Page 50 of Just A Little Magic

His thumb had migrated down the side of my face, and now he stroked along my jawline before moving to trace my lips. I didn’t mean to do it, but they parted and an involuntary sigh escaped. It almost didn’t seem real. I’d spent so many years wanting his exact moment, and I was too scared to move.

“Babe, I can feel you thinking. Was there something you wanted to say to me?”

My eyes fluttered shut because the effort to keep them open was too great. My head swayed into his hand because my neck muscles weren’t working properly either. He gently placed his hand on the back of my head and drew me close to him.

“Maybe something you wanted?” Barrett leaned forwardacross the console, and his nose nuzzled against the shell of my ear.

I shuddered at the fluttery sensation that racked my body. When his lips touched the column of my neck, the whimpers I’d swallowed before came in a rush. I felt his smile against my skin and warmth seeped into every cell in my body.

This was wrong on some level, I knew that, but here in the front seat of the car, while the rain drizzled around us, it felt perfect. We were in our own little cocoon, hoping to turn into butterflies.

His lips’ exploration followed the path of his thumb. Each caress thawed my reservations a tiny bit more. How could something that felt so incredible be destined to end in frustration and disappointment? My brain wasn’t braining anymore because my nerve endings were all preoccupied with the gentle fingers gliding across my body and the pressure of his hands on me.

“It’s okay, babe. You can tell me what you want.” The seductive tone said he knew the conflict he caused in me. The chuckle that followed said he liked it.

“You’re so goddamn beautiful. And so fucking talented. It doesn’t seem real that after all this time, I get to touch you.” A moan was my only response. “Babe, you gotta tell me. I need to know you’re okay with all of it.”

Rather than answer, I moved my hand to his shirt and slid up his chest and neck until I reached the nape. Once there, I tangled my fingers through his hair and maneuvered his mouth close to mine. Rather than answer directly, I uttered a guttural moan before I kissed him. No finesse. No sweet request for a good-night kiss. Nope, I pressed my lips to his and slipped my tongue inside.

It may have been rude, but Bear must have been okay with it because he reciprocated immediately. Our tongues strokedagainst each other in a tangled dance. He allowed me to explore every bit of his mouth and then did the same to mine. Our tastes mingled, and thank goodness he’d had onions for dinner too, though it didn’t seem to matter now.

Long before I’d gotten my fill, I drew back to look at him and said, “I hope that answers your question.”

He rewarded me with a lopsided grin that went straight to my chubbed dick.

“It helps, but I think I’m going to need a little more information.”

He moved forward and nosed the base of my throat before moving along to the front. When I groaned, he began to alternate between nips and licks along my Adam’s apple.

“You might need to answer a few more times before I’ve gotten it down,” Barrett said.

The more he touched me, the more my brain lost function.

“I-I-I don’t mind,” I stammered.

I hated the feeling of loss when he pulled away. Now that I’d had a taste of him, I wanted more. I knew I’d be insatiable, but I had a feeling Bear wouldn’t mind too much.

“Babe, we better get inside. Elizabeth is waiting up for you.” He glanced toward the house, and I followed his gaze.

Sure enough, Elizabeth sat prettily framed in the window, watching us. Her head was cocked to one side like she had questions. Well, lucky for her, she wouldn’t need to worry about finding herself a guy. Or girl. I didn’t know if cats could be gay. Although if penguins and giraffes could be gay, there was no reason cats couldn’t be. I shook my head at my own tangent and moved to open the car door.

“Babe, what are you doing?” Bear’s voice was all growly, and damned if my dick didn’t swell just a bit more.

I glanced around the interior of the car. My hand was on the handle. It felt self-explanatory. “Opening the door?”

“When have you ever opened a door in my car?” Barrett looked offended that I’d even considered getting out on my own. This part wasn’t new. He’d been opening my door since we’d met. He didn’t do it for anyone but me, his mom, and the person he was dating. He claimed it was best-friend privilege. “Don’t move.”

I sat back and waited for him to come around and open my door. It was silly and sweet and had always made me feel swoony. Most likely, it was just the Daddy in him, but I liked it. I’d heard my friends or cousins complaining about how their spouses became less romantic as their relationship progressed.

Although we’d never been romantic—well, with one obvious exception—Bear had always been a sweet one. He never forgot my birthday. He opened all the doors. He made an effort to find the perfect Christmas present. He volunteered to go on art walks with me because he knew I always wanted to use original art in my designs.

After Bear collected me from the car, we walked into the house. Elizabeth had repositioned herself on the chair by the door and waited with insistent meows for her obligatory strokes.

I picked her up and immediately snuggled her close. Bear lay one arm across my shoulder and used his other hand to pet Elizabeth. The ending effect was him cuddling us both, and I couldn’t stop myself from moving deeper into his embrace. His arm tightened around me, and I felt the soft brush of his lips as he kissed the top of my head. Head kisses? How could I be expected to remain rational when that was on the table? Impossible.

“As much as I want to continue what we started in the car, I think we should take a step back and have a real conversation about what tonight means.” Bear’s tone was regretful, whichwas gratifying because I was petty like that. “But just so we’re clear, I’m taking the month.”

“Are we making a mistake?” The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them.

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