“I guess we need to decide if we want to cross that line again,” he whispered, his eyes searching mine for an answer that I wasn’t sure I was ready to give.
I squeezed his hand gently, the answer forming on my lips. “Maybe we should just kiss,” I suggested. “Just see what happens when we do what we feel.”
“I’d like that,” he murmured, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “I’d like that a lot. No pressure.”
“Right. No pressure. No definitions. Just us, doing whatever we feel like. That’s okay, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” His voice rumbled from his chest as the space between us seemed to vanish.
He leaned in, and our lips met in a soft, exploratory kiss. His hand moved to cup my cheek, his fingers threading into my hair. The kiss deepened, our movements growing bolder, fueled by the unspoken understanding that this was right, even if it was still undefined.
Each touch, each caress, sent sparks through my veins. His hands found my waist, pulling me closer and anchoring me to him. I melted into his arms, exploring the contours of his back and the broad expanse of his shoulders.
When we finally pulled away, breathless and smiling, there was a new certainty between us.
No labels.
No promises.
Just the beautiful, intoxicating present.
His forehead rested against mine, and we stayed like that. Savoring the connection we had made.
“Wow.” I breathed, my heart racing.
“Yeah,” he agreed, his voice a soft rumble. “That was…”
“Amazing,” I finished for him, and he chuckled softly.
“Yes, amazing.”
His fingers traced the line of my jaw, and warmth spread through me. We didn’t need words, not when our silence spoke volumes.
“I’m going to the living room.”
“Stay,” I whispered, the word slipping out before I could stop it. His eyes searched mine, and the corner of his mouth lifted in a smile.
“For practice,” he asked, teasingly, though there was a hint of something earnest beneath his tone.
“For practice,” I echoed, trying to match his lightness, but my heart betrayed me, beating a staccato rhythm in my chest.
“I’ve been dying to do this again since the other night.”
He leaned in, his lips capturing mine in a kiss that was familiar, electrifying, and all that I could ever hope to feel.
He backed me against the wall, his leg slipping between mine. He had mentioned our kiss from the other night, but this kiss was nothing like that one. This time it was dominant, like he knew what he wanted. He’d gotten a taste before, but now he wanted it all.
His hands drift down my sides to grip my hips, pulling me tighter into his body. I was overwhelmed in the best way possible.
He stilled and inhaled hard, pulling away.
As if he could read my mind, he brushed the hair over my shoulders and kissed my forehead. “Tonight was a lot, sweetheart. Maybe I can just hold you while you sleep?”
I nodded, feeling the weight of the day settling over me. “Yes, I would really love that,” I murmured as he wrapped me in his arms, like a cocoon of safety and comfort. “Are you sure?”
“All I want is to be close to you, however you need me to be.”
He kicked off his shoes and we climbed beneath the covers, lying there as minutes turned into hours. I drifted off, feeling his hand occasionally smoothing over my back, a soothing gesture that lulled me further into sleep until I was out.