She bit her lip, feeling exposed despite the oversized shirt she wore and the covers that shielded her from his view. But underneath the covers, she was aware of her lack of underwear. And yet she had never felt as safe as she did right now.
Heat pooled between her legs, and she flushed, ducking her chin to hide her face, hoping he didn’t notice in the candlelit room.
“Clodagh?” His voice was dark and demanding and she looked up to meet his eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said, pulling her leg from his hip and tucking her arms around herself. He growled, clearly nonplussed by her response. “Honestly, nothing is wrong.”
“I don’t believe you,” he said, pulling her against him, her backside nestled against his groin. Her back was against his chest. One of his arms thrown across her stomach to hold her against him. His hair slid over his shoulder to tickle against her neck.
She closed her eyes and, somehow, in the dark and quiet of the room, she found the courage to speak. “I find you attractive,” she whispered, her face aflame at the admission.
“You find me attractive,” he repeated.
“Yes.”
His arm tightened against her stomach.
“I don’t understand.”
She rolled over to face him, lifting a hand to his face. “You are hot, Dom. Has nobody ever told you that?”
He shook his head slowly.
“Well, let me tell you. Your brooding, scowling presence does things to me.”
“Things?” His eyebrows drew together in adorable confusion, and she grinned.
“Yes, things.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively, and he choked out a laugh. “And the whole bad ass warrior vibe you have going on? The hair, the muscles…?” She waved a hand in front of her face and huffed out a breath.
A slow smile spread over Domik’s face, and he rolled away to stare at the ceiling.
This time it was CJ’s turn to prop herself up on one hand. “I like you. I just wasn’t sure how you felt about me.”
His head turned, and he lifted a hand to her face, cupping her cheek. “You like me?”
She nodded, and he tugged her down toward him. Their lips brushed; his kiss surprisingly soft considering the sheer size of the man. CJ gasped, and he took advantage of the opportunity to explore her mouth. She lifted herself up and half over his chest, sliding her hands into his hair and deepening the kiss.
It could have been minutes or hours later, when he pulled away, breathing hard. “We should stop,” he said, and her chest tightened at his words.
“Why?”
He brushed his thumb across her cheek. “It’s been a long day. I don’t want you to have any regrets. We probably went too far as it is,” he said, a frown tugging at his lips as he pulled his hand away.
“Too far? It was just a kiss,” she said, knowing it was a lie. This was not just a kiss. She doubted Domik did anything by halves. His next words confirmed her suspicion.
“I never do anything or say anything I don’t mean, Clodagh. That was not just a kiss. Not to me.” His eyes were warm as he met hers.
CJ felt something in her chest expand at his words. She smiled, reaching out to grasp his hand in hers. She ran her fingers over the ridges and valleys of his broad knuckles, tracing the many scars, some faint and others raised.
“I don’t need you to do anything. To be anything… except you,” he breathed.
“You know something?” She looked up at him, still holding his hand.
“Hmm?”
“That has to be the most words I’ve ever heard you say in one go.” She winked and grinned.
He laughed. He actually threw his head back and laughed.
