Page 60 of Princess of Thieves

He hesitates, at first, then relaxes into it, his lips warm and eager, his hands finding my waist and small of my back. The brief brush of his skin on mine when he skims the hem of my top is like a lightning bolt straight to the center of me, and I pull him deeper, instinctively, both wanting more of the kiss and wanting what’s next, what else he can do to me...

...when he pulls away.

“I’m sorry,” he says, looking alarmed. “I’m...ah, Jesus.” He pulls back, fists a hand in his hair.

I frown, trying to calm my body back to baseline. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Tuck says, not meeting my eyes. “I mean...” His eyes widen. “Oh, no, notyou,Maren. You’re perfect. You’re beautiful. It’s just...I mean, I want to do whatever you want, but um. I’m...” He blows out a breath, stares at the ceiling again.

“I’ve never done this before?”

He says it like it’s a question.

“Kissed me?” I say, laughing. “Tuck, you were the first onehereto kiss me. Don’t think I forgot.”

“No,” Tuck says, tilting his head to the side. “I definitely haven’t, trust me. I mean...the other part. The...” He sucks in a breath. “I’ve never had sex before,” he blurts out.

No sooner are the words out than Tuck’s face goes brilliantly pink. It takes me a moment longer to process.

Oh.

Well, that explains a little more.

“So you’re a virgin?” I ask. Because based on what I’ve seen from him—what he’s done to me—this is not a man with no experience.

“Not in a...” he insists, then restarts. “I’ve done plenty of...stuff. I’m not totally, you know.” He stuffs his hands in his pockets. “Inexperienced. Or whatever. But if we’re being technical...” Tuck chews his lip. “Then...okay, yeah.” He sighs, slumps, folds his arms.

That explains the rest of it. The teasing from the others. Their little jokes as they left us alone. I want to roll my eyes if it wouldn’t come off rude in context here. Masculine bonding bullshit, I think. I’m sure they meant it lovingly, as lovingly as guys get with each other, but still. Give the guy a break.

“Hey, hey, hey.” I sidle up to him, thread my hand into his, and pull myself up so I’m whispering in his ear. “I don’t care. I think it’s sweet.”

His cheeks flush, if possible, even redder.

“Yeah,” he mumbles back. “Thanks. I just...you know, high school I was kind of a dork, and then college I was so busy, and then I ended up here after like a year anyway so I didn’t...” He swallows. “Get out much. Or something.”

“It’s fine,” I say, stepping back a little. “You don’t need to explain to me. I get it.”

“Right,” Tuck says, fidgeting with his hands. “But you’re...I mean you’re not. Haven’t been. So...”

That much is true, I guess. An otherwise forgettable incident with a guy named Carson at the one and only party I ever attended in high school. In hindsight, I probably only liked him because he literally hadcarin his name.

“Not that I’d ever judge you,” Tuck says quickly, and holds me at arm’s length. “That’s not what I—”

“Aw, Tuck.” I pull back and stroke his cheek. I can’t help it—he looks so sweet and shy.

“I just mean you don’t...” he half-protests, mumbling into my fingers as he presses my hand to his face in spite of himself. “You don’t have to pity me. I’m sure it’ll be, you know. Awkward and weird and...” He hesitates, and I hold still, hold my breath, for a beat. “You know. Not like you’ve had around here. With the rest of them.”

As he says it, his body slackens a little, like he’s finally admitted something.

And it’s all I can do not to melt.

Gentle, kind, Tuck, the nerdy sweetheart with a gift in the kitchen who doesn’t seem to realize he’s in the body of a Greek God—of course he’d be harboring some self-consciousness, especially as a virgin. Especially around these guys.

No, he’s not a swaggering gentleman like Rob or a smooth charmer like Will or a...wall of muscle and barely contained aggression like LJ. But he’s himself, warm and giving and attentive, and right now, that’s all I want.

Plus, he knows his way around a woman’s body, whether he realizes it or not.

“Look, Maren, you don’t have to humor me. Or any of them,” Tuck hurries on. “We can just call it a night and...”

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