“Was this too much?”
“No, umm, you see…” Her gaze dropped down to my chest, and it almost felt like she was avoiding me.
“What is it?” my voice rasped.
“I don’t have a whole lot of, umm, experience.” I froze and watched her a little closer.
“Okay,” I sounded slowly.
“I’m not a virgin, but, umm… I just haven’t done much.”
“Joy—"
“I was with one person, and he hurt me. But that was a long time ago.” She started to ramble quickly, obviously nervous.
“Shh,” I tried to quiet her down. “First off, how did he hurt you?” I asked, trying not to scare her as the anger of someone touching what was mine fucked with my head.
“It wasn’t like that kind of hurt. He just, umm…” And again, I lost her eyes. She wouldn’t meet my gaze, and I hated it. My fingers pressed under her chin so she would look at me.
“Talk to me, baby girl.”
“I was a bet,” she blurted out quickly, and my body went stock still. “Like, you know, screw-the-fat-chick kind of bet.” My teeth grinded as I tried not to let anger get the best of me. “He played me. It was one of those things.”
“No, baby, it’s not one of those things. Guys like that, they have no idea what kinda treasure they have in their hands, what they let go of because their dicks are too small to see past their nose.”
“You’re being sweet.” Her lips twitched slightly as her hands stroked my jawline.
“I’m being honest. I’ve met guys like that. Assholes who think their shit doesn’t stink. Playing with women and their feelings.” I shook my head with disgust. “But trust me when I tell you that karma’s a bitch, and it always bites them in the ass. And regret’s a motherfucker.”
“I like you, too,” she blurted as her chest rose and fell slightly, brushing against mine. “In case you were wondering.”
“Fuck.” I rested my forehead against hers and breathed in her air. Sweet and clean. “I should go home,” I rumbled, trying to do the right thing. Pulling my head back, I tucked a stray hair behind her ear. I opened my mouth to ask if I cold see her the next day, but she beat me to it.
“Stay,” she asked, sitting straighter on my lap with renewed confidence. “Umm, we don’t have to, if you don’t want to, but—"
“If I don’t want to?” I asked, swallowing hard. She shifted slightly, rolling her hips just right to rub the soft apex between her thighs against my rod.
“I want you, Linc. I’ve never… I’ve never been surer about anything in my life,” she said confidently as she stood. I missed having her body on mine immediately.
I followed her and stood, taking the hand she extended as she led me to her bedroom. Fuck, she could have been leading me to the deepest parts of hell, and I would have followed like a lost puppy. She wanted me. She wanted me as much as I wanted her. My eyes followed the sway of her hips as we made it to her dimly lit bedroom, where she turned to look at me and licked her lips. Silence had fallen between us. But it wasn’t bad. Hell no, it was nice. Comfortable and slightly familiar. My hands fisted at my side, not brave enough to touch her. Not yet at least.
“Are you sure about this, Joy?” I asked, my voice deeper than usual as my skin tightened all over my body.
“I’ve never been surer, Lincoln.” She reached for my hand and kissed the palm before I relaxed it and breathed in.
Being in her room was surreal.
A feast for all my senses.
The air smelled sweet, just like her. So sweet I could almost taste it. And fuck, looking at her in those cute pajamas, that’s all I wanted to do. My hands moved to her shoulders, and carefully, slowly, I disrobed her. The robe she’d been wearing came off and pooled on the ground next to us.
“You have goose bumps,” I noted. “You want me to stop?” I asked. She shook her head as she breathed in. “I need the words, baby.”
“Please don’t stop,” she whispered. A deep guttural sound rumbled through my chest as I pulled her in closer, kissing her silky flesh, pulling the tiny strap down the slope of her shoulder.
“I’m gonna take everything off your beautiful body, Joy. Every stich of clothing so I can see you. All of you,” I promised and felt her tremble beneath the tips of my fingers.
I didn’t stop until I’d completed my mission and had this beautiful curvy goddess standing in front of me as naked as the day she was born. “Fucking gorgeous,” I grunted as I backed her up and helped her to the middle of the bed.