Maybe this wasn’t the best idea.She probably never imagined a house could be this small.
“Why don’t you sit?” I offer, my pulse quickening. “I’ll heat the kettle.”
She grabs my hand before I take a step. “I didn’t mean to come off that way. It’s nice. Cozy.”
An overwhelming urge to kiss her surges through me, but I resist. It’s neither of those things, but the fact that she cares enough to say that means everything. Most girls preferred finding a private alley over coming here.
“Thanks.” I squeeze her hand before she lets go, then I dig the kettle out from behind a mess on the counter. “My mother has this tea she uses to help with her aches and pains.”
“Do you expect her back soon?”
“Nah. She’s usually at the shop till dinner.”
I fill the kettle with some water from a barrel, then cross the room in a few strides to hang it above the fireplace. After a minute of fiddling with some flint and steel—normally I do this much faster—a decent blaze is going.
When I finally finish, Ellie’s lying on my bed in the corner, eyes closed, with soft shadows filling the curves of her face. Heat stirs in my chest. She’s certainly not the first to be there, but fuck, she’s the first one to make me sweat like this.
I sit next to her, the flimsy mattress shifting under my weight. “I thought it’d take longer to get you into my bed.”
Her eyes snap open, and she shoots upright. “I didn’t realize. My legs hurt, and there wasn’t much else, and—”
“Don’t worry, it’s just a joke. But that reminds me…” I tuck a lock of her hair back behind her ear. “I still owe you a kiss. If you want it, that is.”
My heart pounds as I look into her eyes, my body tensing with every stifled breath. This isn’t what I imagined, what I intended. I wanted to get to know her better. But it feels right.
Ellie swallows, trembling with the smallest of nods. “I do.”
I bring my hand to her cheek, slowly closing the distance between us. Her lips part, her eyes close…
My mouth brushes gently over her soft skin, my lower lip catching on hers. The warmth of her exhale sends heat rushing through me as I press closer.
I pull back just enough to meet her eyes. “Is this alright?”
She nods, almost a tremor.
My heart’s on the verge of exploding, but I’m terrified of scaring her away by going too fast. I gently bring my mouth to hers as my hand slides into her hair, this time teasing her lips open with mine. Once they do, I sweep my tongue in and savor the taste of her.
She gasps, but lets me in, her tongue bumping against mine. A laugh tumbles out of me and into her—she’s clearly never kissed anyone like this before. I slow my movements, giving her a chance to figure out what she’s doing, heat flowing through me as our kiss continues and her fingers curl softly against my arm. Then she takes a breath, her big brown eyes sparkling, and the dam breaks.
I push my tongue deeper into her mouth, swallowing her muffled squeak as I tug her closer, into my lap. Ellie matches my intensity, pressing my back against the wall. Her fingers rake through my hair as she devours me with desperate, forceful kisses.
The string that held her back has clearly snapped, her hesitation gone. Fire rushes through my veins, urging me to show her how much further we can go. My collar’s smothering me, far too tight. I can hardly breathe.
I force my unwilling hands to let go of her and fumble with my top buttons. Ellie catches my bottom lip with her teeth just as I free my neck and inhale the lavender scent of her hair.
Holding her back, I catch my breath as I meet her eyes. “Hungry, aren’t you?”
Ellie’s lips are swollen and wet, her face flushed with a breathless smile. She traces her fingers along my throat, and a groan escapes me as she sends an aching heat down to my cock.
“I suppose I’ve claimed you now,” she says.
“I’m yours.” My voice is thick, lips clamoring for hers, but she pulls away.
Her hesitation’s back, her eyes bleeding vulnerability as they search mine. “You won’t break my heart?”
How could she possibly think I would?Even considering it sends a splinter digging into my chest.
“Never.”
