Page 18 of Redemption
Oh man, he stood too close to me again. I actually trembled a bit. How could it be that he affected me like this? I made a living off of having sex with men then showing my body off to men and I never felt a thing. Well, that wasn’t true. I had to count revulsion, disgust and numbness. But I never felt hot for a man. So even after all the men, I now realized I was brand new to the sensual part. I’d heard stories from the other strippers about sexual pleasure but I myself had never experienced that elusive feeling. I looked up at him and wondered what his kiss would be like.Yeah, dangerous idea.
He must have seen something in my eyes as he grasped my face and crushed my lips with his.
To say I was stunned, wouldn’t even cut it. More like gob smacked as he wrapped me up in his large arms and his scent enveloped me entirely. Then that hot mouth of his. He deepened the kiss as his tongue played with mine. I was lost as I literally melted into him.
Holy hell… could this man kiss!
This went on for a couple of minutes and I thought I could even hear my own heart pounding in my ears. This had to be the best I’d ever felt being close to any man.
Finally, he broke the kiss as we both were breathless. He reached over and used his thumb to caress my lips as he looked as shocked as I felt. “Damn, woman.”
I agreed, but I was out of breath and out of words.
Looking into my eyes, he said, “Cinnamon suits you, but maybe you should add a new last name to that. Sugar. Cinnamon Sugar.”
I stared back at him then out of nervousness, I laughed.
He smiled at me as he stepped back.
“Now that was a good line, Mr. Redemption.” I turned and went up the steps. All the way up, I could feel his eyes on me. My skin felt too warm and I could swear the temperature outside had gone up 20 degrees just in the last few minutes. I now knew what it felt like. To kiss and embrace a man because I wanted to. It also showed me a whole new world. One where I could actually feel something amazing.
When I got inside and the cool interior of the house hit me, I realized that I had done the opposite of what I had vowed to do. Stay away from Redemption. Not only did I flirt with him, I kissed him and rubbed my body up against his.The fuck was I thinking?I pulled up short when I ran into someone.
“Bless my stars!” Ma bounced off of me.
Gasping, I reached out to steady her. “Gosh, Mrs. Walker. I am so sorry!”
She smiled at me. “You looked like you were walking around in a dream, ya did.”
I paused. Yeah, she was exactly right. I then saw Redemption coming towards us. Stepping aside, I let him pass and was able to avoid his gaze.
Ma watched him make his way down the hall then she looked over at me.
I bit at my just kissed lips and avoided her knowing stare.
She smiled hugely at me. “Well, I can say Miss Cinnamon, that is a strapping man you got eyes for.”
My head shot up as I gaped at her. “I-I wasn’t…”
She chuckled and took my arm. “Come into the kitchen. I got some hot tea to pour for ya.”
She dragged me along, not giving me a choice. I already knew she was a formidable woman but nothing like her sister in the barn. I wasn’t sure she knew about me and my past though. With the way Talon and Rip acted, I doubt if they had told anyone about me. Liv knew me from the strip club, but she had just been friendly to me with no judgement in her eyes.
“Have a sit.” Ma waved her hand to a chair as she went to get the kettle. Grabbing a tray with a few cups and the cream-sugar pots, she brought the whole thing over to set it down. Taking a seat across from me, she poured our tea. Handing a cup to me, she motioned to the cream and sugar. “Add what ya like.”
I added some sugar and stirred it into my teacup.
She raised her cup up to her lips and blew on it to cool her tea. “Tell me what ails ya, girl.”
I set my cup down and asked, “Ails me?”
“Yes, even I can see a runaway bride when she hikes up that gown and takes off.”
I stared at her in confusion. “What?”
She chuckled and took a sip, then set her cup down. “Why are you so afraid?”
“A-afraid?”
