Page 28 of Bartholomew
His heavy sigh spoke volumes. Only, I didn’t know what those volumes were. Exasperation? Frustration? Annoyance?
“Would you like to know what I see when I look at you? Would you like my full honesty?” His questions lingered for only a second before I erupted into nervous giggles.
“Are you kidding me?” He shook his head. “No! No, no, no! Absolutely not. That would be… the absolute worst.” I waved my hands in front of me to drive my point home. With a heavy sigh, he clapped his hands down onto the tops of his thighs and stood.
His eyes found mine, and I couldn’t look away.
He walked towards me slowly, his eyes on mine the entire time, to the point that I had to look up when he stopped in front of me. The crook of his finger found my chin, holding me there.
“Do not be self-deprecating. Do not put yourself down. This is the first rule I will put down for you in this house. Understand that I will always tell you the truth. I will always expect the truth.”
His words held me captive. My mouth felt dry. Nothing could have torn me away from his gaze at that moment.
“What I see when I look at you, Delilah,” he began, his hand cupping my jaw, his thumb brushing over my cheekbone. “Is a strong woman. Not just your physical strength, but your emotional fortitude. Don’t think it goes unnoticed. Not by me. I see more than you will ever comprehend. Because when I look at you, Delilah, I see you. All of you. Just as you are. I see how smart you are. And I see how you try to hide that. I see how underneath all that fear and self-doubt, you’re funny. Quite witty, I have a feeling. If you’d only let that out. I see these beautiful cheekbones that flush when I compliment you. I see a smattering of freckles that show me where the sun has kissed your skin.”
If I could have melted into a puddle on the floor, I would have.
“Someday, Delilah, I will kiss every place the sun has touched you.” He leaned in, pressing the slightest of kisses to the tip of my nose as my eyes widened in surprise. “And every place the sun has never seen.”
Holy Lord on high!
Drawing in a gasp of air, I realized I had been holding my breath. I felt shaky, needy. I felt an ache deep within my core. I felt —
“What do you say we try that kiss again, lovely girl?” he whispered. I barely had time to nod before his lips were descending onto mine. But this was no kiss like before. No, this time, he took control.
And I let him.
His hand moved around the back of my neck, pulling me in and holding me exactly where he wanted me. His lips met mine, already parted and coaxing mine apart.
I gasped into his kiss, and he took advantage. His tongue slipped between my parted lips, filling me with a hunger that surpassed any I had felt.
The groan that reverberated in his chest ricocheted into my own.
His hand moved down my neck to my arms, down to my wrists. Taking one in each hand, he brought my hands to his chest, encouraging me to touch him.
I was sure he could feel me shaking, but I let my hands move, sliding up the muscled length of his chest and to his strong shoulders. He was so strong. More than he looked.
His own hands found me again, one placed on the back of my neck as before, the other wrapping around my lower back and pulling me into him.
That heat that had pooled in my lower belly before scorched me now. I couldn’t stifle the soft groan as our bodies came into contact.
His lips moved over mine, coaxing my own to move in tandem. I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t care.
My hands wrapped around the back of his neck, and I lost myself in his kiss.
I felt like we were moving faster and faster towards some unknown goal.
Faster.
His tongue flicked against my own.
Faster.
My tongue tasting his lower lip and moving beyond.
Faster.
His teeth catching my lower lip between his and sliding over the sensitive skin until I swore I could feel that same touch on several points of my body.
