“Is everything okay?” Steff placed her hand on his shoulder, and he immediately covered it with his own.
“Fox called to see if everything was good.”
“That’s nice of him.”
Jag turned and pulled her close. She offered no resistance, and he loved that she was a lot more comfortable with him now. “I’m taking the day off. We can do whatever you want to do.”
“Can you do that at such short notice?”
“Of course, after what happened to you, no one would expect me to come in. I’m sure if I did, most of the guys would stare daggers at me and tell me to get the fuck out of there.”
Steff laughed and took a step back. He wanted to haul her close again, but reined the urge in. “I think you exaggerate, but, then again, maybe not. You guys are all intense.”
“We are and we’re especially protective of those we care for.” Had he taken a risk by exposing himself in the way he just had?
“I’m not complaining; in fact, I like it. It’s been a long time since someone cared about me,” she finished quietly, her gaze darting away from his.
Her parents had been dead for a few years, but was she saying that prior to her kidnapping and the last few weeks with him, there’d been no one else?
It didn’t matter what happened in her past. All that mattered was the here and now. And right this second, she had him, and he wasn’t going anywhere.
Not ever if he had his way.
“Steff, look at me?” He wanted her full attention when he said what he was about to say.
She lifted her head, her teeth worrying her bottom lip again. Jag reached out and gently released the skin, brushing his thumb across her pinkened flesh. Desire swarmed him. and he pushed it back. “You’re not alone now. You have me. Always.”
“I know. I don’t know what I did to have you come into my life, but I’m very thankful. And lucky.”
That wasn’t what he expected her to say, but it gave him hope for a future with her. If his intensity didn’t have her running away, then he liked to believe nothing would. “I’m the lucky one.”
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. A light touch to cement what he’d told her. A confirmation that he wasn’t saying words to make her feel good. That he meant it all.
Jag went to break the kiss, but Steff’s hand came up and clasped the back of his head, keeping him in place.
Her teeth nipped his bottom lip, and he got the message, adjusting his stance so she was closer, and he deepened the kiss. Cognizant of what happened the last time they got serious, he tempered his movements, controlling the desire to scoop her up and stride to his bedroom so that he could lay her down and worship her the way she should be.
Eventually they broke the kiss, both panting hard. Steff’s blue eyes were cloudy with desire. They fixed on him, and he held his breath, waiting for what was to come next.
“I want you,” she whispered, and the pink in her cheeks from their kiss deepened.
He blew out the breath he’d been holding. He wanted this so much, but he didn’t want to rush her. Didn’t want her to think she needed to take the next step with him, because if she didn’t, he wouldn’t want her.
Which was so far from the truth it was hilarious.
“Are you sure?” he questioned.
“Very.” She played with the fabric of the T-shirt he’d pulled on. “I wanted you last night, but then…” She shrugged, not needing to say anything else; he got it. If he was being truthful with himself, he’d hoped that after the dinner with Fox and Cynthia, when they’d gotten back to her place, things would’ve progressed with them.
He wasn’t going to question her anymore about her decision. If he did, it would be like he didn’t trust she could think for herself. That wasn’t the type of relationship he wanted with her.
They were equal partners.
“I wanted you too. That dress drove me crazy during dinner.”
“I can put it back on if you want?” she teased, and he loved seeing her this way. Moving forward at the pace she wanted.
“As much as I would love that, I happen to think what you’re wearing is even sexier.” He’d given her one of his T-shirts to wear to bed. It skimmed the middle of her thighs, and the baser part of his soul wanted to pound his chest in ownership. Which was so caveman-ish of him that if he said it out loud to any of the women he worked with, they would quickly knock it out of him.
