Page 82 of Unstable

I HAVE NO IDEAif it’s been twenty minutes or not, but I can’t wait any longer. I walk to the bedroom and slowly open the door, then shut it behind me.

There he stands, my jailbird, in the middle of the room. The room he made for me. His gaze roams over me gradually, so tender and affectionate it feels like he’s actually caressing my skin. I fight the urgent need to rush to him, touch him, taste his kiss. He must be struggling just as hard because he’s breathing heavy and sweat dots his forehead.

But he’s running this show, so I stay still and let him. Wait for his next move.

I take quick glances around, because I admit, I was expecting some elaborate, seductive scene.

There isn’t one.

Kind of have to wonder what he needed twenty minutes for exactly. As far as I can tell, all he did was turn down the covers on the bed and flip on both lamps…

And well, we just wouldn’t be Keaton and Henley if I didn’t come right out and ask.

“Um, not to spoil ‘the mood’ you’ve got going here or anything, but what the heck have you been doing with all that time you made me wait?”

“Couple things, and if you laugh about either, I will spank that ass red,” he grates.

“I won’t laugh.” I hope I meant that.

“I assume you’re not on birth control?”

Okay, wasn’t expecting him to say that…but definitely a valid question, considering.

“No.” I shake my head.

“I figured. I also figured there was a horrible, awful, ball-busting chance you’re not gonna let me take you bare?” His face pouts with knowing, but his eyes shine with the hope he’s still holding onto.

“Uh,” I shuffle from foot to foot.

Is it hot in here? It suddenly feels like a furnace.

I speak directly to the carpet, mumbling at best. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, health wise or whatever, but there’s a lot we—”

“Look at me,” he sternly interrupts, saving me from further embarrassing jibberish. “Baby, you always forget how well I know you. We need to be married before you have my baby. I understand. Not a problem.” He grins and wiggles his eyebrows. “On board with both.”

My head is spinning, but oddly, my heart is fluttering at the same time. Married? Baby? Keaton is moving at warp speed and I understand why—he’s known what he wants for years. But I’ve only just accepted that I want the same…someday. He’s got to give me time to catch up.

“Henny,” he slowly approaches me, taking both my hands in his. “I’m not rushing you, and I probably said it wrong, I’m sorry. I was trying to tell you that I know you need time to get to where I’m at, not the opposite. Which is why I crawled out the window and ran to my house for condoms.”

He does understand how I feel. I shouldn’t have doubted him.

I also shouldn’t have just snickered, picturing him hauling ass across the field, dumping drawers in his house like a mad man, desperately seeking that one little package he knew was his only ticket into the promise land.

‘Cause now he’s gonna swat my ass.

Which I used to find an offensive suggestion. Which apparently, I no longer do, if judging by the sudden heat between my legs.

And his jaunt might explain his earlier heavy breathing and sweat.

Maybe.

Can’t be positive though, so I’m sticking with my original theory that both were the result of his overwhelming desire to have me.

“You know that’s one, right?” He grabs a handful of my ass and squeezes. “You laughed.”

“Uh huh,” I moan.

“Ah,” he murmurs, moving his other hand down to grope as well. “Warming up to the idea, huh? Like that,” he licks a slow trail up my neck and rumbles his praise deep and gravelly in my ear, “like that a helluva lot.”

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