“Why do you allow yourself to push away so much?”
“Because this is not what I want.”
“That kiss told me differently.”
“That kiss was because I like the way you kiss, but just because I like it, doesn’t mean I should keep doing it.”
Hell, didn’t expect her to admit that.
I thought she’d take such an admission to the grave.
“You like the way I kiss?” I ask, moving her up against the wall, which she willingly allows me to do. “What do you like about it?” I move my hand up to her neck, holding her lightly in place as my thumb gently tilts her head up. “Do you like the way I can control you with just one hand?” She wets her lips. “Or is it the way our mouths mold so easily together?” I lean forward, my forehead touching hers. “Or is it how with one kiss, I can make you get lost and forget everything around you?”
Her chest heaves, her pulse thumping against my hand.
“Don’t give yourself so much credit,” she says.
“Then tell me this…” I bring my other hand to her hip. “Why is your body heated, your breath shortened, and your eyes telling me something different?”
Taking a chance, I slide my thumb just slightly under the hem of her short shirt, against her warm skin.
She gasps, her mouth falling open in shock.
“And why does it feel like you’re about to burst right now, just from a small touch?” I slide my thumb higher under her shirt.
Her finger hooks through the belt loop of my shorts as she pushes farther into the wall. Excitement pulses through me, my dick starting to get into the action just from the thought of her hand being that close.
Pathetic, but I don’t give a shit.
“Just admit it, love, you want this. You want me.”
She starts to shake her head, but I stop her.
“Don’t lie to me, Renley.”
My hand glides higher up her side, under her shirt. “If you didn’t want this, you’d tell me to stop.” I glide my hand up again. “You’d push me away.” Another inch. “You’d warn me to never touch you again.” Another inch until I’m just below her breast. “You want this, and you want me.”
Her eyes search mine, indecision written all over her expression, and I wish I could help her make that decision. So I bring my lips to her ear and say, “Tell me to stop, Renley. Right now, tell me to stop.”
I kiss the spot below her ear, then move across her jaw, bringing my lips right above hers to pause and wait.
I feel the heat of her skin against my palm.
The uptick in her breath against mine.
The uneasiness, but also the yearning. It’s so palpable that I can taste it.
“Take what you want,” I whisper, my thumb stroking the underside of her breast.
She sucks in a sharp breath and leans her head back against the wall, but at the same time, she tugs lightly on my belt loop. If I wasn’t paying attention, I might have missed it.
“You don’t know what you want,” she whispers.
“I know I want this,” I say, kissing her neck, her jaw, then her chin. “I want you.”
She swallows, her gulp just loud enough to hear. “You’re leaving.”
“Says who?” My thumb swipes at her breast again.
