Page 39 of The Billionaire's Commitment

“Brody,” I said and couldn’t keep the smile off my face.

“I’m sorry—” he began, and I knew that the kiss had been a mistake. I took a step back from him and looked into his eyes. They were so dark there was no green to them, and I wanted to think it was desire I saw looking back at me, but I couldn’t be sure.

“Brody. I shouldn’t have been so bold. I shouldn’t have said that. Forget I ever did.”

“I can’t. Don’t ask me to do that.”

My worst fears were being realized by his statement. I had wanted him to kiss me. I wouldn’t regret it, but I hated thinking that because of my actions, I might have ruined our friendship. I opened my mouth to tell him we could go back to the way things were when he spoke and changed everything.

“Having you tell me you wanted me to kiss you has to be one of the sexiest things you have ever done, and I can name fifty others right off the top of my head,” Brody said.

“Really?” I asked.

“Yes, do you want me to name them?”

“No, at least not right now. What I really want you to do is kiss me again,” I said. The words were out of my mouth before I even knew they were there. I just said them, and by the look on Brody’s face, he was both surprised and pleased by the comment.

“Zoey, beautiful Zoey. Please know that there is nothing that I would deny you if it was within my power. Believe me when I tell you that kissing you has to be the best thing I have done since I have come to New York, if not ever, but I don’t think I should,” Brody said.

I was learning enough about Brody, what he was saying, how he had kissed me, and certainly how he was looking at me, to know that there was more to what he was saying. Where before I had been hurt by his statements or thought I had done something wrong, I knew that wasn't the case. I just needed to be patient, wait, and see what he was going to say.

“Since the moment you walked into Mustang Sally’s, I have imagined this moment. Actually, even before that. The moment when I would have you in my arms, when you would be looking at me the way you are now. I have wanted all of our nights to end just like this one is. I want to kiss you again, but I want to do so much more. If I start kissing you again, I don’t think I will ever be able to stop.”

His words, as with everything he had done through most of the night, stole my breath. I couldn’t believe what he was saying. He was a man who seemed like he was always in total control of everything he was doing. For him to say that he wanted me so much that he couldn’t control himself was both sexy and empowering.

“I respect you; I respect the friendship that we have and what we’re starting here. As much as I want you, I don’t want to ruin it by doing something reckless or that you aren’t ready for. I have waited for weeks to have you; I can wait a few more days, or a few more weeks, if that is what you want.

“If you need me to wait longer, I will, but I really don’t want to. Kissing you was incredible, without a doubt the best thing I have ever done with my lips, and I want to do it again, but only if you’re ready.”

His words were the kindest, most honest, and generous words anyone had said to me. How could I deny him anything when he was saying such things? I could see how much he cared about me, how much he wanted me, and it made the next words, and the decision that came with them, that much easier to say.

“What if I wanted you to kiss me again and not stop?” I asked.

“Again, I wouldn’t deny you anything. Are you sure?” he asked and stepped closer to me.

I wasn’t even sure if he knew he was doing it. He put his hands on my hips, and his eyes held mine. He could have asked me for the moon at that moment, and I would have found a way to give it to him. He had been so honest with me about how he was feeling and what he wanted; I could and should do the same for him.

“Yes. I’m not sure about what’s going to happen tomorrow or in the future, but I want this; I want you. I might regret it in the morning, but that’s for me to find out. Please, kiss me again. Come upstairs with me.”

There was a flash of what I could only consider regret that came over his face, but as soon as it was there, it was gone. I wasn’t even sure if I had seen it. He was immediately smiling at me with that smile that melted my heart and wanted me to go anywhere with him.

“We can hold off. We can do it another night. I can do this right,” he offered.

“There’s no way that anything you could do would be better than this moment. Please, come upstairs with me. Stay with me tonight,” I said and put my hand out for him to take.

He looked down at my hand and then up at me. He held my gaze, took my hand in his, and gave it a soft squeeze. “Okay,” he said.

Chapter 19

Brody

I walked in a trance with her to her bedroom. I hardly saw her living room and what was there. All I could see, all I cared about was the woman that I was with. The woman who was holding my hand and taking me to her bedroom. Zoey looked over her shoulder and smiled at me, and my heart rate increased. Just when I thought I couldn’t want or love the woman any more than I already did, she gave me a look like that. It was a look that told me she was happy I was there, that she was excited about the evening, but also that she was a little scared. I could see all of that in her look, in her eyes, how she held my gaze and squeezed my hand. I wanted to tell her I would never hurt her, that all I wanted to do was make her happy tonight, tomorrow, and for the rest of our lives.

We walked into her bedroom, and she stopped. There were no lights on, and she looked around as if she was trying to figure out what to do. I wanted to see every part of her, touch and kiss every inch of her. I reached over and turned on the light by her bedside table. It cast the left side of her face in a soft glow, allowing us to see each other but not putting us on display.

“Perfect,” I said. “Or I want it to be.”

“I wasn’t expecting— I should clean up a little bit. I didn’t know—” she stammered and turned away from me.

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