Page 66 of Taming Raptor

“For My Sake”—Shinedown

When Sloane and Phoenix’s front door opened, I needed to grab something to keep from falling over. My fingers gripped the doorframe. She was more beautiful than I’d remembered. So much so that she took my breath away.

“Sage,” I whispered, unable to get anything else to pass my lips.

This was the first time she’d actually answered the door herself and I was suddenly tongue-tied. Her sky-blue eyes seemed brighter with the dark hair that softly framed her face. My fingers twitched with the need to touch it.

“Raptor,” she responded. And was her tone as needy as mine?

For several heartbeats we simply stared at each other. Then I cleared my throat and reached in my pocket to withdraw the gift I’d picked up yesterday. It seemed silly now that I was standing in front of her.

“Can we talk?” I asked.

For a minute, I thought she was going to say no and shut the door in my face. Her hesitation was a painful stab to my chest.

“Sure,” she finally replied causing my stomach to bottom out like a rollercoaster dropping from the peak. Quietly, she stepped outside, and I backed up to let her pass. When she sat down on the top step of the porch, I settled in beside her with my forearms resting on my knees.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay.”

“No morning sickness?”

“Not really.”

“That’s good.” Jesus, I sounded lame as hell. This was the most stilted our conversations had been in years. Even before I gave into my desire for her, things weren’t this bad. I sighed.

“What can I do to fix this, Sage?” Because at that point, I was willing to do almost anything. Crazy that it had taken me so long to realize what I’d had in front of me the whole time. As I stared at her profile, she wrapped her arms protectively around her legs and rested her chin on her knee. Contemplative, she stared out in the direction of the house across the street.

“Do you know how long I was in love with you?” she began. It wasn’t an answer to my question and her past tense use didn’t escape me— it sent damn near panic racing through my veins.

“No,” I hesitantly responded.

“Since shortly after I met you the first time.”

That was over ten years ago. Jesus, I’d wasted so much time being a close-hearted fucking idiot.

“And now?” I was terrified of the answer she’d give me.

She turned her head to look me in the eye. “I can’t stop, no matter how hard I try.”

Her revelation made my chest light and my heart seemed to stutter to a stop before it took off racing. Needing to touch her, I reached out to catch the silky strands of hair that blew across her face. Gently, I tucked them behind her ear, then let the backs of my fingers trail down her cheek. Using my thumb, I traced her full lower lip.

“I don’t want you to stop,” I murmured, reveling in the softness of her skin, the blue of her eyes that matched the Texas summer skies. Having this woman’s love was like winning the goddamn lottery.

“Why?”

I slipped my hand under her hair to cradle the back of her neck. Then I leaned over to softly press my lips to hers before I whispered against them. “Because you’re mine.”

A thrill coursed through me when she parted her lips to my tongue. Tender, I stroked into her mouth—tasting and teasing. Her whimper stoked my fire, but I held myself in check. The last thing I wanted to do was scare her away. Because of that, I forced myself to end the quickly heating kiss. Breathing heavily, I rested my forehead to hers.

I wanted to tell her I loved her. The problem with that was, it was only words. What I needed to do was show her.

An idea came to me, and I decided to hold onto my gift for the time being. “Go out to dinner with me,” I urged as I stroked my nose along hers. Something about being close to her settled the disquiet within. A softer side emerged and if my hawk could purr, he would’ve in that moment.

“Tonight?” Her question was breathless, and goosebumps broke out along my neck from the soft puff of her breath.

No. Now. “Yes.”

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