And I quivered. I actually quivered.
Had I ever quivered from a kiss?
Ever?
Her innocence charmed me, enticed me. Gave me the insatiable urge to keep her from harm, protect her from anything that might hurt her. So the guy she’d danced with hadn’t spiked her drink. He might have eventually, and I’d protect her.
I deepened the kiss slightly, taking more of her mouth. Our lips slid together in passion, and I explored her gums, her teeth, the inside of her cheeks with my tongue. When she finally moved her own tongue, twirling it against mine, I couldn’t hold back any longer.
I grabbed a handful of her dark hair and deepened the kiss so that our mouths were fused.
And she jerked away, our mouths parting with a loud smack. She inhaled sharply and wiped her mouth with her hand.
“Hey,” I said gently.
No response.
She’d enjoyed the kiss. I was sure of it.
“I’d really love to do that again,” I said softly, trying not to scare her.
“I… No one’s ever… You know.”
“No one’s kissed you like that before?”
“No. No one. I feel really stupid.”
“Why should you feel stupid?”
“I’m at college. All these girls are so… I mean, Patty didn’t come home last night.”
“I know.”
“I’m a mess.”
“You’re beautiful,” I said. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
I meant those words with all my heart, and even they didn’t convey what I truly meant. I wasn’t sure words existed to describe Daphne Wade. Not the way I saw her. Not the way I felt about her in such a short time.
It wasn’t love. At least I didn’t think it was. I wasn’t cut out for love. But it was something. Something big and strong and full of a force I didn’t understand. She needed me. I didn’t know how or why. I just knew she did.
And I’d take care of her.
I needed to.
“I know you liked the kiss, Daphne.”
“I… How…”
“Because you responded. Your body responded.”
“Did I?” She touched her lips.
“You did.”
So had I. My dick was hard as a rock, but I couldn’t tell her that. She’d run away screaming. Or would she?
No, couldn’t go there. Not yet. No matter how much I wanted to.
I advanced toward her slowly, taking both her hands in my own. They fit perfectly within mine.
“You want to go for a walk?”
“It’s late.”
“Daphne, it’s eleven.”
“We were warned about walking at night. There were rapes here last year.”
“You’ll be with me.”
She nodded slightly.
“Daphne,” I said, as gently as I could. “Why are you afraid of me?”
Chapter Fifteen
Daphne
Why was I afraid?
I wasn’t, at least not in the way he thought I was. Sure, I was inexperienced, but he made me feel things I didn’t think I was ready for. I wanted to trust him.
He made me melt inside. My brain was foggy, and I couldn’t think. Didn’t want to think. Just wanted to go back to kissing him. My breasts were heavy, my nipples tight and hard. New feelings swirled through me, landing between my legs.
I wanted it all.
I wanted his kisses, his hands on my body. I wanted to explore him with my fingers and my lips. How might his tan skin feel beneath my touch? His broad shoulders? His hard chest? His stubbly cheeks and jawline? His…
I zeroed in on his crotch.
The bulge.
It was there.
And it was there because of me.
Brad Steel didn’t scare me nearly enough.
And that was what frightened me the most.
“I’m not afraid of you, Brad.”
“Could have fooled me. Daphne, you’ve been alone with me three times now. Have I ever made any indication that I’m going to hurt you?”
“No.”
I stroked my hair absently.
Oh, God. My hair. I’d woken up and my hair hadn’t been knotted and tangled.
“Did you…brush my hair last night?”
“Yeah. I just…” He chuckled softly. “I have no idea why I did it. It’s just…your hair is so beautiful, and I didn’t want you to wake up and have to brush all the tangles out of it.”
My heart nearly melted. Seriously, melted right into a puddle in the middle of my chest.
“That’s really…sweet.”
The word was minimal. It didn’t say nearly what I wanted to.
“You fell asleep. I brushed your hair, and then I left.”
“You didn’t…want to do anything more?”
“While you were unconscious? What kind of a guy do you think I am?”
“That’s just it. I don’t know. I don’t know anything about guys. I’ve never…”
“I know. You’re a virgin. It’s okay. Believe it or not, you’re not the only virgin on campus.”
“I know that. I think.”
“It’s okay that you don’t have much experience,” he said. “I just want to be with you.”
“Why? Why do you want to be with me?”
He chuckled again, shaking his head. “Hell if I know. I just do.”
I bit my lip. I wanted to be with him too. I just wasn’t sure I should say it. Then he might think I wanted all those other things.