Page 75 of Heart of Stone
“I know.”
“You do?”
She nodded. “Yeah.
My fingers drove into her hair and settled at the back of her skull. “How do you know?”
“Because instead of waiting here for you to give me a kiss goodnight before you leave, I’m thinking about asking you if you’d come inside and spend the night with me. I’d love nothing more than to wake up in your arms on Christmas morning.”
I wasn’t entirely sure if Natalia was offering up anything more than a sleepover, but when I realized it didn’t matter if there was nothing more than just a night of cuddling her close, I knew I was gone for her. I’d do anything she wanted, and I’d do it with a smile on my face. “I’d be honored to give you that.”
The corners of her mouth tipped up slowly, her eyes shining.
A moment later, she unlocked the door, and we walked inside.
The next few minutes were a bit of a blur as I followed her through the cabin and toward the bedroom.
Once there, she turned and asked, “Is that all?”
“I’m not following you.”
She seemed nervous, unsure of herself. Like every word she was saying was taking massive effort. “Will you only just hold me all night?”
Getting the feeling I knew what was happening, I closed the distance between us, pinched her chin between my thumb and forefinger, and gently asked, “Is there something else you need?”
Natalia blinked slowly. “I think… I think I might be ready to experience more with you.”
“More?” It was everything I’d wanted to hear, and yet, I had a difficult time believing she’d just said the words.
“Yes.”
My heart thundered. “What exactly were you hoping to experience?”
She licked her lips and swallowed roughly. “Everything.”
My fingers twitched against her chin. It was like I’d been handed the greatest gift. “I’ll give you whatever you want, Natalia. All you’ve got to do is ask.”
“Will you do it? Will you give me everything tonight?”
It was my turn to smile. But it only lasted for a moment before I touched my lips to hers in a chaste kiss. “I’ll give it all to you.”
She threw her arms over my shoulders as I released her chin, and then I captured her mouth with mine before taking us both down to the bed.
TWENTY-TWO
Natalia
It was time.
Technically, it was probably long past the time for me to take this step.
I needed this. Deserved it. And Reid had proven to me that he was a man I could trust with something so precious.
Maybe that was a strange thought to have. It wasn’t as though I was a virgin and this was my first time. But in some odd way, this felt like a much bigger deal than that.
Because I’d been hardened by my past, numbed to the idea of a relationship, and Reid had convinced me that it was okay to try. That I would be safe.
And this was good. We’d barely gotten things started, and there was no hiding how it was all making me feel.
