The corner of Ramsey’s mouth kicked up. “Better than the best damn whiskey I’ve ever tasted.”
I blinked a few more times, my hand dropping away from my mouth. “I shouldn’t have forced you into that—”
Ramsey grabbed my hand, tugging me closer to him. “You didn’t make me do anything.”
“I made you feel bad for me. I basically forced a pity kiss out of you.”
He barked out a laugh. “Shiloh, the last thing I feel for you is pity.” He bent forward, touching his forehead to mine.
“What do you feel for me?”
Ramsey’s fingers twined with mine. “I don’t think there’s a word for it in the English language. But it burns through me. And I don’t want to ever let it go.”
27
RAMSEY
Kai’s headlifted as I walked into the kitchen, but Shiloh’s eyes didn’t move from the cup of coffee she stared at. She studied it as if it had all the answers in the world. I cleared my throat, and her head shot up.
“How do you feel this morning?” It had been a long night for us both with me waking her up every three hours. Between that and the memory of our kiss playing on repeat in my brain, I’d barely gotten any sleep.
Shiloh worried that spot on the inside of her cheek. “A lot better this morning.”
Nothing about her expression told the same story, but I didn’t see pain exactly. I studied her as she shifted her weight back and forth on her feet and tapped out a rhythm against her mug.
I moved in closer, watching for any hint of apprehension, but the nearer I got, the more Shiloh seemed to calm. Wrapping an arm around her, I leaned my forehead against hers. “I’m right here. My feelings didn’t change with a few hours’ sleep.”
Shiloh melted into me at those words. “I’m not going to be good at this.”
“Me, either, but I think we can fumble through it together. Give each other room to mess up and tell one another how to fix it.” Because I couldn’t hold back from Shiloh any longer. I’d fought the pull with everything I had in me, so scared I’d hurt her if I gave in. And the truth was, I would hurt her. I’d inevitably screw something up and cause her pain. But I was hurting us both every damn day by not giving this a shot.
She set her coffee mug on the counter and burrowed into me. “I’ve been scared to want this.”
“You and me both.”
She smiled against my chest. “Why does that make me feel better?”
I chuckled. “Because you know you’re not in this alone. And you never will be.” I might not have the tools to be the best in relationships, but I had patience. I didn’t give up, and I always found a path through.
I brushed the hair away from her face. It hung in loose waves around her face today, curled from that braid she typically wore. She was so damn beautiful it was like claws digging into my heart. My fingers trailed along her cheek, down her neck, and beneath her hair. “This goes at your speed. You have the reins.”
A flash of panic lit her expression. “I don’t know the first thing about leading something like this. I—I’ll screw something up.”
I brushed my lips across hers, a hint of coffee and Shiloh filling my senses. “Just do what feels right. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want or tell me what you don’t. That’s how this works.”
She glared at me. Full-on scowled as if I’d stolen the last donut.
I barked out a laugh.
“Don’t laugh. It’s not funny.”
I kissed her again, unable to help myself. “It’s a little funny.”
Shiloh huffed. “Then you have to do the same. Tell me what you want and don’t.”
“That’s simple.”
She arched a brow in question.