Page 12 of Autumn be His Wife
It’s understandable that he doesn’t expect my jerking limbs, but he doesn’t drop me, even when my thighs automatically hug his sides. Instead, he freezes.
It’s like I’m hugging a stiff tree, its trunk too thick.
We’re in public.
He stumbles only slightly, leaning forward. Thankfully, we don’t crash into the open cab. That would be far worse than him leaning more toward the closed door to the left.
The back door presses into my back as he steadies himself. It’s not the pinch of his brow that makes my heart crash hard, or the way his smile disappears.
It’s what I feel pressing against my inner thigh. What makes me realize what thissomethingis that I’ve been feeling, especially when he adds a little more pressure, like he’s seeking relief from the same thing warming my body.
If he just lifts me a little higher and turns just slightly, he’ll touch me in a place that needs the most attention.
“Sorry.” Whispering the word, I realize it’s a lie. It comes out so wobbly, so breathless.
I’m not sorry one bit.
His eyes lower like he’s realizing what position we’re in before a whispered curse leaves his lips. Remembering how to move, he doesn’t do what I want. Instead, he twists and plops me down on the passenger side like the goal originally intended to be.
He doesn’t address what just happened, but he doesn’t need to.
Lowering my eyes, I can see it. The outline of what was just digging into my thigh.Oh.
We’re both feeling this way.Aroused.
Unlike me, who isn’t thinking clearly and just wants to relieve this growing pressure between my thighs, he puts some distance between us.
Our earlier conversation picks the perfect time to replay in my mind. He’s got great self-control when it comes to holding himself back.
But me? I’m helpless when it comes to staying away.
5
Dusty
Even though I know I need to keep my distance from this woman, my strength dwindles. Especially after how I react each time I touch her, I know there’s no way around it.
I’m feeling like a ticking time bomb.
We’re on day three now. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think Piper was no longer worried about finding Julian. She seems quite satisfied staying right here in my cabin.
I should be bothered by it. Hell, I should be helping her out of my home and onto the next steps of her life, but that’s not what’s happening at all.
Today, I let her stay at home instead of dragging her to the clinic. Rather than using it as some kind of test to see if I could trust her or not, I simply couldn’t bring myself to disturb her sleep.
She’s not used to waking up early.
Now she’s welcoming Eli and me to a meal using ingredients she’s scavenged from the cabinet. I won’t lie, if she’s trying to convince me to let her stick around, she doesn’t have to go that far. In all truth, if she started packing her bags, I’d ask her to stay. Possibly beg.
Thankfully, neither of us has tried to break this pattern. Hell, I might let an entire week pass before I breathe a reminder about her arranged marriage or anything that deals with our current predicament.
Once our meal is shared, I’ve moved to clean up the aftermath, happy to wash the dishes while a conversation plays out at my back.
She’s sitting at the table with Eli as he works on his homework. He’s in amazement as he shoots equations at her in an attempt to show her that math without a calculator is too challenging. Unfortunately for him, she’s giving him the right answers from the top of her head while he continues to tap numbers on the small device.
“I’m really good with numbers.” She smiles sweetly at Eli as she huddles closer to him at the kitchen table. “Call it a hidden talent.”
I must admit, it is impressive to listen to her continue to amaze him. She’s not just humoring him; she’s enjoying the back and forth. Like she hasn’t had someone to show.
