This once, she refused to let go completely. She held on. Kept control. Managed the kiss. Urged him further. Led him to her bedroom.
They were a tumble of skin and movement. He handled the protection, and she took no time in letting him in.
He’d learned her body better than she knew it in this way, and he didn’t even have to enter her to bring her to climax. His hand between her legs was all it took.
She hadn’t even come down from the ceiling when he thrust inside her body. This was carnal and fast, and it was necessary. So very necessary.
Taking final control, she rolled him to his back. He went willingly, a longing gaze of gratification as she mounted him and rode him to completion. Rode them both there.
She forgot about everything for the moment as they stared at each other in more than a little shock at the intensity of what they’d just done together.
“I’m falling in love with you, Molly.” He lifted his hand to her neck and pulled her to him, sliding out of her as he tucked her against his side.
No. Falling in love was not allowed. Definitely not allowed. “Then we need to stop,” she said. “Nip this in the bud.”
He frowned. Lifted on his arm. “Maybe we need to spend some time planting this garden.”
“I can’t,” she said. “I can’t do that to you.”
“To me or with me?” he asked, grabbing a tissue to deal with the condom situation.
“To you,” she said. “Don’t fall in love with me.”
“No.” He pinned her under his body. “Don’t do that. Don’t pretend you’re doing this for me. You’re doing this because you’re terrified of relying on someone else.”
Palm pressed to the smattering of hair on his chest, she said, “My world is crumbling.”
“Because you keep chipping away at yourself.”
“That’s not fair.” She closed her eyes.
He waited. Said nothing. Didn’t remove his weight from on top of her.
Finally, she opened her eyes. “You’re not being fair,” he said.
Life wasn’t fair. It wasn’t her. “Why are you going to buy the cow when I’m giving you the cheese for free?”
Okay, so that didn’t sound quite like she’d meant it to.
He stared at her a long beat before saying, “I have no idea what that means.”
Ugh. “That’s the problem, you know? Because I can’t give you milk. And I don’t want to be a cow. But I don’t want to be a goat either. I don’t really like barnyard animals, and I know nothing about gardening.”
“Molly?” Gavin took an exceptional amount of care as he moved off her. “I don’t need milk. I’m good with other beverage choices. I’m willing to compromise, and we don’t have to go to any farms.”
He didn’t get it. Really didn’t get it. “You don’t even
know what I’m talking about!”
“I don’t, but I’m still willing to compromise. That’s what you do when you fall in love with someone.”
She shook her head. Sat up. Searched for her clothes in the mess they’d made of the blankets. “That’s why this can’t work.”
“Because I’ll compromise?” He didn’t stand up, didn’t look for his clothes.
She turned, held her shirt against her chest. “Because I don’t think I can.”
“Oh.” He nodded, that look of longing in his expression changing. Shifting to something else. Something she didn’t know.
