Page 50 of Where She Belongs

She’d had no idea how much she’d wanted him to kiss her, to take her like this. And now she didn’t want it to stop. His kiss was sweet, yet demanding at the same time. There was an edge of desperation in the way they explored one another. She’d thought she knew Tate.

From their childhood and the weeks leading up to this kiss, she’d expected that there would be no more surprises. And yet here she was, in his arms, learning secrets about the universe she never would have expected.

Tate pulled back first, breathless. His eyes were closed as he rested his forehead to hers. All she could hear was their breathing mingling together and the quiet pops from the fireplace. Everything else was silent and calm. Everything except her racing heart.

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that,” Tate murmured, his voice gruff. He still didn’t open his eyes as he spoke. It was like he was too scared to name the feelings swirling in his heart.

She could relate. “Yeah?” Rylee whispered. “How about you tell me.”

He chuckled. It was a low rumble of a sound and it slipped past her defenses in a way that set off fireworks in her chest. “Since the town meeting.”

Rylee pulled back, shocked as she stared up at him. He finally opened his eyes, his chagrined smile far more adorable than it should have been at this moment. “What?”

He chuckled again, his hands dropping down her shoulders then sliding to her hands where he laced his fingers with hers. “I don’t think I was ready to admit it to myself then. Heck, there’s still a part of me that isn’t ready to admit it now.”

At that, she laughed. “Well, I think it’s safe to say the cat is out of the bag.”

He laughed right along with her before dropping one of her hands and tracing the edge of his thumb along her jaw. “You’re so beautiful.”

Rylee snorted, but the moment Tate’s brows furrowed, she swallowed back the sound and looked away. “I’m not wearing any makeup.” It was the only excuse she could offer for her reaction. That was the expectation for everyone in her social circles. Women needed to look their best at any social event. Up until recently, she’d never seen Roxy go without.

Tate caught her chin and turned her face so she was forced to look at him again. “You don’t have to wear makeup for me to see just how stunning you are. Every part of you…” Tate rolled his lips between his teeth and shook his head. “Your laugh. Your smile. The way your eyes sparkle when you find something amusing and the fire within them when you’re mad. Your beauty is more than just skin deep.”

She wanted to laugh again, to tell him he was being ridiculous and everything he was saying sounded cheesy. But his whole demeanor was far too serious. She couldn’t laugh, not when he was looking at her like he wanted to devour her whole.

“Oh, well…” she blinked rapidly. “Thank you?”

“Is that a question?” One side of his mouth twitched, drawing her attention and putting all kinds of thoughts into her head that didn’t belong there.

Rylee shook her head, attempting to clear it. “No. Thank you,” she said firmly this time. Then she braced herself and looked up at him with far less confidence than she needed. “Did you just come here to kiss me and give me compliments? Or…” Seriously, the way her heart rate shot up should have been concerning, right? It was only made worse by his next words.

He dropped to that unbearably sexy register. “No, my intentions were far different.”

She frowned. “You… weren’t going to kiss me?”

Tate chuckled and his fingers caressed her face once more. “It took me two whole hours to convince myself to come over here and ask you out.”

Her eyes flared with surprise. Wasn’t that what she’d wanted to do when she’d gone to his place? Not necessarily ask him out, but to flirt a little and see where things could go?

The lines at the bridge of his nose deepened and the uncertainty came back into his eyes. Already she could sense him retreating, so her instincts kicked in and she reached up and linked her hands behind his neck.

Rylee tilted her head and did her best to keep her voice level as she murmured, “Then what are you waiting for?”

Those lines didn’t fade even as he searched her face. Then he shook his head and everything in her dropped as he whispered, “I don’t think I’m brave enough to give you a chance to turn me down.”

She frowned at that. So he wasn’t going to ask her out? Because he was scared? What kind of guy admits to something like that? Rylee drew breath to protest but he cut her off.

“We’re going on a date, don’t question that. It’s going to happen.”

Stunned, Rylee could only continue to stare at the man. Wait, what? They were going out on a date then? Her mind was a flurry of confusing thoughts, but everything faded to starlight when he captured her lips with his own and kissed her once more.

This one was shorter, sweeter, and everything she needed in that moment. Tate pulled back, a knowing curl to his mouth. “I should probably get going before I say something I might regret.”

“Are you sure?” Rylee winced at the desperation in her voice. She didn’t want him to leave yet. She gestured to the fireplace. “You could warm up. Dry off.”

He tossed a glance at the window where another flash of lightning brightened the landscape. “I’m just going to get wet again.”

She bit down on her lower lip. “Not if I drove you back.” Dang, she really was sounding desperate.