Jessie brought her forearms to his chest, so their faces were on the same level. “Bubba and Bud talked to them.”
Dustin gave a shout of laughter that had her smothering it with her hand, so he wouldn’t wake her brothers.
He pulled her hand down. “What did they say? Take me to your leader?”
Jessie hit his shoulder when the fool wouldn’t quit laughing. Straightening, she then leaned back on the armrest, crossing her arms angrily. “No, that’s not what they said.”
“Okay, what did they say?”
“Well, we don’t know exactly, but they did try to communicate. Then Bubba and Bud took off running, and now they won’t wear them outside the house in case the green men try to make contact with them again.”
“Jessie, you know the green men don’t exist, don’t you?”
“I refuse to discuss this subject with you any longer. You’re a nonbeliever.”
“That’s the damn truth.”
He slipped his hand under her hair, tugging her head back to his shoulder. “Jess, you’re one of a kind.”
Her heart stuttered in trepidation of what she was going to do next.
Placing her hand on his cheek to turn his face, she kissed him. However, it wasn’t the kiss she always dreamed about giving him.
Dustin remained still as a soft breath escaped at the awkwardness she was feeling from stealing a kiss. She molded her lips against his as he tilted her head backward with the hand that was at the back of her neck. But Dustin didn’t try to take over the kiss, leaving her to delicately use the tip of her tongue to explore the rounded fullness of his bottom lip.
“Do you know how many times I dreamed of kissing you?” she whispered against his lips.
“Dream away,” he whispered back.
She pliantly relaxed against him, sinking into him, smelling the faint odor of pinecones and the earthy smell of dried leaves. Still, he didn’t kiss her back, yielding to her without trying to take control.
Breaking the kiss, she stared at him, moving her hand to his hair to smooth the inky strands down.
“Did it live up to your expectations?”
“No. You didn’t kiss me back.”
“You want me to kiss you back?”
“Yes,” she breathed out at the lambert warmth in his eyes.
“What if I still can’t live up to your expectations or hurt you. Are you still tender?”
“Then we’ll have to try again until you get it right, and if even a tinge of pain I’ll stop you,” she answered impishly, raising two fingers on top of each other showing a silver of light through them.
Her playfulness vanished when he covered her mouth with his.
She didn’t feel as if he was demanding a response from her. No, Dustin didn’t demand anything. He took control of her mouth, parting her lips with a thrust of his tongue and slipping inside as if he had the right to take anything and everything he wanted.
Dustin had been right. He wasn’t Mr. Nice Guy. He was Mr. Hot and Sexy.
He provocatively sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, running his tongue sensually along the tender skin of the inside. Releasing her lip, he then flicked his tongue against the roof of her mouth, discovering another crevice before coming back.
Lord have mercy, if Dustin made love the way she was being kissed, she was in for a different experience than the one she dreamt about. He wasn’t sweet and gentle. He was passionate and sensual. His kiss taught her the difference between a girl’s dreams and a woman’s desires.
When Jessie realized she was squirming on Dustin’s lap, she broke the kiss, trying to throw herself off him. But he held her, refusing to let go.
“You want to stop?”
“Yes,” she said, struggling to get away.
“Then that’s all you have to say.” He slid his hands away, leaving her free to jump off his lap. “Are you ready to go to bed?”
All the tiredness she had been feeling before he arrived was gone. Now, sleep was the furthest thing from her mind. “I want to watch TV.”
“Go ahead, but I’m going to bed.” Leaning forward, he took his boots off, leaving his jeans and T-shirt on. Then he raised the blanket, motioning for her to get in bed.
Sliding under the covers, she expected him to slide under next to her. He didn’t.
Laying the blanket down, Dustin then lay on top of it.
“Mind handing me a pillow?”
Jessie gave him one, watching as he lay flat on his back, putting the pillow over his eyes and an arm going on top.
“Good night, Peanut.”
“Do you mind turning the light off?”
Dustin rose up, turned the light off, and then put the pillow back over his eyes.
Instead of turning on the TV, she snuggled against him.
“I thought you were going to watch TV?”
“I changed my mind. Good night, Dustin.”
The palpable desire that had risen between them when they kissed had dulled to a sense of security that she was more comfortable with, allowing her to fight off the fear that had risen as their kiss started to spring out of control. That Dustin pulled back immediately fostered the well-being she always felt around him.