Page 79 of Until It Was Real

“But I knew you were scared. It was pretty obvious when you fled the hotel room and jumped on the first flight out of Atlanta.”

“It wasn’t the first flight.”

He grins. “And then you refused to date me.”

“You stalked me and wouldn’t let me say no.”

He shrugs. “I know what I want. I’m not letting you slip through my fingers.”

My heart pounds in my chest. He’s saying all the right things, but I can’t believe him. I can’t trust him. I can’t trust myself to make the right choice when it comes to men. See aforementioned dead husband who enjoyed hookers a little too much.

Rhett palms my face. “It’s okay. I’ll wait until you’re ready.”

He’s always waiting for me. At some point, he’s going to get tired of waiting. And then I’ll lose out on the best thing to ever happen to me. I open my mouth and leap.

“I’m ready.”

“You are?”

I nod. “Yes. I’m ready to be in an exclusive relationship with you.”

I lock my muscles to stop myself from jumping off of the bed and running away, never to return to this room or hotel or island ever again. I can do this. I’ve done more difficult things.

Rhett’s smile stretches from ear to ear. “There’s my brave girl. I think I should reward you.”

Tingles explode at his deep voice. “Reward me how?”

“I want to taste you.”

I bite my bottom lip. I haven’t let him go down on me as I find the act too intimate. It sounds weird since he’s been inside me and we’re lying here naked together, but oral sex is different. It requires a different level of trust to open yourself wide to a man and let him lick you.

“Okay.”

He chuckles. “You’re supposed to feel excitement, not trepidation. I can wait to taste you.”

“I want to try.”

He studies my face for a moment before nodding. “Okay, but if at any time you feel uncomfortable, tell me to stop and I will.”

“Do we need a safe word?”

“A safe word?”

“What about chicken?”

He narrows his eyes. “Are you seriously making fun of my relationship with Captain Cluck now?”

I cough to hide my smile. “You have a relationship with a chicken?”

He tickles my ribs. “Make fun of me, will you?”

“Stop! Stop!” I manage to say between my bursts of laughter.

He rolls on top of me. “You’re beautiful, Havoc.”

I feel beautiful when he looks at me as if he can’t believe he’s in this bed with me. It’s the most empowering feeling I’ve ever experienced.

“You ready to come for me?”

---