Standing, she had her hands in front of her, twisted her fingers together, and hated that she was this nervous. But she didn’t know what to think, how to react, because they’d fallen asleep in her bed last night, but she’d woken up alone.
“You talk to your dad or my mom today?” he asked and stepped into the kitchen, his big body corded with muscles, and the very feminine part of her fully appreciating it.
She nodded, not knowing if she could form words right now. That’s how nervous she was.
“That’s good,” he said again, and moved a step closer. She stayed in place, not sure if she should face this head on, or just run away because it was becoming awkward. The silence stretched out even more, and they continued to hold each other’s gazes.
“I—” she managed to say, but then snapped her mouth closed. “I don’t know what to say.” She needed to force the words out, because this weird silence, this heaviness in the air, was too much.
Landon didn’t say anything, but he moved closer and closer still, until he was now only a foot from her. It was then that Lyric actually took a step back, as if her body was working on its own.
She wasn’t afraid of him, but of herself, of how much she cared about him. It was so strange that all it took was their time at the creek, an encounter after his shower, and then of course the party and night of incredible sex, to have this floodgate of emotion open up in her.
She looked at Landon as someone she wanted to be with, someone that she wanted to share everything with.
It was intense, crazy and scary, but it was real.
Her ass was pressed to the side of the counter now, her retreat stopping. But that was good, because she didn’t need to run. She needed to face this head on.
“You seem nervous,” he said in a low, but steady voice.
“Maybe that’s because you’re looking at me like that.”
He lifted a brow. “And what way is that?”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Like you have something to say, and I might not like it.
He didn’t answer for several long seconds, just continued to stare into her eyes.
“That’s all?” His voice held challenge.
She knew what he wanted to know, and she knew she shouldn’t be embarrassed or worried about speaking the truth. Lying wouldn’t help any of this, and she wouldn’t get any answers. So, steeling herself, Lyric just said what she was thinking and feeling.
“I’m nervous because after last night…” She didn’t even know how to finish that sentence. She hadn’t told Marie about what happened, hadn’t even known what she’d say if she wanted to tell anyone.
Until she knew where Landon stood, she’d just keep her mouth shut.
“You’re nervous about last night?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I don’t know where this puts us.” Her entire body felt like it was shaking, and his close proximity didn’t dim her nerves.
He closed his eyes for a second and breathed out. When he placed his hands on the counter beside her, she rose on her toes a little. His erection pressed against her belly and sent heat through her, but also shock.
He was hard for her, but that didn’t mean he wanted anything more than being physical.
“If I told you want I want, I might scare you, Lyric,” he said and opened his eyes, looking at her with this bared expression.
“Try me,” Lyric whispered, wanting to know what he thought, how he felt, even if it wasn’t what she wanted to hear.
“I want you,” was all he said at first, and then he leaned in an inch. “I really fucking want you, but us being together might really fuck things up, Lyric.”
“How?” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Our parents for starters.”
“You never seemed like the type of guy that cared what others thought.” Of course she’d thought about what people would think and say, especially her father and his mother, but that didn’t mean she’d let that dictate what she wanted.
“I shouldn’t care, but I do. I care about what our folks will say. I care about how people will treat you if we’re together.”
God, he wants to be with me?
“I felt something when we were at the creek, Landon. I felt this connection, even if our conversation was limited.”
He made this low, deep sound, and pressed his dick against her belly even further. “I felt something, too, Lyric, even if being with you is crossing a line.”
“There shouldn’t be any lines to begin with, Landon.”
He groaned, and then he was kissing her. He had his mouth on hers, the possession clear in the way he dominated her. She moaned, reached out and steadied herself with her hands on his biceps, and let him take control.