Page 38 of Shielding His Heart
I press my forehead against hers and try to get a handle on my impulses. “Sure. We can watch one of your true crime shows or something.”
She reaches up and touches my lips, then meets my eyes. “I don’t want to watch TV, Alec.”
It doesn’t take much to deduce what she wants instead. Groaning, I pull my hands back because I know if I keep touching her, I won’t be able to stop. “Hang on, I’ll get your door.”
I move before she can say anything and round the truck to open her door and help her down. She’s not fooled one bit. “Really?” Tana asks with a raised brow. “Do I need to get you drunk to put your hands on me again?”
The keys nearly slip to the concrete at my feet. “Tana. . .” I warn because my throat seizes. I move into the house and head to the kitchen, but I freeze when I see the kitchen island where I had her spread out in front of me, all pretty and pink.
I turn to move somewhere else, but she’s blocking my path. Gulping for air, my back hits the wall. Cornered. By a woman six inches shorter than me and probably half my weight. But I’m trying to be a good man for her, give her time and space. I’ve pushed her enough.
“What are you afraid of?” she asks and moves closer to me. “Don’t you want to kiss me again?”
I put my hands on her arms to stop her from moving closer. “Fuck, of course I do. But I want to do all the other things for you first. Take you out. Get to know you more. Give you time to get to know yourself and what you really want from life. You deserve to have so much, Tana, and I want to make sure you have everything.”
She cups my cheek with a hand, her eyes staring deep into mine. “There’s nothing you have to do to deserve me. I want you for who you are. Now take me to our bed, Alec. Please.”
I fight an internal battle for all of ten seconds—the longest ten seconds of my life—and then break underneath her heated gaze. I scoop her up into my arms with a groan, her surprised shriek ringing in my ears as I throw her over my shoulder in a fireman’s carry. With a firm smack on her ass, I say, “This is for ordering me around, woman.”
She shrieks again, but this time it’s punctuated with her laughter. “How do you know I don’t like it? What if I keep doing things because I want you to spank me more?”
I reach our bedroom and toss her onto the bed, where she lands in a sexy as hell sprawl, a feast in front of me. Something inside me unclenches at the sight of her back where she belongs. I know without a doubt this is where she’ll be spending every night from here on out if I have a say in the matter.
“Don’t tease me, or I’ll have to redden that ass of yours to prove a point.”
She doesn’t even flinch. “Really?” In fact, if I’m not mistaken, the tone in her voice is excitement.
Groaning, I unbuckle my belt and set it down next to her on the bed. “You’re killing me, girl. I’m trying to be sweet with you for your first time.”
She rolls her eyes. “This isn’t my first time.”
“May as well be. Don’t you want it to be perfect?” I climb into bed beside her and stretch out. There’s no way in hell I’m going to rush this.
Tana unbuttons my shirt, her fingers tickling down my chest. By the time she reaches the bottom, my skin is on fire. When her eyes meet mine, so steady and sure, I’m trembling like it’s my first time instead of hers.
“It’s perfect because it’s with you,” she says, her voice breathy. Leaning forward, she presses her lips to the base of my throat. I shiver, full-body, and try to move away. “Don’t. Let me touch you.”
I roll to my back and put my hands behind my head. “All yours, sweet pea. Show me what you want.”
She pushes up on one hand. “Really?” Nibbling on her lower lip, she admits, “I don’t know where to start.” The contradiction of shyness and desire is driving me crazy. It fucks with my mind a little because Tana had been aggressive as hell before the accident, always the initiator and very upfront about what she wanted. Don’t get me wrong. It was hot as hell, and I always loved that she had no problem showing me she wanted me. But damn if I don’t love having to coax it out of her now, too.
If nothing else, the accident has shown me all the different ways I can love my wife. If it all works out, I’ll have a lifetime to discover a thousand more.
I work around the lump in my throat. “Tell me all the places you want to start, and I’ll help you out.”
Her lips twist. “Sounds like you’re getting the short end of the stick.”
“That’s for later, darlin’. And there’s nothing short about my stick.”
Laughing, she sits up on her knees by my side, dips a finger under my shirt, and says, “Take your shirt off first. Let me get a better look at you.”
I shrug out of my shirt and lay back on the bed. She sucks a lip between her teeth and lays a hand on my lower stomach, making the muscles twitch. Fire spreads from her fingertips. “This what you want?” I ask.
She watches her hands spread over my stomach and chest, and I realize my mistake. I’m going to die before she’s done. Her fingertips trace the lines of my abs, up to my chest, circle around my nipples, and drag down my shoulders and arms. She reverses direction, her hands ending at the waistband of my jeans. Without answering my questions, she says, “Pants now.”
“Go for it,” I choke out. Pretty sure my hands would be shaking so much that I wouldn’t be able to undo a fucking button.
She worries that lip between her teeth again as she undoes the button and zipper. I lift my hips as she pulls my jeans down my thighs. My briefs are melded to every inch of me, so I may as well be spread out naked in front of her. I don’t think I’ve ever been so fucking happy in my life.
