Page 175 of Push

What if he’s disappointed…?

“Where’d you go?” Toby asked, arching up to capture my mouth in another kiss. “Stay here with me.” He nuzzled his nose into my cheek. “Talk to me… Tell me what’s happening in that big brain of yours.”

“What if…” My breath hitched from the fear of his rejection. “You don’t like me…now?”

“Oh…Now?”As he dusted kisses down my neck, his fingers curled around my wrist, pulling my hand to touch the front of his pajama bottoms.

Oh.

That wasnota small bulge straining against the cotton.

“Does that answer your question?” he murmured. “It should. I love every bit of you,Gwendolyn.” My name rumbled from his lips in a low, gravelly rasp, a spark shooting up my spine.

“What about my, um… pinky toe?”

I felt Toby’s smile against the crook of my neck. “Yeah, especially that crooked toe. Gorgeous.” He nipped a gentle bite. “Tell me another thing you like about me.”

I walked my fingers from the safety of his thigh to brush over the hard line of his cock through his pajamas. “You have pretty eyes.” My hand wrapped around the bulge, claiming him with a lingering squeeze.All mine…

He growled against my shoulder. “Gwen.” His palm clamped down just as possessively on my ass.

“Mmm?”

“Are you intent on corrupting my virtue, my lady?” His tone was teasing, but he almost whispered the words against my skin. He feared my rejection as much as I feared his. It had been so long since we’d done this. Too much of his confidence had been battered.

“Why, yes.” I bit back a smile. “But your warrior queen is a little, um…” The awkwardness hit hard—roleplay wasnotmy thing. I slipped a tentative hand past the waistband of his pants,and my fingertips skimmed the hot skin waiting underneath. “I’m a little rusty when it comes to seducing handsome knights.”

“Fear not.” He gasped in a breath when I gripped him hard. “You’re doing…” His head fell back against the pillows, and he moaned without any shame as my hand slid up and down his thick shaft.

I smiled at him sweetly. “Yes?”

“Fine,” he bit out. “You’re doing just fine.”

“Only fine?” I let go of him and slipped my hand free from the cotton. “Can I do better, Sir Knight?” I tugged at the waistband of his pajama bottoms. “Would my mouth do better at soothing the terrible ache in this, er…throbbing appendage?”

I was mortified by how ridiculous I felt, but Toby groaned. His big hand latched onto my wrist to stop me from shimmying any more of the striped cotton down his hips. “Gwen, you don’t have to.”

I bit my lip. “Am I doing it wrong?”

“No, this is fun. You’re brave and sexy. But you don’t have to do this.” His eyes darted to his groin. “Orthat.”

Hurt knotted around my heart. Iwasdoing it wrong. “I’m trying to make you feel good,” I said, disappointment lowering my voice to a whisper. Wasn’t that enough?

“AndIlike makingyoufeel good.”

“Makingyoufeel good makesmefeel good.”

He gently combed his fingers through my hair and tucked the strands behind my ear. “Really?” His eyes were still uncertain.

Shy, I nodded. Didn’t he know that? We were so out of practice. Sex had always been effortless. Well, except for the first time, which had started clumsy and full of nervous laughs but ended with the two of us staring at each other with the biggest smiles on our faces. I wanted that ending again.

Cautiously, I reached out, my hand snagging the bottom of his shirt. “Why don’t we try removing this armor?” I pushed up the cotton but stalled.

I darted my tongue over my lips. So much bare skin was exposed now. Toby ended up yanking his shirt over his head because I was too distracted, tracing slow, teasing paths down the rugged ridges of muscle and over the light patch of hair smattered on his pecs. My pulse quickened.Just a little taste…

His breath sucked in when I dipped my head to kiss the spot over his heart. The clean scent of hotel soap clung to his chest, not his usual sexy cologne, but he still smelled so good.

“Do you like my body, Gwen?” His voice was low and still a little hesitant.

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