Page 105 of The Sun and Her Star

Her tongue slides against mine and slips into my mouth and the kiss takes on a life of its own.

I slide my mouth down her chin, suck her jaw, and pepper kisses all over her face.

“Oh my God. I need more of your mouth. Kiss me,” she groans as her hands spear into my hair and she tries to pull me back up to her lips. I give her what she’s demanding, but just long enough to nip her supple top lip.

“Hey!” our driver’s voice breaks through our lust-soaked haze. We jump apart and turn to face him. He’s pulled over and has turned around to glare at us.

“You two need to get out of my car. You can’t do that in here.” He points to the door.

“Oh my God.” Apollo covers her hand with her mouth and shoots me a wide-eyed look of mortification. I just open the door and slide out. She leans forward and speaks to him through the separating glass. “Sir, we aresosorry. I’ve never done anything like that.” Apollo’s protests are futile.

“Yeah right. First time for everything I guess.” He turns around and unlocks the door. “Goodnight.”

We share a wide-eyed grimace and hop out. He pulls away as soon as I swing the door shut. We look at each other and burst out laughing.

“Oh my God. He’s going to give me a negative rating,” Apollo groans when she finally gets her laughter under control.

“Yup, probably.” I chuckle. “Are we close enough to just walk?”

“Yeah, come on. I’m starving now.”

Even as the seemingly endless rush of people surrounds us, I stop and hold her jacket open for her to put on.

“You’re such a gentleman,” she drawls, before she turns away and then slips her arms into the jacket. Her ponytail is stuck inside her collar and I reach inside to pull it out and let her hair fall through my fingers as I lay it onto her back. “That kiss was nice, Apollo,” I tell her, placing a light kiss to her temple.

“Yes, it was,” she says, and then slips an arm around my waist. I pull away and stand to face her.

“What is it?” she asks, concern on her face. I take her chin between my fingers and bring her face up to mine. I look into those eyes

“I don’t want stolen moments in the back of a car. I don’t want to touch you and then send you home. Let’s hang out, eat dinner, be friends. But I’m not here just to finger fuck you and steal kisses. I’m here to win you over and then ride off into the sunset with you.”

She opens her mouth to complain. I hold up a hand to silence her.

“Listen, I get it. You need time. You’re not sure. I need to prove myself.”

“Let’s just spend time together? Okay?” She moves to put her arm around my waist again, and I step back. I need her to see that I’m serious.

“That’s fine. But, you don’t get to work out your attraction to me while all of that is still unresolved. So, no come-hither looks. No kissing,” I say even though it kills me to know I won’t taste those sweet lips until she tells me she’s ready to be mine.

The kisses we share mean something to me, and I don’t want them to feel like random hookups.

“Okay. That sounds fair,” she says with an uncertain smile.

My smile is genuine and wide. I know I probably don’t deserve what I’m asking for. I’ve done so many things I’m not proud of. Things I hope I never have to tell her. But, I love this woman. I know that she loves me. Until the day I die, I’ll work my ass off to make her feel like I’m worthy of her trust. She wraps her arm around my waist. I rest mine across her shoulders. We turn and walk in silence the rest of the way to the restaurant.

Lies

Apollo

“I didn’t think you were serious, Reena,” I call out to my friend from my perch in the waiting area of the dressing rooms at Henri Bendel’s.

“Why not? I’m serious. I want to be ready when I meet my future husband,” she says, her voice straining and muffled.

“What are you trying on now?” I call out. I’m ready to go.

“You’re always ready to go. I’ve never met a girl who hated shopping as much as you do,” she says with disgust.

“It’s a waste of time. ThankGodI brought this book.” I reach into my purse and pull out my kindle and open it.

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