The Secret (North Woods University 3)

Everything inside of me screams to kiss her, to taste her lips on mine, but I can’t, I won’t. I won’t let my attraction to her win out, she needs me for different reasons, not for my cock.

“You want to go inside and check it out?”

“Well yeah, I’m just… are you sure you want to do this?” She blinks down at me and I can’t help myself. The need to touch her even if it’s in the tiniest of ways surges through me. Brushing a few lingering strands of hair out of her face I tuck them behind her ear, and breathe her in, letting her scent swirl inside of me. My cock stiffens, but I swallow the arousal down.

You can’t have her.

“I’m positive.”

“Okay, I just don’t want you changing her whole life around for me. I’m not worthy of that kind of thing.”

“Don’t ever say anything like that again. You are worth all of this and more. Don’t ever think anything less of yourself,” I scold, a little harsher than I should, but I want to drive the point home. I want her to understand, to see things the way I do.

Her eyes bleed into mine for a long second and then without saying a word, she leans in and presses her lips to my cheek. Sparks of pleasure zing across my skin.

The kiss is brief, gentle, almost innocent like, even though my body thinks of it as something else entirely. I can’t stop my cock from bulging against my jeans though, even when I silently tell the fucker to calm down.

Emerson pulls away then, her eyes wide, searching mine for a reaction. She looks a bit shocked, even more than me.

“I’m so—” she starts, but I cut her off, pressing my index finger to her lips.

“Don’t you dare finish that,” I warn playfully. “Don’t you ever apologize for kissing me. I like kisses, among other things,” I wink.

I know I’m walking the line with my comment, but I want to see where she stands, on what level we’re at.

Her creamy white cheeks turn a bright shade of red, as red as her hair, but I don’t care. In fact, I feel the opposite. I’m glad she’s being shy since it beats the heck out of her being scared.

“Should we go in?” Her voice is raspy, sexy, and as badly as I want to tell her no, I nodded my head yes. Truthfully, I don’t want to go in anymore. I want to lean over and kiss her lips, taste her, feel her and more, so much more. I don’t want this moment to end, but I can’t pretend she’s one of the girls I usually fuck, like those women are comparable to her, because they’re not, she’s so much more than they ever were so much more.

“Let’s go,” I say, opening my door to get out of the car. She crawls off my lap and steps out onto the driveway, and I follow behind her, adjusting myself as I do.

Taking her hand into mine, I lead her to the front door. Once there, I dig the key out of my pocket and unlock the door. It swings open into a large living room area with an attached kitchen and dining room. Everything is in a modern but comfortable style with gray and white colors. All but the red couch that stands out like an eyesore.

“Oh, wow. This is beautiful,” she gasps, taking in the condo. The whole place is fully furnished and decorated, which was one of the reasons why I chose it. I show her the master bedroom first, and though I know I can let go of her hand now, that there is no threat in sight, I continue holding it. Enjoying the feel of her small hand in mine.

Oh, the fun Vance would have with this if he saw me right now.

“This will be your room. There is a large bathroom attached to it, with a big garden tub.” She takes in the light gray and yellow accented bedroom. The duvets are a pretty paisley pattern that suits her perfectly.

“My room is across the hall, and just like in the other house, you’re free to come into it whenever you would like.”

“Why?” She turns to face me, her face a mask of fear, of sadness…what does she mean why? As if she can sense my confusion, she starts to speak again, “Why do this for me? You don’t know me, you don’t know anything and yet you’re, you’re making choices like this and helping me, and it makes no sense, Clark, none at all. Are you…”

She pulls away and my heart skids to a stop. She’s looking at me like I’m going to hurt her again and I can’t stomach it. That look… it eats at me.