Page 35 of You Can't Fight Lightning
“Should I not have done that?” Roxy’s voice was small, trembling a little on the last word.
“No! I’m very glad you did. You have no idea how glad. No, it’s that I want you too much, and rather than be a caveman and drag you off by your hair, I’m respecting your boundaries.”
“Oh.”
That didn’t tell me a damn thing. Had I just ruined everything with Roxy?
“Thank you. That’s nice.”
I didn’t get a warm and fuzzy from her words.
“I appreciate your… holding back.”
Okay. She sounded sincere there.
“But…”
Oh, shit.
“You could kiss me again. If you wanted to.”
What? “Could you say that again? Just so I’m sure?” I wanted to make certain my mind wasn’t playing tricks with what I wanted to hear.
“Kiss me again, Z.”
I didn’t know what had changed her mind. Why she’d gone from cold to hot with me. But I wasn’t going to let this gift slip away. Time with her was a gift. Being asked to kiss her? It was like all the festivals that used to be held in my name rolled into one.
Taking a step closer, I eased one arm around her waist, and cupped her face with my other hand. I stared down at her, taking in the beauty of the woman before me. Not just her face, but the woman I saw within. The strong, beautiful, broken, resilient woman. I saw all of it. I didn’t know the origin of all that had shaped her, forged her, but I saw it.
I wanted it all.
I wanted her.
Then I bent my head and set my lips on hers. I wanted to take my time, even as the urge within was to devour her. Her lips were soft, and even in this small touch, I could feel her concern, her worry.
Her desire.
Roxy’s cautious desire was the most intoxicating thing I’d ever experienced in… I couldn’t say how long. It was delicious and lovely and touching and most of all, it was hot. I wanted to taste all of her desire, right now.
But I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. I kissed her with more intention, but still moving slowly, gently. Even without knowing whatever it was that broke her, I knew I needed to move carefully.
Her arms came up and wrapped around my neck, one hand tangling in my hair. The scratch of her nails against my scalp made me so hard it ached.
Gods, I wanted this woman.
Instead, I kept kissing her, deepening the kiss, letting some of my desire spill out into our connection. I wanted her to feel what I was feeling, feel that I was letting her take the lead, that I wouldn’t push myself on her. I’d follow where she let me.
She bit my bottom lip gently, a nip really, and then she stepped away. “I need to go in.”
It was extremely, seriously, in all the manly ways satisfying to hear that her voice was breathless, as though she’d just run a long distance.
Because I was part of that with her.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Thanks again.” She took three steps away from me and stopped, looking over her shoulder. “I mean it.”
“It is absolutely my pleasure.”
