I’d never felt such a profound need before.
If possible, my desire to protect her was even stronger than my desire to fuck her.
Which meant…
Fuck.
I couldn’t do this right now.
My cock was a massive aching rock inside my trousers. It had a mind of its own, and man, did it want to get laid tonight.
But I had to let my head prevail. Daphne, no matter what she said, wasn’t ready for sex the way I knew it. I could be gentle, but gentle for me wasn’t gentle the way Daphne needed it.
I let her nipple drop from my lips. “Daphne,” I said softly.
“Yes?”
“I can’t believe I’m going to say this.”
“What?”
“This isn’t right.”
Her eyes misted over, laced with sadness. “Oh? I’m not pretty enough, am I?”
Was she bananas? “You’re more than pretty enough. You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”
Her body was already pink and supple, but a visible shiver raced through her. “Then why?”
“Sex isn’t about being pretty enough or liking someone enough. Or even wanting someone enough. It’s about being sure both people are ready for it, and I don’t think you are, baby.”
“I am. I told you I am.”
I inhaled. Fuck. Her scent—that musky scent of arousal laced with a floral fragrance that was uniquely Daphne.
Her body was ready, no doubt.
But her mind was not.
“I am,” she said again.
“Baby, you need to know something about me.”
“I know all I need to know.”
I chuckled. “You know next to nothing. I’m not the kind of guy who—”
I stopped abruptly. If Daphne weren’t a virgin, I’d have fucked her six ways by now.
Or would I have?
It wasn’t just her virginity that made me want to protect her. It was a sweet vulnerability. I could see it in her eyes. She’d been through something—something she hadn’t told me about. Perhaps something had scarred her during her childhood. Perhaps she’d lost a loved one and hadn’t told me. Perhaps she’d been bullied as a kid.
Something.
Something she’d have to tell me before we went any further.
I picked up her bra and handed it to her. “Put this back on.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
I shook my head, chuckling again. “Do it, because if you don’t, I’m going to fuck you so hard you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”
That got her. She quickly snapped her bra into place. What a shame to cover up such perfection. Then she adjusted her dress back in place.
“Is this it, then?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t want to see me anymore?”
“God, no. I want to see you. I just don’t want to do this with you yet.” That was a damned, damned lie. I wanted to sink into her soft body more than I wanted my next breath of air.
“Um…okay.”
“I don’t think you’re ready, and I’d never forgive myself if I did anything to hurt you.”
“I told you I was ready.”
“You’re not, baby. I can see it in your eyes. I see something that…”
“What?”
“I don’t know. Something you’re going to have to tell me before we have sex.”
“There’s nothing,” she said.
“Daphne…”
“I mean it. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Okay. I’d play it her way for now. It was probably something that she considered nothing. Something she thought she was over. She didn’t have to be over it for me to fuck her. I just had to know what I was dealing with.
She meant too much to me to be a quick fuck.
Damn.
What had I gotten myself into?
This woman had crept under my skin.
Into my heart.
And I hardly knew her.
Fate had brought us together. She was my destiny.
I’d do anything for her.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Daphne
My body was in flames.
And Brad Steel just doused a bucket of water on them.
I wanted him. I wanted him in a way I didn’t fully understand.
Which was why he’d stopped.
I should have thanked him, really. But I didn’t want to thank him. I wanted to punch him and force him to make love to me.
“I’ll drive you home,” he said softly.
I nodded. “Thanks for dinner.”
“You’re welcome. Thank you for spending time with me.” Then he laughed. “I’ve never said that to anyone before. But I mean it. Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I’m glad I met you. I just wish…”
“Wish what?”
“I wish it didn’t have to be over.”
He took my hand. “Who says it’s over?”
“I know you say it’s not, but come on. I may be a virgin, but I’m not a moron.”
“It’s over because we didn’t have sex? Daphne, what makes you think all I want is sex?”
“You’re a college guy, and Patty says—”
“Patty’s right about most college guys. Even about me, for that matter. But it’s not that way with you. You said it yourself. It’s destiny.”
“You believe that?”
“I do until something happens that makes me not believe it anymore.”
“You think that will happen?”
“Anything can happen, baby, but I can tell you honestly, right now, I don’t want that to happen.”