Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“I’m hot as fuck?” I said. “Coming from you, that’s ridiculous.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Give me a break. You’re so beautiful I can barely look at you.”
The words were out of my mouth before I could stop to filter myself like I usually did.
He raised an eyebrow. “You are being awfully nice for someone who’s not planning to fuck me tonight.”
I shrugged one shoulder, trying as hard as I could to hide the fact that my heart was suddenly beating like a drum. “Well, I’m incapable of lying. And even though I’m not going to… fuck you, I’m not going to lie about how gorgeous you are. Whoever you are.”
A car on the street popped as its engine revved, and the sound made Theo jump and gasp. He launched forward toward me and reached out, putting his palm to the middle of my chest, leaning against me like he thought he was in grave danger.
“Holy shit,” he whispered, breathing deep.
“Hey,” I said. “Everything’s fine. It was just a car.”
He was still clutched right up against me, his body so warm and small against my own. He was cuddled against me for comfort, even though I had no idea why the sound had freaked him out quite that much. I could smell him, now, and he smelled faintly of a woodsy, probably expensive cologne, just the right amount to smell intoxicating but not be overwhelming. He smelled distinctly like a man, and even though my brain had no clue what the hell that meant, my cock sure seemed to.
A million tiny fireworks went off inside my body. We were alone out here in the parking lot. He was so close to me, and suddenly so vulnerable.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured.
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Because I’m acting like a fucking baby,” he said softly, more sad than angry.
“It was loud,” I said. “Don’t sweat it.”
“God damn, I wish I could turn my brain off,” he whispered, leaning his forehead against my chest. I was hyper aware of the fact that he wasn’t moving away, even though the car was long gone, and we were clearly safe, now, and had been safe the whole time.
I was still confused, but my emotions settled into a more relaxed state. At first I had been worried he was acting suspicious. But now I was pretty sure that he had just been trying to hide fear. What was he so afraid of?
“Are you okay?” I asked, furrowing my brow.
“I hope so,” he said. “But I never really know, these days.”
My protective instincts were kicking in like mad, even though I didn’t know what was going wrong in Theo’s life.
I swallowed. “I think I should get you home, uh, Theo—”
“Right. I should stop grabbing you like some sort of scared animal, shouldn’t I?”
“It feels nice,” I said, my words coming out in a whisper. “I can promise you that I don’t mind.”
Apparently when I’d told him I was incapable of lying, that had been a lie. Because when I said I “didn’t mind” him touching me, it had been one of the bigger lies I’d told.
I loved him touching me.
It was the best fucking thing I’d felt in a long, long time. I had forgotten what it felt like to hold somebody close, actually. I had no idea when the last time was that I’d touched anybody, other than my martial arts partners as we ran drills.
I had no clue why Theo was so skittish, but I knew damn well that keeping him close to me like this activated a deep part of me that had been dormant for a long while. The part of me that lived to protect people. The part of me that would do anything in my power to make people around me comfortable and happy.
“Well, it feels nice for me, too,” he said, his voice spooked and feeble, nothing like his sloppy boldness back in the bar.
I needed to be even closer. I was drawn in like he was the tide.
I stopped thinking about it and reached for him, slowly lacing my fingers into the impossibly soft hair at the back of his head. I leaned down, hesitating only for one second before pressing my lips to his.
It felt like I was sinking straight into heaven.
Soft.
So soft.
I wanted to melt right into him. I tasted the faint hint of liquor on his lips and caught the scent of his hair again. He was more tender than I’d expected, kissing me back gently and sweetly.
All I’d expected was a quick peck. But as I kissed him, he opened up to me moments after my lips hit his. His tongue slid out—a rush of wet heat that went straight to my cock. It was everything I’d been wanting all week, hell, everything I’d wanted for years, even though it was only the tip of the iceberg of my desires.