Page 41 of Keeping Knight

“I mean…” His gaze burns into mine. “I know the timing isn’t the best. And the last thing I want is to rush you.”

“Rush me into what?”

An earnest expression comes to his eyes. “I care about you, Ruby. As more than just a friend. And this whole idea of staying single? It doesn’t hold the same appeal anymore. Not when it comes to you.”

A spark of joy bursts to life inside me.

Maybe some things in my life are bad right now. But not all of them.

Framing Micah’s face with my hands, I lean in to kiss him. “You’re not rushing me, Micah.”

“Ruby.” His voice goes rough. “You don’t have to say that just because⁠—”

“I’m not.” I kiss him harder this time, nipping at his lip the way I’ve found that he likes and lightly scraping my nails across the back of his neck. “I thought I wanted to stay single, too. But now…”

“But now?” Micah adjusts me on his lap. I can feel his erection prodding between my thighs.

“But now,” I tell him, “I’ve changed my mind.”

Micah stares at me for a moment, emotions working in his eyes. Then his mouth crashes down on mine.

He kisses me hungrily.

Desperately.

He kisses me like he can’t get enough of me.

Just as my lungs are straining for air, he pulls back to look at me. His eyes are almost black with desire. “Good,” he says with a hint of a growl. “Because I want this, too.”

Chapter Ten

MICAH

Self-defense lessons seemed like a good idea in theory.

I would teach Ruby some basic moves that she’ll hopefully never have to use and build her confidence in the process. What could be the harm in that?

Nothing. In theory.

What I didn’t take into consideration when I agreed to Ruby’s request was how damn hard it would be to keep my hands off her.

Every time I move her body into position, I’m tempted all over again. My hands will start out at her waist or arms, but quickly want to roam elsewhere. To the curve of her hips. The swell of her ass. Across the sleek expanse of bare skin revealed by her tank top and shorts. And her breasts. Shit. I so badly want to peel her shirt off and take her sweet breasts in my hands and mouth.

I’m not, no matter how much my body begs for it. No matter how sexy Ruby looks. No matter how much I want to follow the visible constellations of freckles to find out where they lead.

Does she have those cute little freckles on her stomach? Her thighs? Her breasts?

What about tattoos? The subject hasn’t come up, and now I’m incredibly curious. Does Ruby have a little flower on her hip? Or maybe a literary quote written in script beneath her breast?

And her nipples. What color are they? A sweetly pale pink? A deep, dusky rose?

I keep telling myself to keep my mind on the lesson. But it’s really hard.

Another thing that keeps getting hard? My dick. And he’s totally unapologetic about it.

For the most part, I’ve been able to wrangle him under control. But the constant internal reminders make me feel like I’m a horny teenager again instead of a man just a few years short of forty.

But, shit. Ruby is far and away the sexiest woman I’ve ever met.