Page 13 of Courage of the Mountain
I’ve never cared how I look, and I certainly don’t give a shit what women think about me. But Lily? Fuck yeah, I’m thrilled she likes my body. God knows I’ve been obsessing over every single one of her curves since I moved back to town.
“Like what you see?” I ask in a husky voice. It’s a dangerous game, but I can’t resist.
Lily’s gaze drags up my abs and pecs, leaving a blazing fire in its wake. When her eyes land on mine, she swallows thickly and nods her head. “Very much.” That pink blush creeps into hercheeks, turning red and then crimson when she realizes what she said.
“I can’t stop thinking about you, Lily,” I admit. “I don’t care about the complications; I just want you. I can’t explain it, and I know I’m crazy for having these thoughts, but when I first held you in my arms… that was it for me. And then you opened your eyes and hit me with your beauty, and I knew I was a goner.”
“A goner… for me?” She blinks up at me, her long lashes fluttering against her porcelain cheeks. My girl licks her lips and leans into me.
God help me, but I can’t hold back any longer.
I glide my hand across her cheek and cup the back of her neck, guiding her toward me. She tilts her head up, her eyes locking on mine. We share the same air as my nose brushes against hers. This is it. This is the moment that everything changes.
Lily presses her lips to mine, and I savor her taste, loving that she wants this as much as I do. I tease her top lip and bottom lip before kissing her with more intention. Lily’s hands find my chest, her fingers crawling up my bare skin and making me groan into her mouth.
I slip my tongue between her welcoming lips and wrap my free arm around her waist, tugging her on top of me. She steadies herself on my shoulders as she straddles me, and my hands sink into her hips, anchoring her to my lap.
“Heath,” she breathes out, resting her forehead on mine. “I’ve wanted this for so long.”
“It feels like forever, doesn’t it?” Even though I haven’t been back for more than two weeks, it feels like an eternity to have even waited that long to kiss her.
“Yeah, but… I meant that I… never mind.” Lily turns her head to the side and then tries sliding off my lap.
I keep her in place with one hand on her hip and the other cupping the side of her face. I turn Lily toward me, waiting until her eyes meet mine. “You can tell me anything.”
A battle wages behind her ethereal eyes, but eventually, she decides to open up to me. I know she’s telling me the truth by the way her cheeks heat and her eyes can’t seem to move away from mine.
“I’ve had a crush on you for almost as long as I can remember.” My eyebrows fly up to my hairline. I wasn’t expecting that, but goddamn. I’m one lucky son of a bitch. “It gets worse,” she says with a self-deprecating smile.
“I’m loving everything you’re saying so far,” I encourage.
“I could never picture kissing anyone else,” she admits softly. “And now…”
Her confession wraps itself around my heart, squeezing it back to life after a heartbreaking evening. The rest of her words sink in, and I come to a life-altering realization. “Was that your first kiss, sweetheart?”
She nods, and I want to roar with pride. Instead, I comb my fingers through her hair and gently draw her closer, closer, closer, until my lips are barely touching hers.
“You have no idea what that does to me,” I rasp. “I want to be all of your firsts, but we’ll go at your pace, okay?”
I feel Lily’s lips pull into a smile beneath mine, and I can’t help myself. I have to taste it.
My mouth covers hers, and she lets me in, lets me stroke my tongue against hers and pull out soft, wanton moans of pleasure. The kiss is slow and indulgent, and I take my time exploring what makes her thighs tighten and breath hitch. I can’t wait to find out everything my sweet Lily enjoys.
A loud pop outside startles Lily, and she jumps off my lap. I follow her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I think it was just a shitty car muffler,” I tell her. We walk to the window,and sure enough, an ancient Ford Mercury is sputtering its way down the road.
“Sorry, I guess I’m a bit jumpy,” Lily whispers.
“It’s totally understandable, and nothing to apologize for. But I think it’s a good reason for you to stay with me, at least for tonight.”
“What? Oh, no, I couldn’t. You just moved in, plus I still have everything downstairs to deal with.”
“Nothing is going to get done tonight,” I tell her. “The worst of the flood is in the back, which has concrete flooring. The bathrooms have tile walls and floors, so there’s minimal risk of lasting damage, even if we let it sit overnight. Besides, it’s nearly midnight. You know as well as I do that all the stores have been closed for hours, so even if we wanted to get supplies to clean and repair stuff, we don’t have access.”
Her shoulders slump in defeat, and I realize my pep talk might not have been the most encouraging.
“What I mean to say is that I would sleep better knowing you’re safe under my roof. There’s nothing we can do tonight except try to get some rest so we can tackle this thing head-on tomorrow.”
Lily pulls her lips to one side and then the other, lost deep in thought. It’s fuckin’ adorable, like everything else about her. Finally, she nods in approval of my plan.
