Page 5 of Protecting my Zinnia

She giggles. "But who is into archery these days?"

"You'd be surprised. Live action role playing people. History buffs. Medieval enthusiasts. Some people just want to try something where they'll meet interesting people without it involving drinking or loud music."

Her bright eyes dance. "Can I try some time?"

A pang of worry smacks into the center of my chest. The thought of her being hurt is unacceptable. "I'm guessing you're a beginner. I could give you a private lesson."

The way she gazes at me makes my heart pound hard and fast. I peek around the restaurant. Nobody is looking in our direction. Leaning close, I whisper, "You're breathtaking, Zinnia. Just so you know, it's very difficult not to kiss you."

I pull away before she worries I'm going to do that right now. Taking her hand, I drop it into my palm, allowing her to decide whether to keep it there or not. She does. "Dessert?" I ask.

"I couldn't, but you go ahead."

"How about a walk, then? I'm sure there are parts of downtown you haven't seen yet."

"That's a great idea."

Once we're outside and walking down the street, I wrap an arm around her. "Is this okay?"

"Yeah." She grins up at me. "I like how warm you are."

"Even if you're just using me for my body heat, I'll take it." We turn onto a side street that leads to the cobblestone square in front of the town hall, then walk down to the narrow park. "They call this Sanders River, even though it's barely a creek," I explain.

"Let's look that up," she says, pulling out her phone. "Hmm. This doesn't empty directly into the ocean, right?"

"No, it joins the Pine River several miles down."

She looks back and forth along the slow-moving water. "Nope, they're right. It's not coming down a hill, so that makes it a river."

As she drops her phone back in her purse triumphantly, I wrap my arms around her. "I don't know anyone who would pause to actually look that up."

The faint glow of the distant street lamps lights up her eyes. "It's just good to know the facts, right?"

"Well, one fact I'm sure of is I'm glad I'm getting to know you." Her hands wrap around my shoulders, and I slowly turn us in a circle as if we were dancing. "Zinnia, is it too soon to kiss you?"

When her chin tips up, there's a saucy glint in her eyes. "That depends. What are your intentions, sir?"

My palm settles between her shoulder blades. "Tonight, I'm hoping to kiss you, in order to show you how much I like you. How much you already mean to me."

Grazing my lips over the top of her head, I add, "Then I'm going to start a detailed plan to make you fall for me. For you to tell me all of your hopes and dreams, so I can figure out how to fit into your life."

"Why?" Her voice is barely a breath and her vivid blue eyes flash as she stretches up higher.

"So that I can care for you. Protect you. Make you happy. So that you fall madly in love with me and let me be your man." When her body stiffens in my arms, I wonder if I've gone too far. Just as I'm about to step back and let her go, Zinnia's fingers clutch the back of my neck, and she pulls me close.

Our first kiss is a soft tease. The next one is stronger, deeper, and her lips part, allowing me to devour her soft mouth.

I've never felt raw animal hunger like this. The surge of lust is overpowering. Not because it's been years since I've been with a woman, or because Zinnia is so ridiculously beautiful. It's her sweetness. She's what I've been needing.

Without thinking, I lift her, hooking her legs around my waist as I back her toward a tree. "Tell me to stop." I hope my throaty growl doesn't scare her.

"Not yet." With her back against the tree and my hand scooped under her perky ass, Zinnia seems completely comfortable, clinging to me with her legs around me.

"You're so hot," I murmur, dipping my head to kiss along her throat. "Seriously, tell me to stop, gorgeous."

"Not yet."

My cock shouldn't be this hard. I shouldn't be grinding against her. It's too much and I run the risk of offending her. Yet her thighs tighten, pulling me closer as if she loves the pressure. Kissing me hard and deep, she's encouraging me.