Page 89 of Floodgates

I ran to catch up and caught him at the top of the stairs, taking hold of him. “Seriously, why the hell are you leaving? You can’t touch base over the phone?”

“No.”

“Why not?” I asked, my hands on his sides, feeling the steel strength in the man beneath my palms.

“Because that’s not how things are done,” he said, slipping his hand around the back of my neck and easing me forward.

“Cord,” I whined without meaning to, lifting as he bent to kiss me.

He was not a gentle kisser, not yet. Everything between us was brand new, so when we connected it was explosively, not gently. He drove his tongue deep, dragging it over mine, and I opened, loving the feel of him, his taste, wanting to get closer, my body pressed tight to his.

I wanted to go to bed with him, feel his weight on me, holding me down, and have him buried inside my body as hard and deep as he could.

When I whimpered in the back of my throat, he tore free, pressing his lips on the side of my neck before he shoved me back out of his reach.

“What?” I rasped.

“God, you’re cute,” he said, smiling quickly before he leaned in and kissed my forehead.

I was what? “I’m sorry?”

“When I get back, you better be ready for me,” he said, taking the first step down.

“Maybe I’ll be asleep already.”

His laugh was lusty and rich. “You’ll be pacing the floor.”

“You’re so sure?” I grumbled to his back, watching him descend to the first landing.

“I’m sure.”

My jaw muscles tensed. “Fine.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” He snickered, turning to look up at me.

“You’re so smug,” I said flippantly.

“Only ’cause you’re lookin’ at me like you’ll die if I don’t do you.”

“You’re such an ass.”

“Don’t forget it,” he said, and I could hear him chuckling as he went down the second flight of stairs before he called out to me, “Hey!”

I moved quickly down the first three steps so I could lean over the railing and look down into the great room at him. Everyone else was outside around the in-ground fire pit, roasting marshmallows and making s’mores.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can. Do what I said and stay here.”

“If you’re so worried, maybe I should come with you.”

The man’s eyes, the way he was staring at me… I really had no idea anyone would ever gaze at me like I was simply too dear for words. The urge to keep him, put a ring on his finger, took a deep bite out of me.

“I’ll be back soon.”

I nodded.

“I’m taking your scarf ’cause I like it better’n mine.”

“Yes, please.”