Texas Big Man

The wind has gotten stronger, and I’m tempted to look outside for a tornado. They’re not super common in this area, but not unheard of. But the sound of the gusts warns me to stay inside. Time to batten down the hatches.

“Harlan?”

“I’m here,” I say. “Power’s just out.”

There’s a barely-there dim light from the cracks in the windows, though between the storm and the evening light, even with my eyes adjusted, I can barely see the outlines of anything.

“Do we have a candle or something?” she asks. Her voice is closer to me now, and there’s a catch in it.

I grin, stepping closer to her voice. “You scared of the dark?”

“No,” she answers too quickly, right next to me now.

“Good,” I say softly. “I thought you weren’t afraid of anything but me. And Bean.”

Her tone has gone breathy, and I love the sound of it. “I’m not afraid of you.”

I step even closer, so I know that she can feel my presence. “Really? Cause every time I get closer to you, you run away.”

“No I don’t.”

Reaching out, I put my hands on her shoulders, and she shivers. “Not physically maybe, but you’re holding back, Mel. And I don’t know why.”

“I have to.”

“Do you?”

She shudders under my hands. “Yes.”

“Why?”

Her outline is barely visible, and I see her shake her head. “I’m not afraid of you, I’m—” a pause. “Maybe I’m afraid of what I don’t know.”

I swallow, the fact that I’m touching her more than I have in days and that I’m so close is making my own breath shake. “Even if nothing else, Melena, we’re here together. You can talk to me. We can be…friends.” The word burns in my mouth. I want so much more than friends, but if that’s all she can give me right now, I’ll live with it.

And that’s the moment I know I want her. Melena. All of her. Because I would rather have just a piece of her than nothing at all. I want this woman down to her very soul, and I hope that I can make her feel that way about me too.

Suddenly, Melena reaches out and places her hands on my chest. But this doesn’t feel like rejection. I freeze, not wanting to startle or discourage her, holding myself perfectly still as she slides her palms up to my shoulders.

Up to my shoulders and then down my arms, I let her feel me, listening to the erratic sound of her breath, barely audible above the rising storm.

“Will you kiss me, Harlan?”

The words are so soft that I almost miss them, but then my lips are crashing onto hers without another thought, unable to even say yes with the need to show her that fuck yes, I will kiss her.

She gasps under my mouth, and I pull her close, wrapping my arms around her and locking her to me. There’s no part of me that wants to let her go.

Melena melts under my kiss, holding me and kissing me with the same desperation that I have. I don’t know what changed, but her lips are sweeter than the cherry pie I just ate. Every part of her is sweet and amazing.

That protective, possessive instinct flares to life again. She’s choosing me.

I push her against the closest wall, pinning her there with my body while I plunder her mouth. I want to do so much more with her, but she only asked me to kiss her, and so I do. Until she’s breathless and moaning. I kiss her down her neck, nipping and licking. I grab her hair and pull it aside, covering every inch of skin with sensual kisses. I kiss her until I’m harder than I’ve ever been in my life. Until there’s nothing but her lips and mine.

When I break away to breathe, I press my forehead against hers. “Nothing in my life has ever felt as good as kissing you.”

“Me neither.”

Taking her lips one more time, I gently push her against the wall. “Don’t move.” I need to see her. I go into the hallway and grab a hurricane lantern from the front closet and light it. Melena’s hair is mussed, and her lips swollen from my own. Her pajamas are out of place, and in my entire life I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more beautiful or sexy.

And she’s watching me with gorgeous determination.

I walk back over to her as the storm starts to rage in full. “We’re not going anywhere for a while,” I tell her softly. “Is kissing all you want me to do?”

She bites her lip, and slowly shakes her head.

Making sure to keep the lantern far enough away from her, I press my body against hers again. “You tell me what you want, Melena. Fast or slow. Anything you want, it’s yours.”

My gut is guiding me here, and it tells me that she needs to be the one to say yes. I’ll still make her beg after she’s sure, but if I go too fast, I’m going to lose her entirely. Leaning in, I press my lips to her ear. “Fast or slow?”