Page 20 of The Hero I Can't Resist
I pick her up, and she gasps. “Zach, I’m too big.”
I’m holding her bride-style, and I look into her eyes. “Don’t say that. You’re perfect.”
She wants to argue, but she bites her lip and lets her head fall against my shoulder. I move to the chair in the corner. I sit down, holding her tight against me. Her sobs continue, and with each one, my heart hurts a little more. I wish I could save her from this.
I whisper low, “I’ve got you, sweets. You’re safe right here. I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry you’re going through this. I promise I’m going to keep you safe.”
She pulls back and looks up at me with wet, glistening eyes. “What about you? Do you promise you’re going to be safe too?”
Gutted.
That’s the only way I know how to describe it.
My sister and our parents worry about me andwant me to be okay, but this feels different. “Yeah, I’ll be safe too.”
I’ve made the promise before to family, but this is the first time that it feels like more than just words. And I know it’s impossible to promise someone that you will protect them, but I know more than anything, I will die trying.
As we sit here, looking into each other’s eyes, the moment explodes between us. I’m not sure which of us leans in first, but our lips touch, and I feel the kiss go through my entire body. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before, and I know I don’t ever want this feeling to end.
I tilt her head, deepening the kiss. Her tongue slides against mine, and I tremble. My cock is hard under her hip, and she shifts her weight on me. A groan erupts from within, and I force myself to break off the kiss.
We stare at each other wide-eyed, neither of us saying anything.
I’m the first to speak, and I know it’s the wrong thing as soon as it comes out of my mouth. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
She tenses in my arms, puts her hands on my chest, and tries to lift herself off me. My arms go around her. “Don’t. Don’t move.”
She shakes her head. “Zach, this is confusing, and to be honest, I’m not equipped to handle it.”
I try to understand her. “Handle what?”
She blinks. “You ask me to be your girlfriend but tell me it’s for the job. You kiss me and then apologize. I just… I can’t do this.”
“I want you,” I tell her with complete honesty.
She opens her mouth and then closes it.
I know I owe her an explanation. “But no matter how much I want you, now is not the time. I’m here to protect you.”
She takes a deep breath and lets it out. “And what? After this… when you catch the guy… what happens then?”
I search her face. “Well, first I’m going to have a talk with Logan and let him know my intentions.”
Her voice is a whisper. “Your intentions?”
I nod, cupping her cheek in my hand. “Yeah. I intend to date you and make you mine for real.”
If she asks me what that means, I’ll tell her. It might scare her off, but she needs to know that this is the real thing. Her hands slide from my chest to my shoulders. “So you’re for real about this? You really do like me?”
I hate that she seems like it’s so hard to believe. How can she not know how beautiful, smart, and amazing she is? “Yes, I really do like you.”
She leans in, and it takes everything in me to stop her. “But we should wait, sweets. We shouldn’t do this until you’re safe.”
She blinks up at me, and I hate seeing the vulnerability on her face. She doesn’t have to say anything for me to know that she’s wondering if I’m being real. I’ll have to prove it to her, and I’ll be happy every day to do just that.
This time when she raises up, I release my hold on her.
She walks slowly across the room, and I give myself a few minutes. My body is hard just from having her on my lap, and even though there’s no doubt she felt it on her hip, I don’t want to draw even more attention to it.
