Page 93 of Cloudless
I huff out a laugh and groan combo as a piece of plastic sticks to my face like I’ve walked through a spider web. He doubles over with laughter as I try to blow another piece free from its prison in my hair.
The plastic taunts me as it flutters with my breath. In the low light, the movement produces a cascade of shimmering, iridescent sparkles. Our laughter fades as we watch the show. It’s amazing how something so simple can be so beautiful.
The awe in his voice draws my eyes to his. “I didn’t know it was possible for you to be more stunning.” I fight to keep my eyes from falling away from him. A smirk blooms on his face as he tilts his head to the side. “You don’t take compliments well, do you?”
I shake my head as I scrunch my nose. “It’s never really been my strong suit.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.” Thankfully, his eyes move away from the blush that’s taking over my face to the now plastic-free canvases on the table in front of us. “Alright, where do we start?”
I shrug as I look over all the painting supplies he just happened to have in his car. “I don’t know. You’re the one carrying around all the supplies.”
Now it’s his turn to blush. “Well, I, uh, wanted to have a backup plan for our first date in case it rained or something and we couldn’t go to our secret place.”
My eyebrows disappear into my hairline as I stare at this conundrum of a man in front of me. “You mean to tell me you’ve had this stuff in your Tahoe all this time?”
He shrugs as he rubs the back of his neck. “It’s not a big deal. I just wanted to make sure everything went okay.”
Anoofslips from his lips as I crash into him. He sits as still as a statue as I throw my arms around his neck in a crushing hug. I muffle my voice as I bury my face in his warm neck. “That is so sweet, Trouble.”
After a few seconds, his arms tighten around my back to mold me to his chest. “You deserve that and more. I hope you know that.”
I hope the wobble in my voice isn’t as obvious to him as it is to me. “I may need you to keep reminding me.”
His smile sends butterflies scattering through my belly. “It would be my pleasure.”
My smile doesn’t match the mock aggravation in my voice as I try to use my body to hide my canvas. “Stop peeking! It’s against the rules!”
His firm fingers dig into my side in an attempt to tickle me away from my spot at the dining table. “We agreed to not look ateach other’s paintings until we were done. Well, I’m done, so I’m going to look.”
My breathing comes in short bursts as I try to fight off his tickle assault. “Well, I’mnotdone! So, no peeking!”
The legs of the chair squeak against the floor with my jerky movements. I’m not a fool. I know he could move me if he wanted to. I’m still in my seat because he deems it so. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to fight like hell to stay here, anyway.
Our laughter dies and our movements halt as his warm fingers contact the bare skin of my stomach. The only sound blanketing the still room is our labored breaths and my heartbeat echoing in my ears.
Chills follow the path of his fingers as he traces the tiny gap that opened between my leggings and t-shirt during his assault. I fight my natural instincts to arch my back to encourage his exploration.
The gravel in his voice sends a shiver down my spine. “Do you want me to stop?” All I can manage is a shake of my head as his fingers stall their exploration. “I need your words, Sunshine.”
I struggle to swallow as I try to find my voice. “No. I don’t want you to stop.”
Without hesitation, his fingers slip farther up my stomach. His skin feels like the softest silk against mine despite the hard earned calluses that decorate his hand.
A shaky breath escapes my lips as he traces the edge of my leggings with a featherlight touch. His gentle touch turns to steel as both hands circle my waist. Cool air washes over my back as I’m lifted out of my warm seat. Empty paint tubes fall to the ground with a clatter as he places me on the table in front of him with impressive strength.
My legs open for him on instinct as he captures my mouth in a kiss that pulls the air from my lungs. We swallow each other's gasps as relief flows through me at having his lips on mine.
I can feel the warmth of his hands through the fabric as they glide against the hem of my shirt. His groan flows into me like life-giving water as his skin meets mine.
My legs close around his waist to trap him against me. His hardness rubs against the apex of my legs as a groan of frustration leaves my lips. The need for relieving pressure grows with every stroke of his fingers against my over-sensitive skin. And yet, his fingers haven't ventured any farther than the waistband of my leggings.
His lips break from mine as his harsh breaths flow over my face. I open my eyes to find his full of hesitation. His words come out in a rush as we try to catch our breath. “I need to tell you something.”
He follows the movement of my tongue against my lips as I try to wet them. “What is it?”
A blush creeps over his face. “I’ve never done this before. I mean, I’ve kissed other girls before you, and, uh,” his nose wrinkles, “done a few other things, but, um, I’ve never gone all the way.” He searches my face as he takes a tiny step back from me. My legs fall away as I clench my hands in my lap. “I just thought we should talk about that, you know, before things went any further.”
Surprise and relief flow through me in equal measure as a small smile lifts my lips. “So, you’re a virgin?”
