Page 74 of Her Tempting Protector

He held out his hand, palm up. She looked at it. Then she looked at him, his face, his smile, his eyes. She still didn’t take his outstretched hand.

“You know we’ve never even kissed. This makes no sense whatsoever.” Even to her own ears, it was a weak protest.

He didn’t say anything, just kept his hand out.

“Where do we go from here?”

He continued his silence and still offered his hand.

Dammit!

She might visit war-torn countries and not know what was going to come at her when, but she was a doctor; she thrived on order in her personal life. She wanted control. She loved plans and precision. She wanted a damn road map! With a warranty!

“Carys, take my hand,” he whispered.

His voice could talk the birds from the trees or sing a newborn baby to sleep. She wanted to listen to that voice forever. How was that possible? She’d only known him for five days.

Carys looked at his hand one last time and pushed it out of her way as she launched herself at him. She wound her arms around his neck. It was awkward at first as she came at him sideways, but of course he fixed it. He always made things better. Soon, he had her cuddled in his lap and she was looking up at him.

She grabbed at his short black hair, trying to force his head down. She wanted her kiss.

His smile was wicked. “This is our first kiss, Woman. It’s going to be spectacular. You’re not going to get me to rush my fences.”

Now she pulled at his hair, trying to hurt him, the jerk. He chuckled.

He brushed at the new bangs that fluttered against her forehead. “You’ve changed your hair. Do you like it?”

She swallowed. “I do,” she whispered. “I used to really love playing with different cuts and styles, but I lost that. Now I have that back.”

“God, you’re gorgeous. I don’t care if your hair is loose, in a braid, or shaved off. You are beautiful to me.”

He was going to make her cry. She believed him.

She tugged on his hair again, trying to tempt him downwards. He laughed.

He slid his fingers through the hair at the base of her skull and she arched into the feel. As she was luxuriating in his touch, Cullen feathered a kiss along her jaw.

No!

That wasn’t what she wanted. It wasn’t what she needed.

She turned her head, trying to catch his lips, and then he was there gracing her with the softest kiss imaginable as their lips met for the first time.