As he moved his mouth under her chin and over the ridge of her jaw, closer and closer to her lips, she found herself holding her breath until she felt light-headed. Impatient with his teasing, she found the strength to stretch her hands behind his neck and pull his mouth against hers. Still, he held back, warring against her, only affording her the lightest brush of his lips.
“Brad! Please!” The words slipped out before she realized she’d spoken.
“Please what?” His eyelids closed halfway, and he flashed an impish grin.
Her furious glare didn’t seem to faze him. He maintained his resistance, grazing his lips over her mouth, sending lightning bolts through her system with each slight contact. Her heart was thundering in her ears, drowning out the sounds of the city.
“Please... Please kiss me.”
“Hmmm... I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” He released her and leaned away, sitting back and crossing his leg, while tapping his finger against the side of his head. She stared at him, dazed and confused.
“What do you mean? Of course it’s a good idea. You don’t want to kiss me?”
“Oh, I want to. Believe me, I want to. But I’m not certain I should.”
“Why not?”
“Because it seems to me every time I kiss you, you end up running away from me.”
She sputtered, “That’s not true.”
“Isn’t it?” He crossed his arms.
Maybe it was true, but she didn’t have to admit it. “So you’re never going to kiss me again?”
“As much as I hate to do this, I think we need to talk first. I want to be certain we’ve addressed all your concerns up front, because I can’t handle having you leave me again.”
“But I don’t have any concerns now.”
In the glow of the lamplight she could see one of his eyebrows shoot up. “Really? If nothing bothers you, then talking about us shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Look, can’t we just kiss and enjoy each other’s company the way we used to? The way we did before any of this ever happened?”
“No, something has to change. We have to be different than your other relationships or you’ll eventually discard me like you did all the other guys.”
Her breaths came faster, and she felt her vision narrowing. He wanted to talk about the future. He wanted a commitment, and she wasn’t ready.
“Grace?” He was peering into her face, his brows knit with concern. His voice sounded far away. “Grace? What’s wrong, baby?”
“I can’t... I can’t...”
“Grace!” He held her in his arms, leaning her back across his lap, plying her face with kisses. “Don’t you pass out on me!”
He planted a forceful kiss on her lips, and the world that had faded came plummeting back. Her eyes opened wide, and her heart thudded in her chest. He deepened the kiss, and shock waves shot throughout her system. She didn’t ever remember feeling this in all the times he’d kissed her before. Her nerve endings were raw. She was painfully aware of every place his body contacted hers, even through her thick sweater. He played her senses like an instrument; his talented mouth made her entire being hum with pleasure.
She tried to maintain contact as he withdrew his lips. But he ended the kiss and sat up straight with a pained expression. “I shouldn’t have done that. We still need to talk.”
She attempted to snuggle against his chest. “But I liked it. Why do we have to talk and spoil everything?”
He responded by propping her back into a sitting position beside him. “I have to know you won’t make another unilateral decision to end our relationship.”
“But I’m not ready to make a commitment.” Her squeaky voice sounded almost as distressed as she felt inside.
“I’m not asking for a commitment. All I’m asking is you promise to talk to me.”
“About what?”
“About everything. I want to know what you’re thinking. I want to know what you’re worried about. I want to know what you like and dislike. And if you think you’ve discovered a reason we shouldn’t be together, I want you to tell me. Don’t you think that’s fair?”