“I like you,” I said softly. “And what just happened. Kissing you, touching you. Making you come?” I shook my head. I didn’t have the right words, and I was sure I’d fuck this up. “It means something,” I finally said. “To me.”
“You mean you don’t just go around kissing girls?” Her tone was teasing, but genuine curiosity swam in her eyes.
Grunting, I gripped her waist. “I do not. Before I met you, I hadn’t looked at a woman in years. I thought that part of me had died.”
“But?”
“But you woke me up, Matchstick. With your fiery energy and your strength and your kindness.”
She blinked, as if she didn’t know what to say, or maybe she didn’t know if she believed me.
“You’ve got me thinking things and feeling things.” Fuck, I really was making a mess of this, but I soldiered on. “And I want to take it slow. Build trust.”
She trailed her fingers up my chest, then dragged them back to my belt buckle. “Can’t we?—”
I shook my head. “I’d love to take you home and fuck you right now,” I said. “But I’m not a casual sex kind of guy. I like you. And I like your kids. I don’t want to mess things up with you by doing anything rash.”
She swallowed and tilted her head. “I get it. And I don’t do that either.”
“Casual sex?” I offered.
She laughed. “Any sex. Ever.”
That sent a thrill through me. The woman didn’t have sex, yet she’d let me bring her to orgasm tonight. That had to be a good sign. “How about…” I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close.
She put her head on my chest and hugged me, the simple move making my heart stutter.
“How about we just see how things go? I want you to trust me.”
“I’m starting to.” Her tone was soft but sure.
“Then I’ll keep showing up and earning it. I will never push you. But I will be honest.”
“I can do that. Honesty.”
“Good. Because when you’re ready. I’d like to know what happened. Why you came here. What you’ve been running from.”
She tensed in my arms like her body was considering fleeing.
I stroked her hair and kept my tone low and soothing. “I’m not entitled to anything. You can tell me to fuck off. But I’m invested. In you. In your kids. And one day, I’d like to earn the right to know your history.”
“I’m not there yet.”
“That’s okay. But I’ll be here, ready when you are.”
Chapter 23
Celine
Iwoke up smiling. Despite the mountain of tasks I had to complete today, I felt good. Rested.
With one eye cracked open, I reached out for Julian on the far side of the bed.
When all I found were cold sheets, I blinked and scanned the room.
Huh. It was much brighter in here than usual, so I reached for my phone on the nightstand to check the time.
And when I realized it was just after nine, I jumped up, my heart racing and panic flooding me. I should have been awake three hours ago.