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My delicate fingers rode up his chest and wove round his neck. “God, I hope so.” I brought his head closer to mine and kissed him. Hard.
He was stunned. I felt it in his kiss.
His hesitation only lasted a fraction of a second before he wrapped me into his strong arms and threw his weight into the meeting of our lips. So many sensations hit me at once. He tasted like bourbon, smelled like sin, and kissed me like a devil guaranteed to break my heart. There was no letting go, however. Not from me. After having a taste of him on the island, I wanted to have the rest of him inside me.
I opened to the swipe of his tongue and lifted on my tiptoes to taste. There were no careful languishing movements… both of us were much too anxious to feel the next zip of pleasure. Raymond ran a hand down the length of my back and back up to catch in my hair.
He released my lips to say, “Let this down, I want to see you with it down.”
I opened my eyes to see his hooded gaze.
With both hands, I released the clip and comb holding my hair. It cascaded over my shoulders in a wave. He growled and pushed both hands into it, his eyes focused on his own hands as they ran through the silky length. With both hands holding my face, he finally met my eyes. ”With every touch, I still can’t get enough of you. You’re an addiction I don’t want to get over.”
I didn’t have to respond, not that I knew what to say after his confession. He dragged his lips across mine in what felt like desperation.
“What have you done to me?” he asked with ragged breath.
When I let one hand fall to his hip, the other to his ass. Raymond pressed me against the massive window and gathered my hands in his. He lifted them above my head and leaned into me, from shoulder to knee. It was as if he was controlling his own ability to slow this down by keeping me from touching him.
It was frustrating and erotic.
Though we were both fully clothed, the extent of his desire pressed low on my belly, close but not close enough.
Raymond continued kissing me, hot, urgent kisses that left me utterly breathless.
With my hand inoperable, I ran my leg up his.
He tore his lips away. “It’s incredibly frightening for me to be entirely consumed by emotions for one woman. It’s new terrain for me, and I’m trying to fight off the old feelings of fear and cowardice by reminding myself that you’re worth it.”
I studied his face as he spoke. He had tensed, fine lines creased his forehead. I sensed he was about to talk about something difficult.
“My father let me down when I was eight by selling me off to offset his gambling debts. My mother just stood there and watched, unable to fight back. She could have come back to get me, but she never did. Even at the tender age of eight, I knew enough to finally learn that you trust no one, least of all family.
“Did you ever try to escape from the monastery?” I asked softly.
“I did. Once. But I never got far. The streets were cold and even more brutal to a young child like me. A week after I came back, I was punished by being denied of food and was beaten for three days.
“Oh my God,” I gasped as tears welled up in my eyes.
“That only taught me to plan my next escape carefully and by age fifteen, I attempted it again. I stole money from the head monk, packed a bag and climbed a bus to the city. I was determined to prove them all wrong, and I did.” He smiled grimly.
“You endured so much.” I lifted both hands to my face and shook my head, unable to bear the thought of him feeling alone at such a young age.
My eyes filled with tears. “You must have been so afraid and so lonely.”
“At a certain age, I was.”
It explained so much about him. “It’s no wonder you don’t trust anyone.”
“Shhh,” he whispered putting his fingers on my lips.
“I didn’t. Past tense. No longer. You’ve shown me the beauty of love and trust. I’m incredibly grateful for you, Sophie. I never had any reason to change my view until I met you.”
My heart thudded against my chest as he made his confession.
“I love you, Sophie Adams, and I hope I will get as much chance to prove that to you every day as you have shown me. I wish to make it official now, will you be my girlfriend?”
I cupped his face in my hands, drinking in the sight of him. I loved him, I loved him so much. This man who’d stolen my heart at first sight. I tried to speak but the words got stuck somewhere in my throat, so I nodded as I tried vainly not to let the tears drop.
