Finally, I knew what her resistance was. Fear of my size. That I could work with. I just had to show her how gentle I was.
Tucking back a piece of hair that was tickling her mouth, I said, “I have two brothers. They’re both huge too. So is my father. But none of us are rough, violent types.”
“You said you worked security,” she said softly. “I guess I just assumed, you know…guns. Throwing people around. That kind of thing.”
I chuckled, taking her hand. “Full disclosure, when I was a bouncer back in college, I did have to throw some people out a few times. But since then I’ve studied martial arts, and my technique has become much more refined. I can pin a guy and escort him out without any chaos or injury to anything but his drunken pride.”
She nodded, biting her lip slightly.
“The security work I do now is more information-based than brawn-reliant,” I said, hoping that was the lesser of two evils in her eyes. “Making sure people’s homes are secure, and their businesses. A lot of technical stuff.”
“Ooh, do you have any of those spy gadgets?” she asked brightly.
I chuckled again. “I shouldn’t tell you this, but yes, I’ve had to use them from time to time.”
Hayden smiled, her nose crinkling up cutely. “I always love those tech gadgets in the movies. Trackers and scanners and bugs and stuff.”
It was hard to keep my expression calm. She was a genius. All I had to do was put a tracker on Craig’s car, and I would know where he was at all times. I had no idea what Hayden would think about that, though.
A breeze picked up, and I saw her shiver slightly.
I quickly unfastened my button down shirt, then wrapped it around her shoulders. It was extremely difficult not to laugh at the way her eyes nearly bugged out of her head as she stared at me in a thin black t-shirt that was practically painted on my chest.
Automatically looking up to scan the line of vehicles parked near the beach, I couldn’t see the old black car.
“Is he there?” she asked nervously.
“I don’t think so. But there are a few spots I can’t see from here.”
Taking her hand, I led her a bit farther down the beach where there were fewer people. “Hayden,” I said softly, as I held her in my arms. “I could snuggle in and give you some phoney kisses in case he’s watching.”
She was already smiling and blushing slightly. Yet I had to be truthful.
“But I honestly don’t think he’s there. What I really want is for you to kiss me. Just because you want to. Just because you like me, and feel this same incredible connection between us that I do.”
My hand pressed against her lower back, drawing her close, as I paused with our lips two inches apart. I had to let it be completely her decision. If she hesitated for more than a few seconds, I would back off.
Her eyes nearly glowed as she looked up at me, the tip of her tongue dashing across her bottom lip. Then something changed in her eyes, as if she made the decision to be bold.
Stretching up, she gave me the lightest, most tentative kiss I’d ever felt. It was so gentle. So sweet. So full of promise.
But it wasn’t nearly enough for me.
Hayden pulled back an inch, looking extremely pleased with herself.
“Again.”
She blinked at my command, then giggled. Leaning in again, she kissed me for more than a few seconds, holding her mouth to mine as our pulses sped up. When she pulled away this time, I could tell by her dilated pupils, her halting breath, that she’d never kissed a man before.
“Again.”
This time Hayden’s hands wrapped around my neck as my palms pulled her closer. The second her lips touched mine, I took over, deepening the kiss as I held our bodies together.
At first she stiffened, and I backed off as her hands clenched. Then, as my fingertips gently wandered up her spine, she softened.
Rewarded with a soft moan, I could feel her shifting against me. Her body definitely wanted mine, even if her mind was still unsure. I knew she would come around. The passion behind her kisses was real.
As her lips parted, allowing me to delve deeper, I knew I had to leave her wanting more. Even though it almost killed me, I pulled away, finishing with a swift kiss on the forehead.