Page 52 of Last One Standing
He chuckled, and the sound went right to my heart. “Glad you think so.” He adjusted his posture and I went to lift off him, but he lightly grabbed my wrist. “You don’t have to leave.”
“I…well, I mean, I figured you’d want to get up. It’s morning.”
His gaze went to the window, where the sun was sneaking through the curtain. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep in your bed. I’m sorry if that made you uncomfortable.”
My word, he was going to make me come from kindness. “It was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded. “Can I ask you a question?”
“You can.”
“If I moved in subtly, angled my head ever so slightly, and pressed my lips to yours, would you be grossed out?”
The corner of his lips curled up. “A kiss. Are you asking if you can kiss me, Kona?”
“I’d really like to, but I understand if you’re not into that, or me, or whatever.”
He reached out and delicately brushed his finger along my cheek. “If you kissed me, I’d kiss you back.”
“Great.” I slid off the bed…a little awkwardly since my body still hurt, and walked to the bathroom.
“Um,” I heard Angel speak loudly. “Was that the wrong answer?”
I grabbed my toothbrush, and another that was still wrapped, and put toothpaste on both.
“No, come here.”
I heard the rustling of the sheets. As soon as he popped into the bathroom, I thrust the toothbrush at him. “I don’t domorning breath, and I wouldn’t subject you to it either. Brush, then I’m going to explore that mouth of yours. Devour you like it’s the last supper.”
Angel snorted but he began brushing like it was his job.
Once we were minty clean I smiled at him, took his hand, and guided him over to the bed. If I was kissing this man, I was going to be comfy.
He didn’t say a word, simply grinned, almost indulgently, and allowed me to lead. That was a foreign concept to me. Brick had always taken control. Early in our relationship, when I’d actually craved his touch, he’d been the dominant. Later he became the aggressor. Angel wasn’t Brick, and I was sure he could no doubt manhandle me easily, but he wouldn’t do anything that made me uncomfortable.
“I’ve never prepared for a kiss like this before,” Angel joked and I chuckled.
“I’m building the suspense.”
He released a breathy laugh. “That suspense has been building since the first time I saw you on stage.”
Okay, for real, had anyone really ever come from kindness? I’d need to look that up. Later. Right now, I was done talking. I leaned in, and Angel met me halfway. His lips pressed against mine as soft as I’d knew they’d be.
He was tender, and while I wanted to push him down and fuck him into next week, my body was in no way ready for that. Instead, I cherished this moment. His tongue brushed along my lips and I opened for him, welcoming his taste, his air, every part he’d give me.
I hummed when he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer, careful of my ribs. I wanted to touch all of him, feel his skin under my fingers. For now, I settled on holding him as tightly as I could while he plundered my mouth perfectly. Hewas more exquisite than I thought he’d be, and I didn’t ever want this bubble we were in to burst.
“Please,” I whispered once we broke away for a breath.
“What do you want? Anything.”
“You, all of you, anything.”
His lips skimmed across my neck, barely-there kisses peppered fading bruises, and I wanted to weep at the reverence he had for me.
“Take from me, Kona, whatever you need.”
