Then his hand slid from my cheek to the side of my neck, thumb pressing lightly beneath my ear like he needed an anchor. Like he needed proof that this was real.
And since I didn’t want him to second-guess it, I moved closer. Closing the space between us fully, my fingers curling at his wrist, guiding him with a quiet yes.
And the second he felt that, the kiss changed. Becoming more wild. More reckless.
Deeper and more sure.
His mouth pressed against mine with a slow, steady hunger that made my entire body tighten. He kissed me like he was learning me, like he wanted to memorize the way I tasted, the way I softened for him, the way my breath hitched when he lingered.
My hand slid up into his hair, fingers sinking into the soft strands at the nape of his neck.
“Mmmmm,”Theo moaned, letting out a low, guttural growl slip past his throat. And I didn’t know what it was, butthere was just something about the wild sound of it that sent a shock of need straight through me.
I kissed him again, a little more feverishly this time, and when his grip tightened at my neck, I knew that he, too, was slipping.
Which was a very heady thought. That I could have that effect on him.
That this kiss might be as good for him as it was for me.
I closed the last bit of space between us, my leg sliding over his hip beneath the covers.
And I didn’t know what I expected him to do, but I hadn’t anticipated his strong hand finding my waist in the dark and pulling me in like he needed me closer. Like he wasn’t willing to let me hover at the edge of this.
And, oh my heck, when his hips pressed up against mine, lining us up and grinding deliciously against me, a sharp pulse of heat shot through my body, turning my thoughts to static.
“That feels way too good,” he mumbled, pulling away briefly to look at me. Even in the darkness, I could sense the intensity in his focus. Like he wanted to learn everything about me.
He kissed me again. His tongue brushing against my lower lip as if he was asking a question.
And not about to turn him down, I immediately opened my mouth to him. Letting him explore.
Our tongues met and tangled, and for a long moment I forgot about everything else. The bed. The room. The fact that this night had started as pretending.
No, I didn’t want to think about any of that. All I wanted was to focus on the way he tasted. And how he was kissing me like he’d been starving.
His hand slipped under the bottom hem of my cami, palm spreading across my back. Warm skin to warm skin. He tracedup along my ribs, fingers exploring like he wanted to learn the shape of me by touch alone.
And when his thumb grazed the delicate skin just beneath my breast, a sensation I hadn’t felt before shot straight through me.
“Oh, Theo,” I said, a small gasping sound escaping before I could stop it. I pulled back just a fraction, needing just a little space in order to draw in air like a normal person.
Because kissing Theo Archibald apparently caused my lungs to forget how to draw in a decent breath.
“Is this okay?” Theo asked, voice rough as he rested his forehead against mine. “Do you want me to stop?”
“No.” I shook my head, my answer coming out fast. “Please don’t stop.”
For the love of everything I’ve ever cared about in the world, just let this dream I seem to have slipped into keep going.
I drew in another shaky breath, my hands gripping his shirt like it was the only thing keeping me grounded.
“This is…” I exhaled, trying again. “This is amazing.” I took in another breath, deeper this time. “I just need to catch my breath,” I admitted, cheeks hot even though he couldn’t see them.
And like the gentleman he was, he didn’t laugh. He didn’t tease.
He just shifted, like he understood exactly what I needed, giving me space to breathe while he focused on something else.
His lips moved to my neck, pressing a firm kiss at the base of my throat.
