Within a few seconds, she parted her lips, and I swept my tongue between them. She tasted as sweet as I remembered—sweet and pure and irresistible.
A soft moan left her throat, vibrating into me and arrowing straight to my cock. One touch, one kiss from Daphne, and I was as hard as these marble countertops.
Our lips slid together, and after a few more minutes, she darted out her tongue to meet mine. And then something miraculous happened. She ran her tongue over my teeth, exploring my mouth as I was hers.
She was actively kissing me, much more so than the last time.
And I couldn’t remember ever having been more turned on.
A mere kiss. Nothing more. I hadn’t seen her naked. Hadn’t touched her breasts. Hadn’t even kissed her anywhere except on her mouth.
And I was ready to pound her into the next day.
God, how I wanted to pound her into the next day.
I deepened the kiss, groaning into her mouth, my fingers itching to trail over the swells of her breasts covered by her insanely sexy little black dress.
Instead, I skimmed my fingers down the side of her neck to her beautiful bare shoulders.
Then, she surprised me. Truly surprised me.
She took my hand and led it to the gorgeous mound of her breast.
So perfect was the shape against my palm. I brushed my fingers over the swell, and a nipple hardened under my touch.
Another soft moan into my mouth.
Fuck.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Much more, and I wouldn’t be able to—
I broke the kiss, pulling away abruptly.
She inhaled sharply, touching her lower lip. “Did I… Did I do something wrong?”
“God, no. Nothing wrong. I swear.”
“Then why did you stop?”
“I stopped, Daphne, because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to.”
“Wouldn’t be able to—? Oh.” She looked away. “I was following my body. I wanted you to touch me there, so I…”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I want so much when I’m with you, Brad. It scares me.”
“I know, baby. I know. Believe me. I want the same when I’m with you.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready.”
“It’s okay. I told you we’d go slow.”
“Sometimes, though, I think I am ready. More than ready, you know?”
Hell, yeah, I knew. Her body was responding, but her mind wasn’t there yet. Women were like that, sometimes. If I could convince her that sex wasn’t wrong, that it was just two people exploring each other’s bodies and giving each other pleasure…
Nothing is just sex.
The words she’d said earlier haunted me.
I could take her. She was in that dreamy haze, where her body was ready. I knew all the right words, all the right ways to touch her. I could easily convince her to give up her virginity right here and now. She was young. Impressionable. I could make it happen, but I’d pay the price.
It would be the only time with Daphne. She’d regret it later, and I’d risk losing her.
No.
I couldn’t take her. Not tonight. Not when she obviously needed more time. Because the truth was, I also needed more time. More time with her. And if I took her tonight, I risked losing that.
“I’ll take you home,” I said.
“What if I don’t want to go home?”
My eyebrows shot up. “You mean…”
“Maybe. Just a little. I feel so…” Her sigh was a soft breeze against my cheek. “I need something. Something more.”
“What, baby? What do you need?”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Daphne
I had no answer.
I had no idea what I needed, just that my body was telling me I needed something, and I needed it badly.
My nipples were hard. The feeling was similar to how they felt on a cold day, but it was also different. It was a warm hardness, an aching hardness. They wanted to be touched, fingered, licked.
Between my legs, I throbbed in time with my heartbeat, which thundered in my ears, almost as if I were underwater. My whole body felt hot and flushed.
And my head… My head was spinning with images and feelings I didn’t quite understand but that I wanted to explore more than I’d ever wanted anything.
Again, I didn’t feel fear, even though I should have.
Something about Brad Steel negated all fear in me. He was like a large mountain shadowing me and protecting me from a swirling storm.
What do you need?
His question still rang in my ears.
He didn’t pressure me for an answer, but he did deserve one.
Face your fears.
Wise words from Dr. Payne.
The fear of this actual date with Brad—a man I was attracted to more than I ever imagined I could be attracted to anyone—had caused me to freeze earlier, caused me to feel panic.
Right now, though? I didn’t feel any panic.
If I faced my fear now, while I wasn’t feeling it, perhaps I could conquer it. Being here with Brad, kissing him, letting him touch my body—it all felt so right.
I drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Do you believe in fate? In destiny?”