ng my throat.
She chuckles softly while walking toward me, and I prepare myself for anything. She reaches up and pulls me down by the neck, brushing her lips against mine teasingly.
"Wow to you, too," she whispers against my lips, and I fight a war against gravity to stay upright.
It'd be damn easy to drop to my knees and profess my love for her right now, but I'm fairly positive I'd look like a pathetic freak. How do I tell her I've loved her for over decade without terrifying her? We just started dating.
"So," she says with a sigh, backing up a little. "This thing between us... What's going on? You said we would be together, but then all the crazy happened, and you haven't called me but once since then. And you seemed to be in a hurry to get off the phone."
What? I really suck at this shit. And she's very... distracting right now.
"You and Tria needed time, and I didn't know when to call. You can always call me, you know. I've never really done this," I say lamely, inwardly cursing myself the second the words leave my mouth.
She doesn't seem to know whether to smile or frown.
"You've never been in a relationship?"
I shake my head while closing the distance between us again. The need to be touching her is almost overwhelming.
"Never. I'm assuming you have?" I ask, bending to kiss her neck and trying not to think about anyone else touching her.
I couldn't ever get serious with anyone, because no one was Rain. Everyone since her has only been someone to pass the time. And nothing past the superficial ever developed.
"No, not really," she says at last. "You were the closest thing to a boyfriend I ever had when I was younger, and after high school... well, guys weren't exactly up to par."
My grin is involuntary and painful. "Up to par?" I muse, bending to press my lips against hers in a gentle brush.
"Yeah," she says absently, leaning forward, but I lean back, keeping our lips just barely separated so she'll elaborate.
"And what's the par I set?" I ask teasingly.
Slowly, her hand runs up my chest, and I fight the primal urge to throw her on the bed and let the guys go to the event without us.
"Perfection," she says at last, and my thoughts all collide at once while my heart searches for a rhythm.
Perfection? Only with her. I've never treated anyone the way I treat her. I've belonged to Rain Noles since the day we met.
I crush my lips to hers and spin her against the wall, caging her in with my arms as I devour her. If it wasn't for the three assholes creating mock coughing noises from the living room, I'd already be inside her right now.
"Later," I murmur shakily while pulling away very, very, very reluctantly.
"Definitely," she says, grinning as our fingers lace together.
We walk out to see Corbin, Maverick, and Dale with their arms crossed over their chests, all three of them glowering at me like I just defiled their sister. Tria is stifling a grin, trying not to get too close to the action. Kode is apparently still in the car. I dread his reaction tonight, because I'm not keeping my hands off Rain just to appease him.
We walk outside after locking up, and my arm angles from her shoulder to her waist as I pull her to me. Tonight, we're the ones people will envy, because no one loves someone the way I love her.
Rain and I sit at the far end of the limo, while Kode stays near the front. I only thought the air in here was thick before I picked Rain up.
Her hand comes to rest in my lap, and I clutch it in my hand, trying not to grin like an idiot when she smiles happily. It's still hard to believe that she's mine, even though we've yet to discuss what happened six years ago.
Why'd she get so cold on me?
As happy as I am that she's finally mine, I'm also worried about what's going to happen. Rain Noles hurt me the first time, and we weren't even considered an actual couple. As hard as I've already fallen right now, she'd crush me if she did the same thing.
I should keep some guards up, but it's impossible to do when that disarming grin splits her face. I love making her smile like that.
"You two gonna be eye-fucking each other all night, or is this just a moment?" Corbin asks dryly, and Rain cuts her eyes toward him in warning.