I blink at him, and he simply stares down at me with a gaze so heated it lands below my waist. Really? Now is not the time, I tell my libido.
“No? You can’t tell me no.” My shocked stare turns to a blazing glare. In the time that I’ve known Ozzie, he’s never said no to me. Not once. Never tried to use his size or strength to force me or prevent me from doing anything.
But here he is, standing in my bedroom doorway. Not moving.
“Ozzie, please move.”
“No.”
“I’ll call the police.”
“Then the cops will come. They’ll ask both of us a lot of questions. I’ll go to jail for false imprisonment. Meanwhile, you’ll have to explain to Leela and probably the Dean why the cops showed up to Beta Beta Psi.”
A strap slips from my shoulder, and one bag thunks to the floor, taking my body with it because I’m holding my suitcase in that hand. Ozzie snatches me. I gasp as his big arms keep me from falling on my ass.
Defiantly I spit out, “If you’re not going to help me, then get out of my way.”
I’m steady now, but he doesn’t let go of my arm. In fact, he’s encircled both my upper arms now with his great big mitts. This posture forces him to lean in too close to my face. I try to bob and weave, but I’ve nowhere to go. True, I don’t try too hard. Because as much as I want to disappear, my heart and body want me to stay. This touch from him grounds me even as I try to avoid his gaze.
“We’ve established that I’m not moving. I’m not letting you leave.”
Dammit.
“Why not? Why can’t you let me go?”
Ozzie’s expression is incredulous. “Don’t be stupid. I care about you. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I love you, and whatever’s coming, we’ll deal with it together.”
His family was difficult enough to say goodbye to. I can’t decide what’s more painful: not getting to say goodbye to Khaz or this agonizing goodbye right here. Both really suck. I briefly think of all the rest of the goodbyes of my life—my parents’ murder, me shooting Emil to death. All of them suck. That’s a no from me. Goodbyes get zero stars. Do not recommend.
He’s going to keep touching me like this now, isn’t he? I can’t keep looking away forever, so I finally meet those intense eyes.
I can see for myself that he’s serious. He’s not going to let me leave. At the same time, there is such tenderness there. So much compassion but also frustration.
“Ozzie.”
“Mila. Put the bags down.”
“I want to leave!”
I mean, I don’t. But my better, wiser self is winning out. It has to.
Ozzie seems to consider this for a moment, then sighs. “One goodbye kiss, then.”
Uh oh. This is a dangerous bargain, isn’t it? “Fine,” I say before I fully wrap my head around it.
“Good,” he replies. “But you have to put the bags down so I can kiss you properly.”
“Ozzie.”
“Put the fucking bags down and let us both have one kiss that’s real. Now.”
The heat in my blood rises in response to this command. A command I don’t obey. Not yet. Ozzie’s eyes smolder, and then his gaze drops to my mouth for the briefest of seconds; then, when he looks back up into my eyes, his are hooded with need. That momentary glance was enough to tell me what he was thinking.
He thinks he can get me into bed and distract me. But I can’t do this. I can’t let him bed me as much as I want him to. I can’t let him touch me like he touched me all weekend and like this morning in his bedroom. As easy as it would be for me, as resigned as I would be, he’s even less prepared for it. Sex right now would hurt him too much later.
Ozzie slants his face and releases his grip on my upper arms. His hands clutch my face firmly as our lips come together in a soft, soul-stirring kiss. I thought he would claim me. But of course not. This is Ozzie. He’s sweet and playful with a hint of naughty. His hands stay on my face when he breaks the kiss, his thumbs tenderly stroking my cheekbones. His touch is lovely and adoring. I know this game he’s playing. He’s doing what he’s been doing to my heart all weekend. Making me feel worshiped and cared for so deeply that I won’t want to leave.
And as I predicted, he says it. “There. If you want to go, I won’t stop you.”