Page 14 of Blaze

He gestured toward the black streaks on his face. “Got to get cleaned up. Then I don't know about you, but I’m wiped. So we sleep on the situation for tonight and figure out our next step in the morning.”

I had zero interest in going back home, but I was willing to go along with whatever Pax wanted. The man had saved me from a burning building, didn’t turn me over to the police when it was exactly what I deserved, and refused to hear a word about me paying for any of the damage. “Do you have another vehicle other than your bike?”

His brows drew together. “I do, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“I just figured that I can't ride on the back of your bike dressed like this,” I explained, pointing at my bare legs.

“We’re not going anywhere,” he replied with a shake of his head as he kicked off his boots. “It isn't safe for you to go back to your apartment, so you're gonna stay here.”

“By here, do you mean in this room? With you?” I tugged my bottom lip between my teeth, both nervous and excited at the prospect of sharing a bed with him tonight.

“That's exactly what I mean,” he confirmed, reaching out to tug my lip free. “Let go. If anyone is going to bruise your perfect mouth, it's gonna be me.”

“Holy crap,” I breathed, my eyes going wide.

“Glad you like the idea of that as much as I do.” He brushed his thumb across my cheek. “Soon, baby.” Then he took a step away from me. “I gotta take a shower. Wouldn't want to get you covered in soot after you just cleaned up.”

My pulse leaped at the thought of what his hands could do to get me dirty again. “Mm-hmm.”

There was a knowing look in his eyes as he shrugged out of his leather vest and stripped out of his shirt. He gestured to the open bathroom door and smirked. “Unless you want to take another shower.”

“Umm,” I stuttered, shocked to find myself considering the suggestion even though we just met and barely knew each other. Not to mention how inexperienced I was with men.

My reaction to Pax was out of character for me, so it was probably good that he shook his head and gave me a small smile. “Get into bed, baby. We’ll talk more in the morning.”

“Okay.”

I continued to gawk at him as he yanked the belt from his jeans and dropped it on the floor next to his boots. When he flicked open the snap on his jeans, I pressed my thighs together to ease the ache in my core. They rode low on his hips as he strode across the room, and with his back turned to me, I let my eyes eat up every inch of exposed skin.

My fingers itched to trace the black flames inked on his spine. Or the designs on his shoulders. The lettering on his forearm that I had noticed earlier, too.

He kicked the bathroom door shut behind him before I gave in to the temptation, and I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or disappointed that the opportunity had passed me by. At least my urge to be close to him was partially satisfied when I climbed into his bed and got under the covers because his woodsy masculine scent surrounded me.

Although I was comfortable and exhausted, I was too aware of Pax being naked in the shower to be able to fall asleep.

He was much faster in there than I’d been, most likely because it wasn’t his first time trying to get soot off his tall, muscular body. Shaking my head at my one-track mind, I rolled over and pretended to be asleep when I heard him turn the doorknob. He hadn’t taken any fresh clothes in there with him, so I wasn’t surprised when he opened the dresser drawer, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t difficult not to turn around to sneak a peek at him…and his presumably bare butt.

It got even harder to act as though I was sleeping when I felt him slide into the bed next to me. He was only inches away from me and half-naked. I had on more clothes, but for some reason, I felt just as naked. It wasn’t something I’d ever experiencedbefore, and I had a feeling that I would enjoy it a whole lot more if I could actually see him.

My internal musings came to an abrupt halt when Pax pulled me into his arms and brushed his lips against the crook of my neck. “I can hear your wheels turning from here, baby. Whatever you’re thinking about so hard, we’ll figure it out in the morning.”

“Except now you gave me something else to think about,” I whispered.

His breath was hot against my skin as he asked, “What’s that?”

I gathered my courage and confessed, “I never thought my first kiss would be under circumstances like these.”

“First kiss?” he echoed, rolling me over until I was flat on my back and he was hovering over me.

“Yeah.”

My voice was almost inaudible, but it was enough to spur him into action. Cradling my cheek with his palm, he lowered his head until his lips brushed mine. Then he gave me a deep, wet kiss that was everything I’d ever dreamed of and more. His tongue swept between my lips to tangle with mine, stealing my breath. I gripped his shoulders and whimpered in protest when he pulled away. “After what you’ve been through tonight, now’s not the time.”

“It isn’t?” I huffed.

“Nope.” He yanked the blanket over my chest and positioned us so that we were on our sides with my back pressed against his chest. “Go to sleep before I give in to the temptation to do more.”

I thought that was where this was headed since he was only in his boxers and obviously turned on, judging by the hard length nestled against my butt. I wiggled, and he groaned. “That’s enough. I’m not gonna fuck you tonight, baby.”

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