Page 19 of Thea's Hero

Our faces are so close, if I stretched up a few more inches, I could kiss him.

His eyes are dark and intense, and his fingers are soft with just a hint of roughness, gliding across my skin.

My pulse races, anticipation building feverishly.

Ben slides his hand to the small of my back, pulling me closer. His features go taut; hard and hungry. Even as he traces my lips with his thumb, he says, “You’re supposed to be resting.”

Leaning in, I rest my hand on his chest. “I’m on the couch. That’s resting.”

His heart is thudding under my hand, nearly as fast as mine.

We’re so close, just a breath away from kissing.

One hand on my back, the other cradling my face, Ben lowers his head to mine.

The moment before we connect seems to last an hour.

I’ve never wanted to kiss someone more.

And then it happens. His mouth captures mine; first a gentle kiss, soft nips and slow caresses. His tongue traces the line of my lips, teasing at them, and I open for him.

Our kiss turns deep and sensuous, stroking and tasting, filled with promises of things to come.

My nipples go hard and my core dampens as Ben works his magic on me. I’ve never been this aroused in my life. All the kisses in my past are immediately forgotten and replaced by this singular memory.

The perfect kiss.

A little moan hums in my throat and I clutch at Ben’s neck, sensations setting my body ablaze. My breasts ache and my womb clenches with need. Part of me wants to fling myself at him and throw all caution to the wind.

Who cares about cautious, practical, organized Thea? She’s swept away in this storm of need.

Ben cups my nape and tilts my head back, plunging his tongue deeper and tangling it with mine. My nipples pebble as they rub against his chest, sending darts of arousal through my body.

I’m not sure when I last took a breath, and I don’t really care. Kissing Ben is so much better than anything else.

But finally—after five minutes, or an hour—Ben pulls away from me. His eyes are nearly black, just a thin ring of green around the pupils. He’s breathing as heavy as I am, his pulse jumping at his throat.

“Thea,” he grits out, his voice rough and strained. There’s a large bulge in his pants, a sign he was just as affected by the kiss as me. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I ask, “I hope that’s a good thing?”

His gaze burns into mine. “Oh, yes, Thea. Kissing you was a very good thing.”

Warmth blossoms in my chest. “I think so, too.”

Chapter 7

BEN

“You know, if you want to have an overnight date, I can always keep Laila for a sleepover.”

My mother raises her eyebrows at me, her unspoken words perfectly clear. And I somehow transform from a thirty-five-year-old man into a teenager.

“Mom.” Is that a hint of whininess in my tone?

“I’m just saying.” She glances into the living room where Laila is playing before turning her attention back to me. “It’s no problem having Laila for the night. Or the weekend. If you wanted to have some more time with Thea.”

There’s an eager look in her eyes, and I can tell she’s already planning family holidays and possibly a wedding in the future. When my mother found out I was dating Thea, she was absolutely thrilled.

---