Page 40 of Daring to Love

“Sadly no, but I’d like to.”

I fiddle with the belt at my waist.

“I understand. But travelling can be lonely when you don’t have someone to share it with.”

He cocks his head, a line forming between his eyebrows.

“Sounds like you speak from experience?”

It isn’t really a question, more like a statement, but I merely hum noncommittally. The silence falls between us, our gazes locked, and the air grows heavy, sensual between us.

“Is there anything else you want to know, sweetheart?” His voice is soft, yet husky, and it sends a shot of desire straight through my core.

“You don’t have a girlfriend, right?”

Merde, why did I go and blurt out a thing like that? I scramble to take the words back, but I know it’s impossible…and more, I really want to know his answer.

His lips twitch, his eyes gentling even more.

“No, Amelie. I don’t have a girlfriend.”

Relief pours through my heart, grateful.

“I’ve not really been in a seriously committed relationship before,” he admits. “But I have a feeling that’s going to change, and soon…”

My heart beats rapidly against my chest. The strongest urge to jump him comes over me, but the heat in his eyes, and the way his hands trail a scorching line up my thighs makes it near impossible to restrain myself.

Gosh, he’s so bloody cute.

“Are you going to stay?” I whisper.

He glances down at my mouth and licks his lips, reminding me of the sweep of his tongue between my legs. The memory assaults my senses, and I can feel my breathing speed up by the second. The longer he stays silent, the more insistent the pang between my legs become, and I quiver with longing.

“Listen carefully,” he starts slowly and brings my hand to his mouth. “I want to be with you, Amelie Winters. I don’t care about the contract, or my editor, or anything else. I want to explore things with you, and, yes, I also want to fuck you.”

Mon dieu,if he keeps talking like that, I’ll combust.

He moves my hand and places short, teasing kisses on the inside of my wrist, his intense gaze never wavering from mine. My fingers curl around his strong jaw, needing to touch him. My skin is on fire from the mere touch of his mouth. I’m turning into a living, breathing ball of lust, and maybe I should be ashamed I’m this needy, but I’m not.

“Do you want me to stay, just say it.”

His tongue licks at my pounding pulse, and I lean closer towards him until our mouths are only a hairsbreadth apart. I need to feel his lips on mine more than I need air itself.

“Stay.”

But he doesn’t kiss me.

“You can’t imagine what I feel when I’m around you,” he says, rubbing those sinfully full lips over mine, teasing me. I almost whimper the longer he denies me, the aching need inside me flaring to life as his fingers dig in to my thighs on his lap. “The way you fell apart yesterday…the gift you gave me, and the trust...the fire inside you matches mine, sweetheart. You are sweet when you ramble, and you are sexy as fuck when you kiss me, and the truth is…” He takes a shuddering breath. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

His admission makes my heart grow in my chest. Now panting, I wet my lips, catching the top of his. The pleasure I feel when the teasing glint disappears from his gaze, replaced with a blatant and primal hunger is out of this world. He grips my thighs once more, before he releases my fingers and tugs at the belt around my waist. He groans as he reveals my bare breasts, biting his lip.

I want to be the one to bite it.

I want to make him wild.

I want him to lose control.

I’m already wet, and he hasn’t even touched me yet.