Page 49 of Someone to Watch Over Me

His groan against my neck sends shivers down my spine as he kisses every bit of skin he can reach. “Not enough.”

“You shouldn’t be worked up this way.”

“Never felt better.”

“Tom.”

He sighs as he rests his head on my shoulder. “I knew it would be like that with you.”

“Like what?”

He keeps his head on my shoulder when he says, “My whole life, I’ve heard people go on and on about how crazy they were about their spouse or girlfriend or boyfriend or whatever. I’ve never experienced that. For me, it was always kind of transactional. Sex is fun, so let’s have sex and have fun. I never understood why people made such a big deal about it. But that… with you… Now I get it.”

I feel like I’ve been wrapped away in storage or something, waiting to be wanted and needed this way again, and now that it’s happening, I’m set free of the worries and fears that have kept me from taking this next step with him before now. I wrap my arms around him and hold him close while we try to catch our breath.

“I hope it’s okay to tell you that.”

“It’s very okay.”

“I used to think I was crazy for thinking about a girl I never even knew back in school, knowing you were married and off-limits. Now I know there was nothing crazy about it except for how right I was back then.”

“I never stopped wondering about you, even after I was married. I was afraid to ask about you because it felt dangerous to go there. But I thought of you.”

“I can’t believe I’m finally holding you, that I got to kiss you and that it was the best kiss of my whole life.”

“It’s pretty surreal.”

“I’m going to want to hold you as much and as often as I can for, well… ever.”

“Easy does it. While you’re recovering, we’re not getting worked up like that again.”

“I’m already worked up like that again.”

“Tom! Stop.”

His snort of laughter makes me smile.

“I read that people who have sex after a heart attack are less likely to die than people who don’t.”

“You’re making that up!”

“I’m not. I swear to God. There was a study over twenty-two years or something that proved it.”

“I’m going to need to see that.”

“I’ll send you a link.”

“Excellent.”

“Have I been good enough to earn some football this afternoon?”

“I suppose so, as long as you keep your hands to yourself and your heart rate down.”

As if I’ve issued a challenge, his hand travels up from my waist to cup my breast and tease my nipple. It feels so good that I want to purr, but then I remember why he shouldn’t be exerting himself this way. “That’s it, mister.” I give a careful push to move him so I can escape from the sofa before I forget why we can’t do everything right this minute.

“I’m so glad I didn’t die before I knew what it was like to kiss Lexi Nelson.”

11

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