“You know, your public persona is so much different than the real you,” she says, squeezing my hand.
“The very fact that you see that is what makes you so perceptive, Andi. When most people look at me, they only see the bright lights and dollar signs. That stuff doesn’t attract you, though. You look at what’s underneath and decide if the real person is worthy of your love.”
“I don’t deserve to be put on a pedestal,” she says, her tone self-deprecating.
“No, I’d never want you on a pedestal. I only want you by my side.”
“You’re quite the charmer, Mr. Malone.”
“Just telling you the truth, Miss Morgan.”
Placing a kiss on her cheek, I decide to lighten the mood and give her some time to process everything. “Now, I’m going to get up and go shower. If you try to get in the shower with me, Iwillscream. I said to take it slow, young lady, and I won’t be made into your personal sex toy.”
Her shoulders start shaking with her laughter before she lets out a hearty laugh. “Oh my God! Go take your shower and lock the door behind you. I’d hate for the driver to hear your girlie screams for help and call the police on me.”
“Did you just tell me to lock the door? Because you know you can’t resist sneaking into the shower with me, don’t you? I feel so cheap and dirty,” I tease as I get up from the bed. Moving toward the bathroom door, I call over my shoulder to her. “Stop checking out my nice ass, too. I can feel your eyes undressing me.”
“You’re not wearing any clothes for metoundress you,” she retorts.
“You wouldn’t know that if you weren’t looking,” I say knowingly as I stop and peer at her over my shoulder.
Her face blushes bright red just before she buries it in her pillow. Laughing, I continue on to the bathroom to shower. Making a point to lock the door behind me, I send the message that I don’t expect her to join me. I respect her enough to give her time to come to grips with what’s happened between us and where I want us to go next.
My only disclaimer is this—if she knocks on the door, all bets are off. I’m not a fucking saint.
“Thank you for not attempting to seduce me in the shower,” I announce as I exit the bathroom with my towel wrapped around my waist.
She’s wearing her pajamas and sitting up on the side of the bed. The tears have stopped, and she seems to be in better spirits. She smiles sincerely at my jest and shakes her head. “It was difficult, but I managed to control myself.”
There’s no doubt that there’s at least some truth in her words. Her eyes widen as she watches a bead of water that falls onto my chest. They continue to follow it over my stomach until it disappears into the happy trail that starts just under my navel. Her tongue darts out, wetting her lips, before she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth.
Yeah, she’s definitely affected by me, too. “Miss Morgan,” I playfully admonish her. “Are you openly gawking at my half-naked body?”
“Do I need to remind you that you’re inmybedroom with your half-naked body on full display? You can’t expect me not to look when you’re just standing there, looking like…that!” she exclaims, raising her hand up to gesture toward me.
Moving with lightning speed, I push her back on the bed and cover her body with mine. “You can’t say things like that to me if we’re going to take this slower.”
“Then you can’t stand in my bedroom, half naked and wet, and not expect me to look.” She challenges me back.
Smiling appreciatively, I chastely kiss her soft, plump lips. “That was a test. You passed. Congratulations.”
“A test of what? Willpower?”
“Trust,” I say honestly. “You trust me enough to know I won’t push you for anything you’re not ready to give me. We can play, flirt, and tease all day long. You have all the control, Andi. Whenever you’re ready, I’m here.”
Her eyes moisten, threatening tears. “Do you know how many women would kill to be in my position right now? Literally, this position underneath you, with you all wet and half naked.”
“I’ve had those women before, Andi. Those are not the kind of women who could ever own my heart like you do.”
Kissing her more sensually this time, it takes every ounce of strength I have to stop. When she responds to my kiss, I felt the same deep well of need inside her, but I know she’s not completely ready to commit to me yet.
“I’m getting up to get dressed now, so you can undress me with your eyes in a few minutes. But for now, stop staring at my nice ass and making me feel like just a sex object. It’s demeaning,” I say with a smirk.
Intentionally leaving my towel lying across her when I rise, I watch her eyes immediately jerk to my crotch since I’m standing at half-mast directly in front of her. Tsking at her, I shake my head and walk toward the closet where I left an overnight bag last night.
“You should feel ashamed,” I playfully chide her.
“Why? You said not to look at your nice ass. That’s not what I was looking at,” she calls back to me.
