Nerves begin to plague me, wondering what the hell is going to happen in here. If he comes at me with that strong body, wide shoulders, and devilish smirk, I don’t think I’ll have the strength to tell him no.
Slade leads me through his front door and the first thing I notice is that it’s deathly quiet. It’s a Saturday night and I recall him telling me that he had little sisters. Surely, they should be here with his parents, right?
Slade’s eyes remain on me as I glance around his home. It’s bigger than mine, but there’s no surprise there. His parents would have bought the place for a family where Shay and Ben bought their home for the two of them with the thought of a home gym in mind.
“Your family?” I question nervously.
“Mom and Dad are at a business dinner and the girls are sleeping over at a friend’s place.”
Right, so we’re all alone. Just…great.
I nod, glancing back over my shoulder at him. “So, your parents wouldn’t get you to watch them?”
He shakes his head, grinning with an odd fondness shining through his eyes that I’ve never seen from him before and damn, it looks good on him. “Don’t get me wrong, I love those little brats but I haven’t exactly been the most reliable babysitter in the past.”
Laughter bubbles out of me. “Why am I not surprised?”
Slade’s soft chuckle echoes around his home but my mind goes blank as he steps into my back, threading his fingers through mine as they hang by my sides. “You defended me to that cop,” he says referring to the fight before the cop had pushed me.
I turn and look up at him and he switches his hold on my hands. “You punched that same cop.”
Slade pulls on my hands and it forces me closer into his chest, right where I like to be. “How could I not? He put his hands on you.”
I meet his eyes and I struggle to get the words out past my emotions. “Apart from Blake, no one’s ever cared like that.”
Slade releases one of my hands and slides his fingers around the back of my neck, slow and firm. His thumb reaches around to the bottom of my jaw and he pushes my chin up, both of us knowing that what’s about to happen is going to mean so much more than either of us are ready for.
He brings our joined hands up and presses my palm against his chest before leaving it there and snaking his arm around my back.
My heart races as the need to kiss him slams through me. His dark eyes stare down into mine and it’s so freaking intense that the need to look away takes over me, but I don’t dare. I don’t want to miss a second of this. “I want to make you feel again,” he whispers, his words wrapping right around me.
I shake my head, feeling his thumb gently running up and down my throat. “You already have.”
His lips come down on mine and my eyes close as our connection rocks through me. How could I have been denying this for so damn long? Damian was right, I may not be ready to make anything official, but Slade Cruz is mine.
He deepens the kiss and I moan into him. How is this so good?
Slade’s hands travel down my back until they’re at my ass and he’s lifting me effortlessly into his arms. My legs wrap around his waist as I hook my arms around his neck, holding on tight.
He walks down the hall and into his bedroom, closing the door behind him then making his way to his bed. I can honestly say that this is a place I never thought I’d be in. Slade’s freaking bedroom, but here I am and I’m far too distracted to even bother looking around.
I’m laid down on his bed and his big frame comes down on top of me. He keeps himself propped up on his elbow to avoid crushing me but the feel of him completely surrounding me is absolutely mind-blowing.
His hand slips up my shirt, leaving a trail of goosebumps and shivers behind. It’s so damn intoxicating.
I grab hold of his shirt and pull it up over his head. I’ve never seen his body, not like this at least, and damn it, his skin is so fucking warm. My hands roam over his strong back, feeling the tightness of his sculptured muscles. He’s simply beautiful.
My shirt comes off, and at the rush of feeling his naked chest against my skin, I’m left needing more and my bra is quick to go.
His rough, calloused hands roam over my body making me feel more alive than I’ve ever had the right to feel. Knowing there’s only one way this is going to end, I murmur against his lips. “You should know that I haven’t done this since…you know.”