I shake my head, the only sound I’m able to make a cross between a whimper and a cough before I manage to pull in more air.
“Fuck.” His eyes never leave mine as they screw up at the edges. “Don’t ever fucking do that to me.”
I stand, shell-shocked, trying my hardest to get my breath back as he inspects every inch of my body for injury. Satisfied I haven’t been hurt, his eyes return to my face, and he lifts it, engulfing my cheeks inside his big, warm palms again.
“Don’t ever fucking do that to me,” he repeats.
I finally get a satisfying breath to fill my lungs. I hold it for a moment, then let it out slowly. He watches me as I do it again. And again. And again.
I breathe until my head stops spinning and I’m able to properly focus on his face.
“I think it was too high for my first time,” I whisper.
He huffs out a ragged breath, his brow creasing. “You think? Jesus. Don’t ever fucking do something like that again, you hear me?”
I nod as he brings his forehead to mine. His chest is rising and falling in panicked breaths as I blink at him from under my lashes.
“Did I scare you?” I whisper.
“Yes, you fucking scared me,” he snaps. “Jude, you…” He screws his face up, then his lips are pressing to my forehead with a gentleness that’s in direct contrast to the fire in his voice.
“You scared the hell out of me,” he whispers like all of his fight has gone.
He presses the softest of kisses to my skin.
“I’m sorry,” I choke out, shivering as the adrenaline starts to wear off and fear slices through me. I could have been seriously hurt. I was so intent on defying him just to make a stupid point, that I could have really hurt myself.
Or him.
He lowers his head, his lips sliding over my cheek, and I almost collapse with how much I need him. Soft lips press a succession of breathy, barely-there kisses over my skin like he needs to map my face to convince himself I’m okay. Then finally, he melds them all into one, bringing his mouth to mine and gifting me with a kiss so full of desperation that I break into a sob.
“You jumped in after me,” I say as he kisses me like he can’t physically tear himself away.
“I dived in,” he murmurs, kissing away another sob.
“Headfirst?” I pull back to search his eyes. “You said that was dangerous, that?—”
“It was a dive, Jude. I’m fine.” He kisses me again.
“Oh God,” I mumble, feeling like such a stupid, selfish idiot.
I gaze up into his eyes as he finally lets his lips leave mine for a moment.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
His brow scrunches up like he’s barely holding himself together, and I hate that I’m the reason he looks so shaken.
“Are you hurting anywhere?”
“No.”
“You sure?”
“I’m not,” I insist when he looks at me like he doesn’t know whether to believe me or not.
He slides his thumb back and forth over my lower lip with a raspy exhale. “Thank God.”
He leans closer, pressing his solid, water-droplet covered torso against mine. His skin is burning hot, heating me more than the smooth rock at my back.
