Page 77 of Almost Perfect
Decadent. That was the word forher. Everything she did felt like an indulgence just to be around. I grunted a short agreement, then shoveled another spoonful into my mouth, not sure what I could say in response.
“Can I try something?”
Her voice had dropped lower than the last time she spoke, and something about it sent my pulse racing.
“Sure.”
She took another bite and set her bowl on the coffee table. Then she tookmybowl and set it on the coffee table.
My heart sprinted now, and I hoped my breathing didn’t sound as loud in the room as it did in my head.
She pushed up onto her knees, then straddled me faster than I could’ve anticipated. My breath rushed out and my hands rose to her sides just as she lowered her mouth to mine. She tasted like dessert, cold and hot swirled together, vanilla and chocolate.Opposites.
She tasted so damn good, I groaned, and she let out a sound too. Her hands slipped into my hair and her nails scratched against my scalp, sending a shudder through me.
“You’re so ridiculously handsome, Wyatt.” She whispered this, like it was a secret she wanted me to keep.
“You’re killing me,” I said, then found her mouth again. And I didn’t stop there. I pulled her close, then slipped my hands under her sweater to that stretch of skin exposed by her silly half shirt.
She arched into the contact, deepened the kiss, and things erupted into a frantic, blazing series of sensations that turned my mind to mush. I couldn’t have said how long we drew closer and kissed like there was no tomorrow, but when we finally broke apart, we were both breathing heavily.
“What was it you were trying?” I asked, smiling at how her hair had come loose from her braid and her eyes still had that heated, yearning look in them.
Her eyes narrowed just a touch, and she set her hand between my pecs over the thin material of my T-shirt. She had to feel my heart, still a kick drum beat just to the left of her warm palm.
“I wanted to see if you’d run away again.”
THIRTY-THREE
Calla
Wyatt’s Adam’s apple shifted as he swallowed, but he didn’t shrink away from me. From my implied question.
I still sat astride him, essentially pinning him down. I’d wanted to be close to him, yes, but I also wanted to make clear that I wanted this. There’d be no way he could be confused about that or set me gently away like he had however many times to date.
His muscular chest felt amazing under my hand, but it was that pounding heart that made my own clutch. Being close to him had become more and more essential. Every minute I had with him demanded another.
“I haven’t been running away, have I?” He looked truly distressed by this thought.
“Running awaymight be a bit dramatic, but… yes. That’s what it’s felt like, at least.”
I hoped he’d hear me out and not avoid this. We’d had great conversations over the last few weeks, but Wyatt wasn’t all that verbose. I just hoped he’d help me understand.
One of his large, beautiful hands rose up from my waist to cup my cheek. “I’m sorry I’ve made you feel bad. I don’t know what I’m doing. I want you more than I’ve wanted anyone, but I can’t have you. There’s a pretty insane tension to any moment like this because of that.”
His thumb arced over the apple of my cheek. My mind reached for something beyond simply saying,“If you want me, take me!”because that was what half of my brain was screaming. But the other half heard the most important part of his statement—he didn’t think he could have me. Not because of who I was, if I had to guess, but because of what he wanted.
“For the record, youcanhave me. But I’m guessing this has less to do with any given moment and more to do with what happens after.”
He nodded once. “You’ll leave.”
My turn to swallow down reassurances that might try to tumble out, because at some point, I had to, despite my denying it. Didn’t I?
I’d gone back and forth about that a thousand times. I loved it here. Yes, right here, in Wyatt’s lap, but also here in Silverton. In the mountains that I suspected were sewn into my DNA at birth. I felt vital and free here.
I ducked my head to level our eyes. “I don’t know exactly what will happen, but I can tell you with all honesty I want to stay. I want to so much it hurts, and like I told you, I’m trying to figure out what it’d look like.”
He studied me, maybe looking for signs of veracity or simply absorbing the moment. My hand on his chest slipped down to the top of what I’d recently discovered were some truly magnificent abs. No real surprise since Wyatt was exacting with himself in a way that no doubt translated to his fitness. Plus, I didn’t totally understand what he did, especially now that he’d “stepped back” from his business, but he didn’t exactly live a sedentary life.
