“Come on,” he says gently. “Let’s get you back before Ester sends out a search party.”
I barely know him. I have no business feeling this pull, this mesmerizing attraction that makes me want to know everything about him— his favorite color, his coffee order, what he looked like first thing in the morning with his hair messy from sleep.
“Calder?” I say, grabbing his arm and asking him to face me with a simple tug.
“Yeah?”
“Why did you invite me to dinner? Really?”
He’s quiet for a moment. “Honestly? Because you looked like you needed someone to be kind to you. And because when I shook your hand earlier, something...” He trails off, shaking his head. “This is going to sound crazy.”
Did he feel it too?
“Tell me anyway.”
His silver eyes shine iridescent in the light of the fireplace. “It felt like coming home. You felt like coming home.”
My breath catches. “That’s not crazy.”
“No?”
“No. I… I don’t want to go, Calder. I want to stay.”
His hands cup my face. “You’re sure?”
“I mean, if you don’t want?—”
His lips press to mine, not hard, but deliciously insistent.
Now this is a home I need…
6
CALDER
My heart pounds in my chest as I look into Kendry’s eyes, feeling the heat of the crackling fire behind us warming my skin. The soft rug beneath us, our bodies inches apart yet yearning to be closer. My hands are steady as I reach out to caress her cheek, before I lean in to capture her lips in a tender kiss.
Kendry's fears of rejection linger in the air, evident in the way she hesitates before deepening the kiss, her fingers tangling in my hair as if seeking reassurance. I can sense her vulnerability, her unspoken worries echoing my own insecurities of not being enough for her. But in this moment, as our bodies move together so perfectly, those fears melt away like the snow in Spring.
Our movements are slow and deliberate, sendingshivers down my spine as I explore every inch of her body. She tastes sweet, like the hot chocolate we shared earlier, and I can’t get enough. My hands glide down to her waist, feeling the generous curve of her hip beneath my fingers. Kendry’s body presses against mine, her warmth seeping into me, her breath hitching as my lips trail down her neck.
I pull back just enough to see her face. Her eyes are closed, lashes casting shadows on her cheeks, her lips slightly parted. A wave of tenderness crashes over me. I want to be enough for her, to chase away her fears and replace them with happiness, with pure and palpable pleasure. My heart aches with the need to be what she deserves.
I remove my Henley and my hands slide under her sweater, her skin soft and warm against my fingertips. I can feel her heartbeat, steady and strong, matching the rhythm of my own. I lean in, kissing her again, deeper and more urgent, as if I can pour my feelings into her through this kiss alone. Kendry's sweater, soft and slightly worn from years of wear, bunches in my hands as I gently lift it up, our lips parting just long enough for the fabric to pass between us. Her breath hitches as our skin touches, her body pressing closer to mine, seeking my warmth.
My heart hammers in my chest as my hands explore the smooth expanse of her back, her skin like velvet under my touch. She trembles slightly, and I only want to wrap her in my arms, to protect her from anything that could ever hurt her. The thought sends a wave of determination crashing through me.
I will be enough for her. There is no other choice.
I have to be.
My lips leave hers, trailing kisses down her jaw, her neck, feeling her pulse quicken under my lips. I can smell the faint hint of her perfume, something sweet and wild, like the forests outside. My hands roam lower, tracing the curve of her spine, feeling her arch into my touch.
Kendry's fingers dig into my shoulders, her breath coming in soft gasps now. I look down on her, seeing the firelight dance in her eyes. My hand moves to her side, thumb brushing the round of her breast. Her breath hitches as I skim her pert nipple.
If there is any doubt, I want to erase it, to fill her with the certainty that she is all I want, all I need.
I lean in, my forehead resting against hers, our breaths mingling. “You're all I see, Kendry,” I whisper, my voice hoarse with feeling. “You’re everything and all I want, all I need.”
