Page 43 of The Ruthless and the Strong

Leaning down, I kissed her again, loving the feel of her warm palm when she cupped my cheek.

When I pulled away, both of us were breathing heavily. I couldn’t get enough of that glazed look in her eyes. “Baby, I need you to go back to your house and rest up before I lose control with you.”

Her eyes fluttered, and I could see disappointment resting in them. Fuck, but I was satisfied to see she didn’t want to go any more than I wanted to let her go.

I moved my hand down to her chin. “Not tonight,” I said, softening my rejection with another kiss on the corner of her lips. She pouted.

Fucking adorable.

“Why not?” she asked.

Because I was a masochist, apparently.

“Because we need to talk before we go any further. Because things happened tonight, and I won’t ever take advantage of that. Of you.”

“What if I wanted to be taken advantage of?” she muttered so softly, I almost didn’t hear her. I grinned, and her cheeks turned a bright, pretty red that almost matched her hair.

“Not tonight,” I repeated, though at this point, I wasn’t sure who I was trying to convince, her or me. Slowly, I moved off her, missing the feel of her body against mine instantly. My fingers twitched with the need to pull her back to me. To hold onto her and never let her go.

She blew away a strand of red hair that had gotten on her face, and took me in for a beat before she moved off the bed.

“I guess I’ll go back,” she said.

I nodded, unable to find my voice. She bit her lips and my eyes honed in on that. I didn’t want to send her away. I wanted to spend the night holding her in my arms. I wanted to be selfish for once in my life, and I wanted to be selfish with her.

“Good night,” she said softly.

Then she turned and was out the door before I could say anything else.

“Good night,” I said quietly to the empty space. I looked around the room. I wondered when I had ever felt so alone.

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