Page 102 of Charlotte's Reckoning
“I’m still getting to know them, but the Jacksons seem like good people,” he agreed.
Up close, he noticed her blouse was open at the neck, with several buttons undone in deference to the heat. He watched, mesmerized, as her tongue darted out to wet her lips—a gesture so alluring, it sparked an urge within him to take her in his arms and trace the same path.
The woman was pure temptation. It was only a matter of time before the whole town knew she was alone and unprotected. Unable to stifle his concerns, he brought up yesterday’s argument. “Even if they built you a fortress with sturdy doors and working locks, it wouldn’t change the fact that you’re alone. It’s not safe.”
“You’re awfully protective of a woman you hardly know,” she observed, her tone growing sharper.
“I would worry about any woman foolish enough to live alone in the woods,” he replied.
“Foolish?” she gasped, clearly offended. “More like desperate and without options.”
“You have options, Charlotte.” He pulled her against him, his hand cupping her chin and angling her face up to his. “You have me. Don’t act like we’re strangers. Fate keeps throwing us together. And strangers don’t burn for each other like we do or ignite with a kiss.”
“Seth, I—”
“Hush,” he ordered, lowering his head until his mouth hovered over hers, close but not touching. “I’m going to kiss you. After that, I’m taking you to bed.”
“In this grand plan of yours, do I get a say?” she challenged, although her tone lacked its former bite, and she rose onto her toes as if drawn to his lips.
Her response emboldened him more. “You get to say yes.” Their breaths mingled, and desire sparked between them. If she rejected him, he’d respect her wishes, but he hoped like hell she wouldn’t. When too many seconds passed, he urged her further. “I burn for you. You feel it too—admit it.”
“What I feel doesn’t matter. I’m no good for you, Seth.”
“Charlotte—”
“Please,” she pleaded, her finger featherlight against his lips, silencing his protest. “Being with me will only hurt you in the end, and that isn’t something I’m willing to do.”
Disappointment hit him hard, like a punch in the gut. But if she believed he’d walk away so easily, she was mistaken. He’d never known a connection like theirs; it went beyond the physical. But he had more convincing to do and would stand down for now.
Her next words surprised him, changing everything. “I can’t deny it. I burn for you, too,” she confessed, her voice husky with longing. “So intensely, I feel I might burst into flames. I’ll give you tonight, but that’s all I can offer.”
“We’re meant for each other,” he insisted, his body taut with desire for her. “Until I make you see it, I’ll take you however I can get you.”
His lips claimed hers, and she eagerly opened up to him. Instantly, a fiery passion ignited between them. He pressed her against the cabin wall, his fingers threading in the silky softness of her hair as he deepened the kiss.
Charlotte gripped his shirt in fistfuls, and she hooked her leg around his hip, getting closer. His free hand curled around it, wanting nothing more than to keep it there, but the warmth of her thigh, with its satiny-smooth skin, brought him to his senses. Their first time shouldn’t be outside, in the open, where anyone could stumble upon them.
Seth broke the kiss and swept her up in his arms, smothering her whimpers of disappointment with his lips as he carried her to bed as promised. He was relieved to see it was real, with a sturdy frame and soft mattress.
When he set her feet beside it, their fingers found buttons and ties, and their clothing was soon strewn across the floor. Breathing heavily as they stood naked before one another, he wanted to take a moment and drink in her beauty, but the urge to touch was too strong. She must have felt the same urgency, her hands sliding up his chest to his shoulders as he traced the curves of her waist.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t wait to have you,” he murmured.
“I don’t want you to,” she reassured him, taking his hand and pulling him down on the bed with her.
Seth moved on top of her, his lips trailing down her neck, leaving a path of fiery kisses as he cupped her breast, weighing the soft fullness in his palm. Charlotte arched her back, pressing herself against him, her breath coming in quick gasps.
His lips replaced his hand and sipped hungrily on a nipple. She cried out, her fingers burrowing into his hair, holding him close as she pressed her breast more firmly against his mouth.
He could have feasted there happily all night, but she had other ideas. She tugged his head up, and her heated gaze met his.
“It’s been a long time,” she confessed.
“I’ll go slow,” he reassured her, pulling at her hold, ignoring the sting to his scalp as he moved to the other breast.
Her fingers tightened with a tug. “You don’t understand. It has been averylong time. Years, Seth. I’ll die if you go slow.”
He didn’t want her to die for damn sure, but he needed clarification. He raised his head and stared down at her in surprise. “Years,” he echoed. “How is that possible?”
