It took every ounce of my willpower to do as I’d suggested and just hold her. Not touch her intimately. Not peel her clothes away and run my hands all over her gorgeous body.
You’re the one who wanted to take it slow, so deal with it, buddy.
I gently squeezed her hip. I was trying to be respectful and not rush this. But fuck if it wasn’t the most difficult thing I’d ever done. I wanted her so much she was like a fever in my veins. Eight years of wanting her had all boiled up to this moment where I finally had her in my arms, and it was a true test of my self-control to keep from doing what my body craved.
“So, ask me something about myself,” she murmured, her breath tickling my chest. “And then I’ll ask you something about you. We can make getting to know each other a game so it’s fun and doesn’t feel intrusive.”
Okay. I could do this. What should I ask her?
I thought for a moment. I knew a lot about her already. Call me obsessed, but I’d been paying attention to her for eight years, watching, listening,noticingthings about her…
Then I recalled something she’d said the night we’d left L.A. that bothered me.
“Uh, don’t be offended by this question, and if it’s out of line, I apologize in advance, but…” I trailed off, swallowing hard. Did I even have the right to ask her this? What if it only traumatized her?
She lifted her head off my chest, her pretty blue gaze meeting mine. “Go ahead, Adrik. You can ask me anything.”
“Okay…Well, the night we left L.A., you mentioned that I bore a physical resemblance to your attacker. How so?”
She blinked, a faraway look crossing her face. Inhaling sharply, she closed her eyes. “He was large and muscular, like you.Strong.He had shaggy dark hair, like you. He hid his face behind his hair, like you. He attacked so fast, then ran off, so I never got a look at him.”
Uneasiness swirled around me. I didn’t like the sound of that. At all. Had her attacker been impersonating me? Trying to make herthinkhe was me? If so, why? If he was the same man who’d sent her the threatening text earlier in the week, then he sounded dangerous.
“It wasn’t me,” I felt compelled to say. “I swear it.”
She sent me a tender smile. “I know it wasn’t you, Adrik. You wouldneverhurt me.”
She had that right. And I would kill anyone whodidtry to harm her.
She laid her head back on my chest, snuggling against me. “My turn.”
“Okay.” I waited patiently.
“What’s your favorite television show?”
I chuckled, not expecting such an easy question. “The Walking Dead.”
She lifted her head again, her gaze locking on mine. “No way! That’s my favorite one too! I binge watch it over and over, never getting tired of it.”
I laughed. “Me too. Who’s your favorite character?”
“Oh, Daryl, without a doubt.” She paused, her gaze delving into mine. “He reminds me of you.”
I looked into her eyes. “Why?”
“He’s so alone, so mysterious, he’s been through so much, and he’s still so damn loveable.”
My breath hitched. Is that what she thought of me?
My heart sprinted out of control.
“Why is it your favorite show?” she wondered.
I contemplated my answer. “It’s entertaining,” I admitted, “and it shows people being pushed to their limits. Some manage to overcome the struggles and still hang onto their humanity, while others cross over the line and become violent and cruel.”
“Yeah.” She laid her head back down on my chest and snuggled against me. “Your turn.”
I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would be holding her like this. But I liked it. More than I wanted to admit.