Page 86 of Inked Heart
“You keep doing that,” she says.
“Doing what?”
“Touching me like you’re not going to stop.”
“I’m not planning to stop,” I say honestly and her breath catches.
I don’t give her space to lean away.Not tonight.Not after that kiss against the truck.Not after the way she said my name.
My arm tightens around her waist, and I pull her closer until her hip presses fully against mine.She exhales slowly and her fingers slide into the front of my shirt like she needs something to hold onto.
“Damien...”
“Yeah.”
“I can feel your heartbeat.”
“It’s your fault.”
She laughs softly.“That makes me feel better.”
“It should.”
She turns toward me fully then.Not sideways and not careful.Just turns like she’s done pretending she doesn’t want this.Her right hand lifts slowly to my shoulder before the other one joins it.And before I can overthink it, I slide my hands under her thighs and pull her across my lap.
She gasps quietly at the sudden movement but she doesn’t resist.Doesn’t hesitate.And doesn’t ask me to stop.
Her hands tighten on my shoulders instead.“Damien...”
“You were too far away,” I tell her.
Her breath catches again.“You fixed that pretty fast.”
I don’t apologize because the truth is I needed her closer.Needed to feel her.Needed to stop pretending I could sit next to her like nothing was happening between us.
She shifts slightly on my lap and the second she does she freezes because now she can feel exactly what she does to me.
Her eyes lift slowly to mine, desire burning in their depths.“Oh.”
“You’re going to have to get used to that,” I say lowly.
Her cheeks flush but she doesn’t move away.Instead, her hands slide slowly from my shoulders down across my chest like she’s trying to steady herself.
“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” she whispers.
And those words almost undo me.
My hands settle at her waist again.Then move along her back before going higher, tangling in her hair, learning her slowly and carefully.Even though every instinct I have says pull her closer, faster.
“You’re beautiful,” I tell her.
Her fingers curl into my shirt again.“You keep saying that.”
“I’m not planning stopping.”
She touches my collar next.Then the edge of my shirt.Then the ink she already knows is there underneath it.
“Can I?”she asks softly.
