, Hope was faintly aware of the scent of clover that seemed to cling to him. Of course, he didn’t let her get very far without falling into an easy stride next to her, even though she was trying to walk purposefully fast.
“I didn’t mean to imply that you weren’t capable,” he said as they entered the cospe of pine trees. “But you can’t truly believe that traipsing alone through the wilderness is wise, can you?”
It was cooler here than it had been out in the sunlight, and the air was heavy with moisture and the scent of sap. A delightful shiver went through Hope, though she wasn’t sure if it was from the temperature change or the fact that Graham’s shoulder brushed against hers.
“Nothing bad has happened so far.”
“But that doesn’t mean it can’t.”
“So, I should spend all my time worrying about things that may or may not happen?” she asked. “It seems rather trite if you ask me.”
“You never know what could happen.”
“Well, perhaps one day I’ll find out,” she said smartly, smirking to herself when a large hand suddenly wrapped around her wrist, pulling her round as the wind escaped her.
With her back pressed up against the rough bark of a pine tree, Graham towered over her, gazing down at her darkly. The shock of being touched and held in his grip made her heart skip. She knew she should be offended, furious even, but her mouth fell open as she stared into his green eyes.
“Perhaps you will,” he said, his tone oddly soft despite his words sounding like a threat.
“W-what are you doing?”
But he didn’t speak. Instead, he looked down at her with a heated stare that made her skin tingle. The flutter in her stomach grew and when he bent his head down towards her ear, her eyes closed as her breath caught.
“You should be wary of people, Hope. Not everyone is trustworthy,” he whispered, his breath warm against the sensitive skin.
She wanted to tell him he was wrong, to push him away—and she nearly did. Bringing up her hands, she landed them on his chest. She had every intention to push him, but the strong, solid form of him was too interesting, too new.
At first, she didn’t move. She just held her hands to his chest, but then slowly, her fingers moved up as her mouth hung open. She had never touched a man like this and to her humiliation, she couldn’t stop herself from enjoying it.
He pulled back only a fraction and she saw his eyelids flutter down as he watched her. She could feel his heart beatingerratically and she was nervously glad, for hers was equally irregular.
Slowly his gaze lifted, and she was sure he was going to touch her hands and press them down. But then his hands were in her hair, and he was kissing her as if he were trying to teach her something he couldn’t quite understand himself.
Hope entire body was immediately consumed in a wash of unmitigated need. Her fingers curled into his shirtsleeves, pulling him further into their kiss. His tongue searched her mouth, lapping and tasting every bit of her as he pulled her toward him, crushing her body against his firm frame.
This was what Hope had always dreamed of. To be kissed, held, touched with such possessiveness that her toes curled. She moaned into his mouth. Never had she expected that the unknown desires that plagued her in the middle of the night could be managed, celebrated even, for that’s what this felt like. It was as if she had finally found what she had always been looking for, and she never wanted it to end. When he tore away from her, she nearly fell over trying to follow him, to keep their bodies joined.
But Graham’s long arms held her steady while he kept her at bay. They were both struggling to regain their breathing and eventually he shook his head.
“Hope, I—”
“Please don’t apologize,” she said quickly, worried that he might, but he only looked confused.
“What?”
“I… Please don’t say you’re sorry.”
“I’m not sorry.”
Pleasure bloomed in her chest.
