Page 104 of Aftersome
My head tilted to the side as I cupped her cheek again.
“You don’t need to worry about what I think. I don’t think any differently of you. If anything, I feel…” The words started to fall off my tongue as a wave of hesitation hit me head-on.
“Feel what?” She searched my eyes again, begging, pleading for me to finish what I was saying.
“I feel…” I swallowed, taking in this amazing, brave woman who even at her worst, was and still is the most beautiful soul in the world. I wanted to be courageous like her.
Fearless.
Before I said any more, I made sure her full attention was on me. I needed her eyes, her everything. “I feel like I’ve known you my whole life, Doe,” I admitted.
Her mouth opened on a short gasp from my confession. Even her chest had expanded as if the intensity of my words had hit her hard, but it was the way her eyes softened that made me aware that this wasn’t one-sided.
With my hand still cradling her cheek, I noticed she was slowly closing the distance between us. Her chest rising and falling as she did so.
“Tell me this is a bad idea and it shouldn’t happen,” she begged as her gaze fell onto my lips.
“Fuck no.”
I caressed her cheek as a single tear fell from her eye.
“Tell me you don’t want to kiss me.”
My heart crashed violently against my chest. I could practically feel the warmth of her breath brushing against my quivering mouth.
I was a goner.
So gone.
So hers.
I knew I was undeniably and utterly fucked.
“I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long fucking time, Doe. Now please let me.”
Then like a bolt of lightning that had just crashed, I yanked her down onto my mouth. Lips smashing, hearts hammering, I put everything I had into the kiss.
Her unworldly soft mouth matched mine in tempo, slow at first, as if savoring this moment.
Memorizing.
Learning.
And when that wasn’t enough, she began to take the lead with stronger, more confident kisses that had me spiraling.
Fuck right or wrong, there was nothing wrong about this kiss. Nothing wrong about how perfect it felt to have her in my arms as we finally gave in to whatever this was.
Moving the hand I had on her face, I supported the back of her head with my palm, directing her where I wanted her. Then with the other hand, I laid it across her thigh.
Squeezing.
Feeling.
She tried shifting herself up more toward my body, as if she wasn’t already close enough to me.
She wanted to be closer.
Every part of her wanted to be flush against me.
