Page 74 of Unbreakable Love

“God, I wanted this,” I muttered against her mouth. “Every day I’ve thought of this and how you taste and feel.”

She hummed a needy sound in response and gripped me tighter. Her hands shoved beneath my T-shirt, and yes. Those nails of hers softly scratched my lower back up and down.

I kept my hands planted where they were, one on the wall, one at her cheek, despite my fervent desire to put them all over her body. Slow.

I had to go slow. For her sake. For mine. But damn, as she rocked her body against mine and hummed into my mouth, scraped those nails down the length of my back, going slow became a torturous game of self-control.

“Couch,” I finally said and tore my mouth off hers to kiss her jaw. Her throat.

Her hands curled into my shirt and she angled her head, giving me better access.

I was hard and obvious against her. There was no hiding it today and as she rolled her hips again, a soft “ohhh” fell from her lips.

“Come on.” I dropped my hand from her jaw and took her hand in mine. I walked backward, guiding us to the couch and my living room. I sat down on the couch and brought her down with me.

Her legs straddled mine and she sat, facing me, nibbling that lower lip of hers in a nervous gesture. I reached out and tugged her abused lip from her teeth. “Don’t be nervous.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing.”

I grinned up at her, resting my head against the back of my couch. “Does it feel like I haven’t liked anything we’ve done yet?” In the scheme of things, it’d been nothing, really. A few kisses and innocent touches. The thoughts I had for her were anything but.

“You know what I mean.” She slapped my chest playfully. I reached up and held her hand there, where it stayed on my chest, over my heart.

“Do you feel that? My heart is racing. Trust me, Penny, you’re doing just fine.”

She gazed down at her hand, mine covering hers, and then looked up at me from beneath her lashes. “I want to do more than just kiss, though.”

“I want that too.” I pushed up so I was sitting. She was still on my lap, but there was a slight distance between us. Her knees were shoved into the back of my couch and I took her hand on my chest and dropped it to our laps. “Trust me, I definitely want more of that, Penny. But I want more than that, too. I don’t want this to ever become something you feel like we’re sneaking around and hiding, making out in secret.”

“I don’t. I trust you to guide this so it’s good for you and her.”

“And you,” I stated, and she blinked in surprise. “You don’t think I considered you and what you need or want?”

Of course she hadn’t. When had anyone in Penny’s life ever put her first, except for Maize recently?

I sighed and brushed my free hand over her cheek, pushing it back into her hair and cupping the back of her neck. Her hair was thicker, silkier than I’d imagined. Better. “I want to take you out to dinner, and I want to have time with you and Josie. I also want to do this right and take it slow, make sure we’re all on the same page. But what I never want you to feel like is that you’re sneaking over for a make-out session with a guy who will never give you all the things you deserve.”

I wouldn’t be a taker. But I wasn’t sure Penny knew anything different to giving everything of herself, even to her own detriment.

“I don’t think that,” she said. “Like I said, I trust you.”

“Okay, but if that changes, let me know. If this moves too fast or too slow or whatever, promise me you’ll communicate that with me. I’ve gone so long only thinking of Josie, it could take me time, too. I might screw this up.”

She chuckled and brought our entwined hands to her mouth. She kissed my knuckle and smirked. “You’re human, and you’re a guy, Gavin. You’re bound to screw up.”

“Ahhh, a little bit of sexism thrown in for good measure. I like it.”

Her answering smile was devastatingly gorgeous. “I like you.”

“Good.” I tugged her against me and kissed her.

There was no build-up this time. I yanked her against me. Her breasts pressed to me, and I hardened as her body melded to mine. I devoured her with my mouth, swallowing down her moans of pleasure. My hands went to her hair, where I gripped the back of her head, fisting her hair in mine.

Soon, all too soon, her body rocked against mine. I forced my hips to stay still, not to rush, but as her hands explored my body, my arms, my shoulders, a frustrated sound tore from her.

“Can you... will you take your shirt off?” she asked.

Absolutely yes, I would. On instinct, I glanced toward the hall to check for Josie and Penny’s expression turned worried.

---