“What kind of things are you thinking about?” she found herself asking him.
“Things I shouldn’t, Lyric.”
She licked her lips and felt her heart pick up speed when he moved closer to her. She wasn’t afraid, didn’t want to move away, but still she found herself taking a step back. The wall stopped her retreat, and she placed her hands on it, her palms coming into contact with the cooled wallpaper.
He kept moving toward her until he was only a few inches from her now, his body heat far warmer than the fire. She wanted him, no doubt about that, and despite what happened, what had almost happened with Devon, she didn’t feel any lasting effects. She only felt this one moment as she stared into Landon’s green eyes.
Kiss me.
Landon groaned, and she idly wondered if she’d said those two words out loud, but he hadn’t moved to do it. So, pulling up all of her nerves and strength, she breathed out slowly and said what she wanted, not afraid to express it.
“Landon,” she whispered his name, “kiss me.”
He made this low sound, and then he was pressed right to her, his mouth on hers, his hand in her hair.
She moaned into his mouth, and their tongues slid along each other. She knew if she didn’t stop this now she would probably do something they’d both end up regretting, but she couldn’t help herself, couldn’t stop herself.
Lyric had always relied on what her instincts told her, on what her body felt, and right now it was saying to let Landon have her in all ways.
Slipping her hands between their bodies, she started tugging on his belt, but faster than she anticipated, and to her disappointment, he stopped her from going any further. He pulled away, his warm, whiskey smelling breath coasting over her lips.
“Wait, Lyric,” he said on a rushed breath, as if he couldn’t breathe. Even though shadows played over his face she could see the hard outline of his expression, could see that he looked torn. He rested his forehead against hers, and they both just stood there, neither speaking.
“I don’t want to stop, Landon.” Even Lyric could hear how needy she sounded. He pulled back another inch and stared down at her. His gaze was on her lips, his jaw hard, his eyes looking heavy lidded. She felt his massive erection press against her belly, and a fresh wave of arousal slammed into her.
“This isn’t right?” he said, but it was phrased like a question.
“Says who?” she whispered.
He lifted his gaze to hers again. “We’re family.”
Her stomach clenched in distaste. “No offense, but I’ve never seen you as family, as a brother, Landon. I’ve never looked at you as my stepbrother.” She hadn’t meant that in a bad way, because although she cared about him, had lived under the same roof with him for years, she never had any kind of familial connection with him. “You haven’t seen me as…” She didn’t even want to finish that sentence.
“Fuck no, Lyric. I never saw you as my sister, if that’s what you’re getting at.”
She breathed out in relief. “Then what’s the problem? Why do you think this is wrong?”
“Because my mom married your dad, and if they found out they wouldn’t be happy about this.” An almost pained expression crossed his face. “But, yeah, honestly, I don’t want to fucking stop this, Lyric, but I also know what almost happened tonight, what would have happened if I didn’t show up when I did…” He said the words low, maybe trying to sound calm, but she could hear the anger rising in his voice.
“I don’t want to think about that. It didn’t happen because you did show up, did save me.” She rose up and kissed him. “Just kiss me, Landon.”
“God, Lyric, baby.” The heat and arousal were laced together in his voice.
Fire moved through her at the fact he’d just said those words. “Then let’s not stop again,” she whispered against his mouth, slightly surprised with herself.
She wasn’t a virgin, had lost it her sophomore year at the creek. No one knew about that, not even Marie.
Truthfully she was embarrassed that she’d gotten rid of it the way she had. But now, in a way, she was glad that was not looming over her. She didn’t have to worry about what he’d think or say if he knew she had never had sex.
“Damn,” he groaned out that last word.
She took that as affirmation that he wanted this. She moved her hands up his thickly corded biceps, felt the muscles tense and flex beneath them, and could see the few tattoos he had peeking out from under his t-shirt sleeves.
His muscles were so hard and defined, and when she let her fingers curl into his skin he tensed.
When she pressed her breasts more firmly against his chest he closed his eyes and groaned. Then he leaned down an inch, cupped the side of her face, and kissed her until she couldn’t breathe, and would have begged him for more.