Page 105 of Hot Damn
“There’s nothing to be sorry for.” The last thing I want is for him to regret delivering the best kiss of my life.
Long fingers wrap around my wrist and lift my hand away from his lips. “I’ve never forced myself on a woman before.”
The sound that comes out of my mouth is one of disbelief. “Did I fight you off? No. Did I actively participate in that mind blowing lip-lock? Yes.”
“I still shouldn’t have?—”
“Shouldn’t have stopped?” I nod. “Agreed. But your teenage daughter is downstairs and as much as I want to keep doing what we were doing, see what else we can do, I think we need to shelve thisdiscussionfor later. Preferably when Whitney is not in the house.”
I’m not a prude but the thought of kissing Beckett again, at the idea of taking the kiss to the place I’m pretty sure it was headed, while Whitney is in the house leaves me feeling icky.
“I’ve never been with a guy who had children. I’m not sure how to handle that. Not that I think we’re together.” Shit. Am I presuming here? I don’t think this is just sex, but I can’t be sure and before now, Beckett hasn’t shown any signs of wanting me.
“I can hear your brain working.”
With a shrug, I say, “It does that a lot.”
“I’ve noticed.” He scrubs a hand down his face. “I don’t know the protocol here because I’ve never been with anyone.”
His confession shocks both of us if his wide eyes and my slack jaw are an indication. “But…”
“Whit’s mom, yes, kind of. But no one else.”
“Oh.” So this is just sex. The disappointment that rolls through me threatens to take out my knees.
“Wait. That’s not what I meant.” He ducks his head so our eyes are level. “I’ve never dated. Never had a one-night stand.”
When his words register, when what he’s saying makes sense, my jaw goes slack again and if there were flies around, I’d be catching them. “Never?”
He shakes his head. “No.”
“You haven’t had…”
“Not since before Whit was born.”
I’m not sure what shocks me more. The confession, the fact he’s been celibate for eighteen years, or that he wants to break that streak with me.
“Dad!”
“Shit. We need to get downstairs or she’ll come up here.” He reaches for my hand and weaves his fingers through mine as though he has the right, as though he’s been doing it for years. “But thisdiscussionisn’t over. If you’re okay with it, I’d like to kiss you again.”
I can’t help the bark of laughter that bursts free. “Sorry. Not laughing at you.”
“Oh.” He tugs on my hand and gets us moving out of the bedroom. “What are you laughing at?”
“I’m not sure I’d call what just happened a kiss.”
“No?”
“No. There was more to it.”
The smile he shoots my way is blinding. “So you wouldn’t mind doing it again? With me?”
His voice wobbles on the last two words and I’m shocked again.
How this man, so confident on the ice, can be insecure off it, boggles my mind. Except now I know some of his history, I understand it.
Squeezing his hand, I reassure him. “I more than don’t mind. In fact I’d be very disappointed if you didn’t kiss me again.”
