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“You keep hurting me Shane. It has to stop. I don’t want to wake up every morning wondering if this is the day when you’re going to hurt me again. I can’t live like that.”
I give up and tug her completely into my arms. “Veronica wasn’t actually with me. She’d attached herself to me not five minutes before.” I kiss the top of her head. “Sleep on what I’ve told you and we’ll talk in the morning.”
“You’re going to stay?”
“Unless you ask me to leave.”
“I’m comfortable with you here. I shouldn’t be after everything, but I am. You mean something to me.”
My heart pounds. “You mean something to me as well, Sofia.” I kiss her brow. “I’ll hold you while you sleep.”
Eventually her breathing evens out and I’m left wondering about what I’m going to do. I want nothing more than to keep Sofia with me, and especially to stop screwing up. But heck if I know how to do a relationship. The only relationships I’ve ever witnessed have been those that my mother has had over the years. She isn’t the example I want to follow. She’s also the one person I want to keep away from Sofia. My mother has made it clear about how she feels about ‘the baker’ so nothing good would come out of that meeting.
Sofia feels perfect against me while she sleeps, and I’m hoping this really is the start of something with her. Because I realize at the thought of losing her that she’s gotten under my skin and, I want her for as long as I can have her. Hopefully I won’t ever have to give her back.
11
Sofia
Waking to an early morning sunrise, I sigh softly against Shane’s chest. The early hours of the morning come back to me and I’m sad. I wonder what it had been like for Shane having to raise his sister. How hard it must have been to keep food on the table. What damage had his mother caused with her leaving?
I snuggle more deeply against Shane and hear a deep rumble in his chest as he wakes and realizes where he is. Part of me is wondering if he’ll freak and leave, but the other half, the one that wants so much with this man, hopes he stays and proves to me that the weekend we spent together wasn’t a fluke—that he wants to be with me in this way. I want to believe in him.
His arms tighten around me and my heart settles into a gentle rhythm. Shane moves us so that we’re lying on our sides and I’m completely wrapped up in him. Our legs are intertwined, and our arms are around each other. Our bodies press together and every part of his hardness is against my softness. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this content before.
We’d slept in the same bed and just held each other, nothing more and nothing less, and it was amazing.
“I’m not going anywhere, Sofia,” Shane whispers, looking directly into my eyes. He smiles softly. “I’d be surprised if you didn’t expect me to run again, but I’m not.” He sighs, and guides my head back into the curve of his shoulder. “We’re going to talk over breakfast and you, my beautiful girl, are going to help me be a better boyfriend.” He smirks. “Boyfriend, or lover—which do you prefer?”
I kiss his chest and peek up at him. “I prefer boyfriend. I haven’t had one before.”
“Boyfriend it is.” The serious look on his face wipes the joy from mine. “I haven’t had a girlfriend before either.” He brushes a finger along my lips, and I feel his body react when a slight breathless gasp leaves my mouth. “I want you with me for my sister’s wedding, and whatever else that entails. Then afterwards, we’re going to spend time together away from everyone and let our relationship develop in a way that I’m not going to screw up.” He smirks. “Call me on it if I do. Wherever we are, whatever we’re doing, you tell me, and trust me when I say the only woman I want is you. I won’t stray, Sofia.”
“I think we need to start from the beginning with no sex.”
He stills and groans, the evidence of his arousal pressing against my thigh. “Are you teasing me?”
He wishes. “No. I’m serious. We are going to get to know each other with dates. I don’t expect wining and dining, but any outing is classed as a date. So a picnic, the museum, the coast.” I push myself up and look into Shane’s eyes. “I want to spend time with you, and maybe if we do it this way, you won’t feel pressured, and maybe you’ll be more relaxed and accepting.”
His eyes search mine while he thinks about what I’ve said and then a slight curve reaches his mouth. “I’d like to spend any time I can with you, Sofia…and as much as it’s going to pain me, I’m totally okay with the no sex.”
Teasing, I press against him. “Are you sure about that?”
“God, woman!” He slams his eyes shut and rolls to his back, not caring that his erection is visibly hard and thick behind his zipper. “You’re going to kill me.” He smiles, giving me a sidelong look. “But you’re worth it, and I’d love to spend time with you anyway I can.”
“Then let’s start with breakfast.” I lean forward and kiss his lips, hovering and before I can change my mind I admit, “I just want you Shane. You already know that you have the power to hurt me. So that should give you an idea as to just how much I care about you.”
“I’ve never been so tangled up in a woman before, so the fact that I keep coming back to you, should tell you just how much I care about you.” He cups the nape of my neck and brings me closer to his waiting lips. “I’m falling in love with you,” he whispers against my lips before capturing my surprise in his mouth.
My whole body melts into his as my need to get closer to him overwhelms me. I roll on top of his hard and aroused body, regretting telling him no sex when I feel how thick and pulsing his penis is. Me wiggling around isn’t helping him any. I moan and gasp when his large hands clamp on my bottom, preventing me from moving.
Shane pulls his mouth from mine, his breathing heavy. “Stop moving on me.” He closes his eyes. “Breakfast.” He gently moves me to my side
of the bed and slowly moves into a sitting position. “I’m going to head home to eat and shower otherwise I’m going to be having you for breakfast.” He winces, getting to his feet as he rearranges the bulge in his pants. “After work, I’m going to take you on our first date.” He quickly leans in and slaps a kiss to my lips. “Dress warmly.” He heads toward the bedroom door and says over his shoulder, “And no, we’re not going on a picnic.”
The door closes and moments later I hear the apartment door click into place. I fall back into the pillows with a smile on my face, until of course I glance at the time on my phone, which gets me moving.
12
