Page 59 of Control

“You are not an inconvenience,” he assured me without a second thought. “I hate what happened to you tonight, but I’m not the least bit upset that you’re here, in my bed, as a result. Your safety is my number one priority and the only thing that matters.”

While this made me feel marginally better—and I wholeheartedly trusted he meant every word of it—the problem was that he was overlooking the other component to all of this.

“I appreciate you saying that, Ty. It means everything to me that you’d go to such lengths to keep me safe.” Waving my hand between us, I said, “I just wish you didn’t have to be forced into this situation before you were ready.”

He raised a curious brow. “This situation?”

Ty was going to make me say it. Surely, he already knew what I was referring to, but he was clearly going to pretend he didn’t.

“Yes, this situation,” I insisted. “There was no plan for me to wind up in your bed with you tonight, and now, I’m here.”

He reached for my hand, squeezing it before stroking his thumb across my knuckles. “And you think I’m feeling forced?”

I shrugged. “Maybe that’s not the right word. I don’t doubt you are willingly allowing me to stay with you tonight because of what happened and to keep me safe. I was talking on a more personal level, outside of the danger.”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

Looking away, I tried to come up with the right way to say this. I wasn’t quite sure I’d figured that out when I said, “Youkissed me at my front door tonight before you left to come home and sleep in your bed alone. I would have slept alone in my bed. Obviously, this isn’t what you had planned.”

His lips twitched. “It’s arguably better.”

“Better? But… but what about the time you need?” I questioned him.

“Time? What time?”

My voice was just a touch over a whisper. “The time to get over your recent breakup.”

Disbelief washed over him, and for several long moments, he didn’t say anything. Just when I had all sorts of uncomfortable feelings and regret creeping in, Ty revealed, “I don’t need time to get over anything, Alana.”

“You don’t?”

“I’ve been over that for a while now,” he confessed. “You’re the only one who’s been consuming my mind night after night. You’re all I think about. Do you honestly believe I would have kissed you like I did tonight if I didn’t feel something for you?”

I nervously bit my lip. “I don’t know. I just… I don’t want to be the rebound girl.”

“You’re not the rebound girl.”

I held his stare. “You’re sure?”

His lips curved into a smile. “Positive. You could never be that, baby.”

Baby.

I vaguely recalled him saying that word to me earlier tonight, but I was too caught up in fear and emotions for it to register. Now, I could soak it up, let it sink in.

“Could I kiss you?”

His grin grew. “It’s insane to me that you think you need to ask.”

I smiled back. Then I leaned in and touched my lips to his. They’d barely gotten there and tasted the minty freshness of himwhen Ty took over and deepened the connection. One of his hands was holding the side of my head, my fingers curled around that wrist as his tongue plundered and explored my mouth.

I was dizzy with the taste of him, lost in a fog, when he separated his mouth from mine, pulled back a touch, and allowed his eyes to roam over my face. “You’re not the rebound girl.”

With that kiss, that much had become apparent.

“Are you tired?” he asked.

“It’s been an eventful evening. Scary, too.”

---