Southern Attraction (Southern Heart 3)

Slow, wonderful torture—that’s what his kisses are. I want more of him. I need more of him. Leaning in, I push him on his back, never breaking our kiss as I climb over to straddle his hips. I rock against him and he groans, pulling away.

“Jamie,” he murmurs.

“Hmmm?” I run my lips down the column of his neck.

“You’re killing me.” He grips my hips tight, trying to hold me in place. “I can’t do this,” he says, squeezing his eyes closed.

“Do what?” I ask, rocking against him one more time.

Suddenly he sits up and we’re face-to-face. He cups my cheeks and his blue eyes flame with desire. “I want nothing more than to bury myself inside of you and never leave. To feel you, be a part of you. It’s a craving.”

He closes his eyes, leaning his forehead against mine. I close my eyes too, just relishing the feel of being this close to him. He drops his hands from my face and wraps his arms around me, holding me tight.

“If I’m ever lucky enough to make love to you, I’m going to need more than two days. I know if we cross that line tonight, I’ll never be able to watch you leave on Sunday.”

I stay quiet as I listen to what he says. I know he’s right, but my body is screaming for me to challenge him. I’m sure I could push until he can no longer resist, but like him, I don’t know that I could leave him on Sunday either. It’s going to be hard enough as it is; sharing that part of myself with him will make it almost impossible.

“Talk to me, darlin,’” he whispers.

“I’m

sorry.” My voice is barely a whisper.

“Don’t,” he says firmly. “Don’t do that. You have nothing to be sorry for.” He raises his hips and I can’t help the moan that falls from my lips. “You feel that, baby? That’s how much I want you. I do. God help me, I want you, but—”

“I know. I know you’re right, but I just feel like I’m taking advantage of you. Showing up here unannounced, and now this, throwing myself at you.”

“Really?” he laughs, lifting his head to look at me. “We’re both in this bed, Jamie. Neither of us is at fault. I just can’t and then watch you go. I know what I’m feeling, in here.” He grabs my hand and places it over his heart. “I’m not saying never, but I am saying not tonight. Not this weekend. I just—”

“We need to get to know one another more than we do now. See if we really are as compatible as we think we are,” I blurt out, saving him from having to make up an excuse.

“I know you, James,” he whispers. “I also know that you scare me. You consume my thoughts, and that’s just from tasting your lips. I can’t imagine.” He shakes his head. “I can’t imagine how I’ll feel once I’ve made love to you. We just need a little more time, darlin.’ Time to figure this out, us, and how we would proceed with where we live.”

“Okay.” I move off his lap and start to slide off the bed when he grabs my elbow.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to call Whit and get changed.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. Isn’t that what you want?”

“Baby, at any time did I say I don’t want you here? No, I didn’t. I want to hold you.” He runs his thumb across my bottom lip. “I want to taste these lips until we fall asleep from exhaustion. I want to wake up with you here, next to me. I want to attach myself to you until the very final second that you drive away from me on Sunday.”

“So what are you waiting for?”

His lips capture mine and I let myself get lost in the sensation—the way his tongue explores my mouth, the way his hands roam my body. Minutes, hours I have no idea because I lose track of time. We eventually fall asleep facing each other, our hands clasped tightly between us.

I’m lying in bed, not quite awake but not really asleep either. I’m in that in-between where I’m fighting the fact that it’s time to get up. It’s a love-hate relationship.

“Wake up, beautiful.” I feel his hot breath on my skin. “This is my last full day with you, and we can’t waste that sleeping away.”

“I’m warm,” I say, snuggling back against him.

His lips press against my neck. “I know, but we have plans today.”

“We do?” I look over my shoulder at him.