Part 26 (1/2)
”You are,” she told him, meaning it.
He wasn't nearly so serious. ”I hadn't planned to go so far today.”
Since he hadn't yet gotten relief, she didn't think he'd gone far enough. ”I am so glad you didn't stop.”
”Me, too.”
She could feel his erection throbbing against her, yet he made no move to enter her. In fact...she s.h.i.+fted her leg against him and felt material.
He still wore his shorts.
”Don't you want to get naked, too?”
He kissed her so gently that more tears tried to fill her eyes.
When her phone rang, Yvette said, ”Ignore it.”
”Planned to.” His thumbs rubbed her temples as he continued to put b.u.t.terfly kisses to her face. She felt cherished, which made it difficult to stop the emotional overflow.
A second later, his phone rang. He put his forehead to hers with a quiet curse.
Yvette tightened around him. ”Ignore it, too.”
”Yeah.” He sat up, but immediately lifted her into his lap. ”Time for bed.”
Oh, good. ”Okay.” She grabbed for his shoulders as he stood. She wasn't a big person, but still, it awed her how he could carry her so easily. He might as well have been carrying a pillow. ”You are so strong.”
His smile went crooked. ”True, but you can't judge me by this. You weigh nothing.”
A hundred and twenty pounds was not ”nothing,” but she got his meaning.
He put her in the bed, stepped back and removed his shorts.
But not his boxers.
”Unfair. You still-”
Resolute, he reminded her, ”Just touching.”
Intrigued, she considered things. ”You want me to do to you what you did to me?”
A mix of surprise and hunger froze him. He blew out a breath. Closed his eyes. Stood there, still and rigid, his hands clenching, until he seemed to have composed himself. ”I want you to let me hold you while we sleep.”
Oh, no way.
Thinking he only needed confirmation from her, she came up on an elbow. ”Don't be silly. I want you.” Nodding at his tented boxers, she said, ”And you want me.”
”Don't push me, Yvette. This is new for you and we're going to take it slow if it kills me.”
”But-”
”Don't make it harder than it has to be, okay?”
He turned the light out and got into bed beside her. Mired in conflicted thoughts, Yvette tried to decide what to do.
He took the decision from her, pulling her close so he could spoon her, one large hand cupped over her breast. After a perfunctory kiss to the top of her head he said, ”Sleep.”
Annoyance chipped away at her mellow mood, but she had no idea how to proceed. It seemed he'd made up his mind. Still, she tried. ”I'm naked.”
”Mmm.” His hand cuddled her breast for only a second, but given how sensitive her nipples were now, it made her shudder. ”I like you naked.”
Calming her heart, she said reasonably, ”But you're not naked.”
”Me being naked wouldn't be a good thing.”
She thought it'd be a very good thing. ”Why?” So that he wouldn't understand, she clarified, ”Why do we have to wait?”
He was quiet so long, doubts began to creep in. At the time she hadn't cared about much except that reaching the unattainable-that incredible o.r.g.a.s.m.
But now...well, maybe she'd done something wrong. Been too enthusiastic or loud. Turned him off somehow. Maybe- ”Stop overa.n.a.lyzing, honey. Sharing that with you was about as hot as it gets.”
Relief had her slumping back against him. ”Then-”
”Fact is, I want more than s.e.x with you.” He surrounded her, hugging her with his muscled arms, aligning his strong, hairy legs against the backs of hers. His scent and heat lulled her; the sweet way he kissed her shoulder made her eyes feel heavy. ”How much more... that's something we'll have to work out. But I know it'll be better if we get there one step at a time.”
Her hand over one of his, she traced his knuckles. It amazed her how a man so capable of a brutal one-punch knockout could be so unreservedly gentle when touching her. ”I don't want you to be uncomfortable.”
”Because I have a b.o.n.e.r, you mean?”
She nodded.
”I can handle it.”
She'd sort of like to see that- He squeezed her. ”Mind out of the gutter, babe.”
Hearing his amus.e.m.e.nt made her grin, too. ”Sorry.”
”Go to sleep, and have sweet dreams.”
While so much confusion plagued her brain, she didn't think she could, but with Cannon holding her, exhaustion won out. She closed her eyes and listened to his even, relaxed breaths, felt the heavy thumping of his strong heartbeat against her back. She realized she felt safe, protected. Not from anything specific, but in general terms.
Until she felt it now, with Cannon, she hadn't realized how unsafe she'd felt for so very long.
The sense of well-being allowed exhaustion to creep in. As she slipped into slumber, she did indeed dream of Cannon.
And neither of them thought about their phones.
Cannon felt her body sink against his, her breathing deepen as she fell asleep. Thank G.o.d. If she'd asked him even one more time to take her, he'd have crumbled. But as raw as he felt, as desperate as he was to get inside her, he knew he wouldn't be able to control himself.
She would deny it, but she needed gentleness, rea.s.surance, a considerate lover.