“Right here.” I pointed back to my neck, but I really didn’t know exactly where. I wanted him to kiss me everywhere. I felt hot, like my blood was boiling and my skin was on fire. His lips were soft. So, so, so soft.
“Mmm…” he purred, smelling the skin on my neck. “You smell so good, taste so good.”
Then he lifted me, wrapping my legs around his waist as my arms slid around his neck. He placed me on the counter, his lips never leaving my skin. He was so very close.
“Caleb, kiss me…my lips.”
He gave me a searing kiss, then pulled away. “Let me make you feel good.” His hands went to caress my legs. “I want to make love with you so bad, Red. It’s all I can think about.”
It was as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head. I grabbed his hands to stop them from doing…whatever they were going to do.
“Caleb, stop. Wait, please.”
He was breathing loudly—we both were—but he stopped as soon as I asked him to.
“Caleb, I can’t. I-I’m not ready.”
He rested his forehead against mine again, his eyes closed.
“It’s okay,” he said breathlessly. “We’ll take it slow.”
“I mean…I don’t know if I can. Caleb, I’m…”
“I’m not going to push you. This is all up to you. I promise you.”
I nodded. I wondered what he would think if I told him I was still a virgin. Some guys were intimidated by the V card and would refuse to sleep with girls unless they were experienced. Other guys liked to deflower virgins. Others respected it. So…I wondered what category Caleb was in.
“I’m a virgin.” There. I’d said it.
His mouth opened in shock, and he pulled back a little. “What?”
“I’m a virgin,” I repeated.
His mouth closed. Opened, closed again. He blew out a breath, his hands dropping to flatten on the counter on either side of me as he looked at me.
And then his smile turned into a wolfish alpha grin. “God. You don’t know how happy that made me. How proud I am of you right now. I can wait, baby.”
Caleb… How did I tell him I was emotionally damaged? I didn’t know how long it would take for me to trust him enough to be certain I was ready…
“What?” His smile fell when I didn’t answer. “You don’t—?” He paused, looked down and sighed, then looked back up at my face. His eyes were piercing. “I know you want to make love with me. I can feel it. But if you’re not ready, then you’re not ready. That’s all there is to it.”
He kissed my lips. “I won’t rush you, Red,” he whispered, moving closer.
I rested my cheek against his chest. His heart was beating fast.
“Besides, there are other things we can do,” he added playfully. “I’m sorry if I scare you. I know I have no filter on my mouth, but I’m trying my best. I’m going to screw up.” He paused, then said, “Contrary to popular belief, I’m not perfect.”
I laughed and bit his chest. “Yeah, right.”
“Ow. Feisty. I love it,” he murmured, rubbing his chest where I’d bitten him.
I gasped when he said love.
Don’t say that yet, Caleb. I’m not ready to hear it.
Say it, Caleb. I want to hear it.
I held my breath.