Page 89 of Fundamentals in Flirting

His hand moved down the column of my throat, his eyes holding mine.

“Your skin is so soft here. I’ve never forgotten how you felt under my lips, how you tasted, Hannah, even after all this time, and the other night only whetted my appetite to taste more of you.”

I swallowed nervously, but I could see no mischievous glint in his expression, only sincerity.

Pressing his nose more firmly against my ear, he nuzzled in, his eyes closing briefly before he glanced back into the mirror.

“And the way you smell, like fresh morning rain, it has me totally spellbound, unable to think of anything else at all.”

His hand was on the move again, upwards, so that he was now caressing my jawline, his thumb brushing my chin, then smoothing over my lips. He let out a little groan, and the noise was soft and sensuous.

“Your lips are incredible, so full and sweet. How you used them to kiss me, Hannah. Better than any porn star, I imagine,” he murmured with a cheeky, lopsided grin, and I couldn’t help but smile, a quiet huff of laughter escaping.

With a gentle insistence, he dragged my lower lip down with his thumb, parting my lips.

“And your mouth, so warm and seductive… You have no idea of the fantasies I’ve had about your mouth, Hannah.”

I shivered, still staring at his eyes, which met mine unflinchingly. Releasing my mouth, he dragged a light grazing touch over my skin, tapping a forefinger gently on the tip of my nose.

“Your nose is impeccably cute and straight, and these freckles are everything.”

“You like my freckles?” I replied, hopeful yet unsure, not wanting to be teased and not yet able to believe.

“Do I like them? Hannah, I want to know every single one. I want to discover every freckle on your body and worship them all. They are unique and beautiful and so perfect that it’s almost impossible to believe that they’re actually real,” he murmured gustily, warm breath tickling down the side of my face as he pressed closer.

“Your hair is the colour of a warm golden sunset, and so soft and silky that I want to run my hands through it all the time. I want to mess it up and feel it fall against my bare skin, Hannah. I want to know how it is to lie back against my pillow and be surrounded by your hair, with you leaning down over me. I want to see how it looks first thing in the morning, when you’ve just woken up after we’ve made love all night in my bed. I want to know if it’s as wild and untamed as I imagine it to be.” Teddy paused and swallowed audibly. “Will you let me see that, Hannah?”

I gazed steadily back at the reflection of his face. His expression was open and sincere, and I saw a deep-seated desire in his returning look. I nodded hesitantly.

“Then, of course, there are your eyes.”

Gently, Teddy used his fingers on my chin to twist my head up and around to the side, leaning me backwards against him. His reverential expression momentarily blinded me.

“I’ve never seen eyes this green, this enchanting. The colour seems to change like magic, showing me everything you’re feeling. Your eyes let me in, even when you try to shut me out. They sparkle with intelligence and kindness, and I don’t think I’ll ever tire of staring into them.”

An infinitesimal movement of his head brought our noses close together. Our breath mingled, lips parting.

“Your face is the only one etched onto my memory, your scent the only one I’ve ever yearned for, your kisses the only ones I’ve replayed thousands of times in my mind. You will never see yourself the way I do, Hannah, I know that, but you should also know that, to me, there is no one more beautiful than you.”

I think it’s safe to say that I was a complete puddle of goo at this point. A person made entirely of liquid and no solid components. Did I think I was beautiful? No. Not even close, but that didn’t matter because this man thought I was. He’d said it. And he meant it. And for this brief moment in time, I’d felt it. I’d actually felt desirable and attractive. I was totally about to jump his bones when suddenly the front door opened and Henry and Clara walked in, and we sprang apart like guilty philanderers caught red-handed.

“Shit, Henry! Don’t you knock?” Teddy said, running his hand through his hair.

“Sorry, but you said to just come straight in with the takeaway.”

Henry looked really uncomfortable and Clara was just bobbing her head backwards and forwards between Teddy and me.

“Let’s put this in the dining room. Come on,” she said quickly, looking up at Henry’s concerned face and taking his hand to lead him away. The relief and love that poured out of him was palpable. I noticed the squeeze of his hand in hers, the nod and the soft smile that he gave her.

I followed their retreating backs enviously. To be so easy and free in someone else’s company, to wilfully, knowingly show how much you are in love with someone by the little gestures. I knew I would always struggle with that, knew that even though Teddy was opening up to me, I would undoubtedly find it difficult to do the same.

Teddy stood woodenly, unmoving except a faint tic in his jaw muscle. His eyes narrowed as he watched me.

“I should go,” I said shakily.

I’d been swept away in the moment and my instincts were screaming at me to slow things down. I needed to let myself breathe and get used to the idea that Teddy might actually be interested in me, and possibly not just for sex. And, perhaps this alien feeling in my chest, which was something rather more special than I would care to admit to, was greater than the obvious desire I felt for him, was secondary to something else, something more serious and frightening? Something I needed to become comfortable with before I shared it with anyone else. Especially Teddy.

“Yeah, perhaps you should just leave.”

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