Page 40 of Busted Dreams

At first, I didn’t want to listen, diving in again to continue this sensual assault on my senses. Then he pulled back so far, I’d have had to climb over the console to get to him.

“What are you doing?” His voice was gruff, like he’d been swallowing rocks all night. The fact that he was just as affected as I was had me itching to climb onto his lap.

I wanted more of him, but I didn’t want it here, in his SUV where anyone could see us if they decided to walk to the cottage. Especially not his parents.

“I’m doing what I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”

“Which is?”

I let my hands drop completely from his hair and sat back. Without him touching me, my mind cleared a little of the lusty haze that had descended over me. This was good. This was good, so I could tell him what I wanted. What I needed from him without him worried he’d done something I didn’t want to do.

Taking a deep breath, I told him exactly what I wanted.

“I want you to make love to me.”

Shock overtook him, and for a second, I was worried I’d short-circuited his brain. I pressed my finger under his chin and gave the tiniest push to close his mouth. He still stared at me without blinking, and I doubt he knew I was even touching him.

Suddenly, he flung his seatbelt off and jumped out of his car. Before I could blink, he was opening my door and carrying my inside. I laughed and grabbed a hold of his shoulders as he dropped me on the couch.

Okay… This wasn’t as romantic as I thought it would be. But we were here, in his cottage where we lived together. This loving act was special no matter what room we were in.

I waited for him to follow me down, but he stood over the couch like a silent sentinel ever watching over me. And decidedly not following me down to my back, where I’d willing sprawled out as soon as my butt had touched the cushion.

“Okay, now what are you doing?”

“Trying to figure out if this is a dream, if you’re still drunk, or if someone slipped something into that shot I had. I think I should just lock you in your room.”

This time, I stared at him incredulously.

“What?”

“Astrid, we haven’t even been on a real date together. You’re as innocent as they come, and I don’t want you to do anything you’ll regret later.” He pulled my feet off the couch so he could sit down, then rearranged them over his lap.

I laid there, looking to the ceiling like it had the answers I needed to have this conversation. Guys, especially high school guys, were not the type to turn down sex when it was offered. But somehow, I’d snagged the last chivalrous men in Silver Ranch.

“Can we pretend you didn’t just make assumptions about me and continue with what I wanted to do?” I asked hopefully, knowing that a come to Jesus conversation was about to follow. There was still a small chance Rhys would end up taking me to his bed, or most likely I’d go to mine alone.

Hot hands caressed my sides right before they lifted me off of the couch and settled me over Rhys’ lap. I adjusted my legs so one was on either side of his hips and his erection rubbed against the center of my thin pants, making me bite my lip.

He wanted me. But that was never in question, was it?

“Are dates so important to you?” I let my fingers play at the edges of his collar, and chill bumps raised over his exposed skin.

“For you? With you? Yes. I want you to have all the right experiences, everything girls dream about for their first time.” The conviction in his voice had me melting against his chest.

“And for you? Have you always gone on dates before sleeping with someone?” As soon as the words slipped out, I regretted them. They soured between us, but this was important and I couldn’t un-ask it, even if I didn’t want to know about his previous girlfriends.

His gaze was so steady, I couldn’t have looked away if I’d tried.

“No, I didn’t always do dates beforehand, but I have. And I know the difference when I didn’t.”

That pulled me up short. Did that mean…

I wasn’t sure what he meant by that. I wasn’t a one-night stand. I knew that with every part of my being.

“Why are dates important? Why does it matter if I’ve never done this before?”

He grimaced. “Because this is a big deal, and I think we should be dating for a while and work our way up to it. Don’t you think? Make sure it’s special?”

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