“It’s nothing,” he said, rubbing the back of his wet hair. “I just saw one while we were shopping today, and it made me think of you.”
I opened the box to find a dainty evil eye necklace nestled inside, a swirl of blue and clear crystals on a short silver chain much like the one I had admired our first day here. My eyes started to blur.
“I thought you said it was stupid.”
He shook his head and took the necklace from my hands. He placed one hand on my waist and gently spun me around so that he could fasten the chain around my neck.
“I was the only one being stupid.” His breath on my neck made me shiver.
“I’m glad you finally see it my way.” I turned in his arms and smiled up at him.
“I’m starting to see a lot of things your way,” he murmured.
“Thank you for this.” I reached up to touch the necklace and Harrison dropped his head to place a soft kiss on my forehead. When he pulled away, there was heat in his eyes, and he tightened his grip around my waist.
I tipped my head, giving him full access to my mouth. His taste was addictive, like I could never get enough of him. His tongue gently touched my lips, and I opened my mouth to let him in.
The kiss was soft but insistent, and he held me tighter, his fingers digging into my sides. My own hands were wrapped around his back, and it felt so natural to touch him like this. To kiss him. This Harrison was so different from the one I thought I knew. Getting to know him like this, without all his walls in place, had just made my attraction to him flourish into something real.
Something that I couldn’t deny.
Harrison took his time, kissing me slowly and thoroughly, like we had all the time in the world.
“You’re not going to panic and stop again, are you?” I asked against his lips. “Because if you’re still worried that I have a crush on you, spoiler alert: I definitely do.”
I could feel his smile. “I think I have the bigger crush. Like I told you earlier, I’ll take anything you’re willing to give. I’m yours, Lila.”
My insides coiled tightly at his words as my mouth continued to explore his. My heart pounded and desire surged through me. Even though it was far too soon, and I’d never admit it out loud, I was already falling for him. A fall I was powerless to stop.
I ran my hand along the smooth skin of his back. When he moved his hand up to trace the underside of my breast, I let out a small moan.
For all the dating I’d done recently, I wasn’t a fan of casual hookups. It had been a while since someone had touched me like this, and I didn’t think I’d ever anticipated a touch that much.
He backed up a few steps and I let him lead me to the bed. When the back of his legs hit the edge of the mattress, he sat and pulled me into his lap.
I straddled him, my arms resting on his shoulders and my fingers knotting in his thick hair. He moved his hands up my sides, his thumbs brushing against the sides of my breasts. Only the thin fabric of my bikini top kept me from feeling his touch directly on my skin, and I shivered with anticipation.
He kissed his way across my jaw, to my neck. Heat built in my stomach as I rocked gently in his lap.
“This is so much better than I imagined,” he murmured into my neck.
“So, you admit you’ve imagined this,” I breathed.
“Maybe a few times,” he said, chuckling.
I tugged his hair and pulled his mouth back to mine. My nipples hardened as they rubbed against the flimsy fabric of mytop, and I arched my back to increase the friction against his bare chest.
His hand still traced the side of my breast and I moaned into his mouth, silently urging him to move his hand further.
He must have sensed my thoughts, because a second later he pushed the thin fabric aside, exposing my nipples. I let out a sigh of satisfaction.
He ran his thumb over one nipple, making it harden even more, then did the same with the other, until both my breasts were tight with arousal.
“These are perfect,” he murmured.
I leaned back to watch his face. “They’re okay.”
“More than okay.”
