When he deepened the kiss, I followed.
When he paused, I waited.
His body softened.
The tension eased from his muscles.
His lips parted beneath mine, and his tongue touched mine in a cautious stroke that sent heat through me.
I answered gently.
Noah made a quiet sound.
His hand curled at the back of my neck.
The kiss grew deeper without becoming hurried. He found the pressure he wanted and adjusted when the angle strained his shoulder. Every time his breathing changed, I eased back enough for him to choose whether to continue.
Each time, he came closer.
My thumb moved once beneath his ear.
He shivered.
I wanted more.
Want burned hot and heavy beneath my ribs, but it did not frighten me. It belonged to me. I could carry it without placing it in his hands.
We remained fully dressed.
Space and blankets separated us below the waist.
The kiss still felt intimate enough to ache.
His mouth softened against mine.
He breathed my name.
Not Cal.
Reid.
Awake and certain.
I kissed the corner of his mouth, then his lower lip. His breath warmed my cheek, and his beard rasped softly against my skin.
When I pulled back, he followed for another brief kiss, unwilling to let the contact end on my decision alone.
Then my stomach growled.
Loudly.
Noah smiled against my mouth.
“That was aggressive.”
“I missed lunch.”
“Because of me?”
