Page 31 of Tinder Embrace
Davis wrinkled his nose. "No."
"C'mon," I pleaded, batting my eyelashes for all I was worth. "Let me prove my point."
I turned on my music app, starting a soft ballad. I swayed, wincing when I put too much weight on my foot. Maybe I played up the pain a bit. Maybe.
Davis pushed to his feet with a grumble after I stumbled for a second time, and I held back my grin with effort. "Here," he sighed, extending his hands.
Unabashedly, I launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around his thick neck, letting him take the bulk of my weight.
Davis's lashes were impossibly long up close. His arms wrapped around me, bands of steel holding me upright. Part of me was tempted to let myself hang or wrap my legs around his waist, but I doubted Davis would buy that it was a new dance craze he'd missed. My sweet hermit might be out of touch with the latest trends, but he wasn't born yesterday.
I inhaled, letting my head fall to his shoulder, gazing adoringly up at him as he succumbed and started to sway from side to side. His hips rocked to the gentle beat, and I let myself go, enjoying the moment. Not even his frown could destroy my delight in being held inhis arms.
The soft cotton of my pajama bottoms scraped along the rougher fabric of his jeans. Suddenly, I was too warm in the brushed cotton, wishing I could strip down a layer. Willing myself into a less horny frame of mind was well and good in theory, but the reality of Davis pressed against me was more than my hormones could handle.
I lifted my chin, searching his gaze for something more than indulgence. Not that Davis wasn't sweet to accommodate my plea for a dance, but I wanted him to enjoy it too. His frown had softened into something approaching peace, and my heart stuttered. Maybe he wasn’t spinning and dipping me wildly, but his contentment, the way he made me feel cherished in his arms, sent a rush of emotion choking my throat.
Davis wasn’t showy, but he showed up for me. There was a subtle but important difference between the two, and I’d take his quiet strength over a charming flake any day.
Every day.
Forever.
Licks of flame lit me from the inside everywhere we touched. He'd cupped my hips with his palms, leaving me very aware of how close his fingers were to my thirstiest body parts. I'd let my fingers play at the nape of his neck, trying to keep things chaste. What I really wanted was to let them wander, down to that ass he didn't want anyone kissing. Before I could cross the line into utterly shameless territory, I said, "Davis," my voice sounding rusty.
He made a sound low in his chest, halfway between a grunt and growl, and any sign of my good intentions fled.
Holy fork, the man was sexy.
"Would you say you're happy right now?" I asked delicately.
Davis arched one dark brow. "I could behappier…"
The throaty way he said it made my mouth dry. His hands clenched my hips, and his nostrils flared. His gaze seemed stuck on my mouth, and I did the only thing I could think of. I pushed up on tiptoes to kiss him.
It started more as a smack than anything approaching graceful, but I leaned into my enthusiasm to make up for what I lacked in finesse.
At first, Davis stiffened, and I worried I'd misread his invitation. If he'd meant to imply he'd be happier watching paint dry than holding me close, I'd die of mortification. Thankfully, his momentary hesitation turned to hunger in a flash.
Davis grasped my chin, tilting me for a better angle. He nipped once, twice, before capturing me in a kiss that devoured the last of my hesitation.
I lost track of time and space, awash in Davis. He kissed me like his next breath could only be sipped from my lips, like he'd die without it. Withoutme, and I melted in his arms, trying to absorb him through every pore.
My vision darkened around the edges, and I pulled away, breathing hard. Davis dropped his forehead to mine, matching my labored breathingwith his own. From my phone, a new song started, the faint notes underscoring the change between us.
"If I get much happier, it's gonna kill me," Davis muttered, squeezing my hip bones one last time in a possessive crush before releasing me.
Disappointed, I shook my head. "I promise, they only call it lapetitemort. You're perfectly safe with me."
"Even if that's true, we're both going to be in peril of becoming murder victims if Jo comes home to find us shacked up in her absence."
"You think she'd object?" I asked, disappointed he thought his sister wouldn't approve. Jo and I had been friends for a few years. While we couldn't be more different, I didn't think she'd mind if I dated Davis. IfIhad a hot older brother, I'd hook her up. After all, what were friends for? That had to be in the Campfire sisterhood code somewhere.
I toyed with the neck of my sleep shirt, enjoying the way Davis's eyes darkened when I slipped the sleeve back up over my shoulder.
He groaned, a pained grunt that alarmed me for a moment until he wrapped me up in a bear hug, dropping his forehead to mine once more. Shameless, I pushed my hips against his, reveling in the evidence of his arousal.
"Fuck me," he muttered.
