“Arabella.”
“Bennett.”
His thumb brushed over my knuckles, a small, grounding touch. “Look, the last thing I ever want is to scare you off or make you feel like I’m just looking for an easy fuck.”
An easy fuck didn’t sound so bad to me, but I resisted the urge to tell him so when his gaze raked over my body once again before dragging back up to meet mine.
“But you standing here like this, offering yourself to me? It’s taking every ounce of control I have not to pin you to the nearest wall and show you exactly howinterestedI am.”
I swallowed, the vulnerability in his voice mirroring my own, my pulse thudding in my ears.
“I, um, think I’d be okay with that.”
His eyes darkened, a slow smile breaking through. “Oh, yeah?”
I nodded.
“I think we can do better than okay.” His hand slid up to cup my cheek. “But first, you need to promise me something.”
“What?”
“No more assumptions. If you want something, say it. If I do something that scares you or pisses you off or turns you on,pleasetell me.”
“That goes both ways, King.”
He nodded. “Deal.”
I had never felt like this before. My body was humming with nerves, but the want outweighed the fear tenfold. I wasn’t being swept along or talked into something I wasn’t ready for.
I wanted to take this step. With Bennett.Now.
“Starting now.” He leaned in closer, close enough for me to smell the faint trace of rain still clinging to his skin. “What do you want, Bella?”
I swallowed past the lump in my throat and released my death grip on his stolen hoodie. “I want you to touch me.”
“Where?”
“Anywhere.” I threaded my arms around his shoulders, fingers tangling in the damp, soft curls at the base of his neck. “Everywhere.”
There was no more talking after that.
Our lips met. His hand tightened on my cheek, tilting my head back exactly where he wanted it, turning the kiss hungry.
He slid his tongue against mine, tasting me like he’d been starving for it.
Mmm, that makes two of us.
He walked me backward without breaking our kiss, one slow, purposeful step at a time, until my shoulders met the cool plaster of the living room wall.
His body followed instantly, caging me in. One thick thigh nudged between mine, pressing just enough to make me gasp into his mouth.
He pulled back and dragged his lips along my jaw, teeth grazing the sensitive spot below my ear.
“Still okay?” he rasped.
I could only nod, fingers digging into his shoulders. How was he still able to form cohesive thoughts or sentences? The only thing keeping me up at this point was his thigh rocking against my pussy.
“I need to hear you say it, Bella.”
