Page 75 of The Cruelty of Thorns

He shook his head. “That’s not good enough. I’d offer to make you something, but I don’t have any food in the house. I usually…dine out.”

He was no doubt having second thoughts about me being special right now. What kind of woman almost faints in a man’s house? I sat up and gathered myself, taking another cracker out of the pack and biting into it.

“Finish them,” he admonished. “I can make you some tea, if you’d like.”

“No,” I said, grabbing his arm as he started to rise. “Don’t go to any trouble for me. I’m already embarrassed enough.”

“Why would you be embarrassed?”

“Because I don’t have sense enough to eat when I’m supposed to.”

He sighed and reached up to tuck a stray hair behind my ear, his fingers grazing my cheek. “I’ve been guilty of ignoring my own appetite a time to two,” he grinned. “Especially when it comes to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the times you’ve seen me in town I was on my way to find something to eat and got distracted by you.”

“Honestly, I don’t understand why.”

“Why I’m attracted to you?”

I nodded.

He was thoughtful, as though choosing his words carefully. “At first you reminded me of someone I used to know.”

“Oh. And now?”

“Now I’ve gotten to know you a little better and can see you for yourself.” He moved closer, his face inches from mine. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

When he kissed me, it was tentative at first, as though he was testing to see how I would react. I swallowed the rest of the cracker and licked my lips. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I told you to eat.” His arm encircled me, pulling me closer to him, his mouth smothering mine, and once again I had that impression of drowning in him. He overwhelmed me, filling my senses and short-circuiting my brain until it was impossible to think beyond the feel of his lips on mine, his body pressed to me, the touch of his hands that sent shivers through my veins.

When his tongue dipped inside my mouth, I moaned against him and threw myself into the kiss. I could feel the ache stirring between my legs and tried to will his fingers to find it. As if reading my mind, his hand drifted down my arm, sliding over to caress my breast before inching lower, resting on my thigh then slipping into my crease.

“I can feel your heat,” he breathed against my lips, his hand spreading my legs to give him better access. He pressed his palm against me, massaging my pussy until I began to grind against his hand.

“I think we should take this somewhere more comfortable.”

When I nodded, he pulled me to my feet and led me out of the room toward the staircase. “If you can’t make it up the stairs, I’ll be happy to carry you.”

I bit my lip and shook my head, unsure if he was teasing. “I can walk.”

“Good, because you’ll need to be in full control of your body for what I’m about to do to you.”

When we began to climb the stairs, I couldn’t stop myself from asking,” What do you mean?”

He didn’t answer until we were on the second floor and had walked down a dimly-lit hallway to what was obviously his bedroom. He pulled me inside and pressed me against the wall, his breath a steady rumble, his lips again seeking mine.

“You’ve ruined me since I met you. Now I’m going to return the favor.”

He pushed my coat off my shoulders then slid his hands down to grab the hem of my dress, pulling it up over my body. I slipped my arms out and ducked my head under it, then he tossed it next to my coat on the floor and stood back to look at me.

“Lovely.”

He leaned in, his lips grazing mine as his fingers danced beneath the straps of my bra. Before I could register the move, he had unclasped it and pulled it down my arms, exposing my breasts. I was embarrassed by my size, knowing I probably didn’t measure up to the other women he’d been with, but he bent over and first lapped at, then sucked my nipple into his mouth, tonguing it into a hard knot that pulled at the ache between my legs. I arched my back, thrusting forward to receive his attention, lost in the sensations he was creating in my body. His hand twisted into the thin strap of fabric at the side of my panties and yanked them down, leaving me at once naked and exposed.

I shivered under his gaze, afraid to meet his eyes and see disappointment there. He reached a finger up under my chin and lifted my head, his breath brushing against my skin as he whispered, “You’re beautiful.”

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