Page 80 of In Step

His eyes widened. “Really? Shit, sorry.” He strained to look around the room. “They’re still not back?”

“Not yet. And no apology needed. You’re pretty damn cute when you’re sleeping, all snuffly and black bear grumbly.”

His cheeks above his dark scruff washed pink. “I do not snuffle and I’m not a bear.”

“Mm-hmm. You just keep telling yourself that.”

He rested his cheek on his hand and stared at me with gentle eyes. “How are you feeling?”

I rolled my eyes and bopped his nose. “Sore, in the best possible way. That was... well, it was pretty fucking awesome.Youwere awesome. I think my good-fuck cherry has been well and truly popped.”

His brow creased. “I don’t know why I said that. I didn’t mean it to sound like you’d never had good sex be—”

“Shh.” I pressed a finger to his lips. “I might’ve had sex before, but I’ve never had someone take care of me like that, and I’ve never been with someone I care so much about, either. Those are the very best cherries ever to be popped.” I took a deep breath and he mirrored it. “And I’veneverbeen made love to.”

He never looked away, simply cradled my face and kissed each eyelid, then my nose, and then my mouth, languidly slipping his tongue between my lips to slide over mine in an erotic rush of sensation that had my cock perking up just as he pulled away.

“I wanted you to know how special you are,” he said, and something fluttered in my stomach. He got up on one elbow and looked down at me, his finger tracing the line of my lips. “You do things to me, Kane. Things I don’t know what to do with. This.” He waved a hand between us. “Us. This...feeling.This closeness we have. It’s all new to me.” The surprise must’ve shown on my face because his gaze slid from mine to his finger tracking the length of my collarbone and back. “I’ve gone out of my way to avoid being...entangledwith anyone. I choose my partners carefully. I make sure there’ll be no trouble either side when I leave, as I inevitably do.”

I bit back a hopeful smile. “Are you saying you’re entangled with me?”

He rolled his eyes and groaned, falling onto his back. “God help me, yes.”

My heart did a little happy dance, but all I did was shake my head in amusement. “Well, disregarding the palpable and somewhat discouraging distress that went along with that admission, I’m gonna take it as a good sign.” I leaned forward and pecked his lips. “Because I am so fucking entangled with you, Abe Tyler, they’ll be naming a whole shibari knot system after me.”

He laughed but it sounded slightly forced. “But you’re only just—”

I stabbed my finger into his chest, and he winced. “So help me, if you’re about to say I only feel this way because I wasn’t out until this morning or that you’re the first to treat me like they give a shit, I’ll test every one of those damn knots on your dick... while it’s hard.” I arched a brow.

He held up his hands. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry.”

“Good, because while those things are true, I’m not a child, Abe, and I know what I feel. In fact, I knowa lotabout sexwithoutfeelings, which kind of makes me an expert in recognising the difference, wouldn’t you say? And I wouldn’t have risked what we’ve done so far, risked my job and everything I have here without knowing something was very different about you.”

“I felt that too.” He stroked my cheek. “I guess I was half hoping that if you didn’t feel the same, then it would make things easier, because we both know where this is heading if we let it. But my job isn’t here, baby, and I’m not ready to give that up. At least not for awhat if,maybe,are we,aren’t weafter so short of a time.”

I leaned in and brushed my nose across his. “And I wouldn’t ask you to. I’m not ready to do anything crazy, either. I feel like I’m just about to get my life going for the first time, and a complicated relationship with a guy who doesn’t even live in the country was never part of that plan.”

He nodded. “So, what do we do? Because I’m a fucking selfish bastard, and for all this is going to screw with both of us, I don’t want to stop.” He shuddered and ducked his head. “God, did I just say that out loud?”

I laughed. “Uh-huh.”

He stared accusingly. “See, this is what you do to me.”

“Good, because neither do I. Want to stop, that is. But now that we’ve been all mature and shit and talked about stuff—” I ran a hand around the back of his neck and pulled him close. “—I have a suggestion.”

“Oh yeah?” Those grey and blue eyes wandered my face while clever fingers wrapped around my cock. “And what would that be?”

I nipped his nose. “I suggest we keep going and enjoy it while we have it, full throttle.”

He pulled back and gave a wry smile. “That sounds an awful lot like dating.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” I waggled my brows. “But dating with a time limit. We have four more weeks until you leave. Enough time to see if this thing between us has legs enough for another conversation, then.”

“How very... sensible of you.” His smile was full of affection. “I like it.”

I swallowed a grin. “I thought you might, Mr ‘I travel light with no baggage or attachments.’ On the other hand, it could be the stupidest idea ever. Like we need to get any deeper?”

“Right on both counts. But we’re still gonna do it because, apparently when it comes to you, I eat stupid for breakfast.” He hesitated for just a second. “I want this time with you, Kane, especially if we don’t have to hide.”

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