For another twenty minutes, they sat like that, his arm around her, his body warm and firm against her. Every so often, his longer fingers, rough-tipped with calluses, would tease lightly along her arm.
She liked it. She especially liked feeling so snug and secure, like her bones were melting and worries didn’t exist and she wasn’t Jodi Bentley but someone else. Someone normal.
Someone special...to Hunter.
When she turned her head to peer up at him, he tipped his down and stared back. It took her breath away, how he looked at her. No one had ever looked at her like that. “You said my eyes are nice, but I really like yours. I’m not much for poetry, but if mine are sunshine, yours are midnight. Really dark blue, right before the stars come out. They’re alert, but also... I don’t know. Attentive?”
He cupped her face again, and God, she loved that. He had such big, capable hands, but they were so gentle with her. His fingers sank into her hair and he gave a small smile. “What am I going to do with you, Jodi?”
Was that supposed to be a serious question? Well, she suddenly had a serious answer, and for some reason, it made her all breathless. “I maybe wouldn’t mind if you tried kissing me.” The second the words left her mouth, her pulse started rushing, both in fear of humiliating failure, and with scorching expectation.
His gaze dropped to her mouth, and dang if her lips didn’t tingle.
Warning him, she added, “As long as we both know it might not go well. If I can’t take it, I don’t want you to be all grumpy or morose about it.”
“I would only kiss you if you wanted me to. ‘Not minding’ isn’t good enough.”
What felt like a lifetime stretched by in coiling anticipation. Jodi heard the movie, but it didn’t distract her. The shark could have devoured an entire town and she wouldn’t have noticed.
Her heart struck her ribs like a sledgehammer. “I am kind of curious. Does that count?”
“Yes.” Hunter turned toward her. “It definitely counts.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
BRACING HIMSELF FOR possible negative reactions, Hunter eased closer. Jodi had her face upturned, her tawny eyes shining and absorbed. No shying away for her, not with this.
He felt like his whole life hinged on the success of this one kiss. “If you say stop, I will. I swear.”
“I know.” She tilted closer. Waiting.
Damn. Hunter leaned down and barely brushed his lips over hers. Tentative, light. She didn’t move, and she kept her eyes open, watching him, but he felt the rush of her breath, and a slight trembling.
Easing back to assess her, he saw that her lashes were heavy and her cheeks flushed.
“That wasn’t horrible.”
Slowly, he smiled. “You are so wonderful. Again?”
She nodded and, sounding a little rusty, said, “Might as well.”
He was a complete and total goner and he knew it. Somehow this one, small, traumatized woman had bulldozed into his restricted world, demolished his walls and ripped his heart straight out of his chest. It left him overwhelmed, and grateful that he’d found her.
Or she’d found him.
Whatever miracle of mistakes had brought them together, he knew he didn’t ever want to let her go.
With his thumb under her chin, he tilted her face slightly and delivered another chaste kiss, lingering this time, tracing her bottom lip with careful pecks. Gently, he rubbed his mouth over hers, keeping the friction so light that she leaned in, increasing the pressure. Following her lead, he let his lips nibble at hers, and heard her sigh.
Breathing deeper, she sat back and said, “You’re good at this.”
“What an endorsement.”
She grinned. “Hey, I’m surprised. I mean, it was really nice.” She swallowed heavily. “Want to do it again?”
“Yes.”
She touched her lips, and then she touched his, her fingertips trembling slightly. “You were holding back, though.”
“I was.” Stringing even two words together seemed far too difficult.
“So how about you kiss me how you want to, and if there’s something I don’t like, I’ll speak up and tell you.”
How many ways could one woman tempt him? Hunter put his forehead to hers. “The very last thing I want to do is push too fast.”
“You won’t.”
So much faith. “You’re sure you’re okay with this?”
“I’m actually pretty excited about it.”
Hunter went still, wondering if she meant what he hoped she meant. With Jodi, he could never tell.
Then she expounded, and he had to laugh at himself.
“I figured I’d get kissed and totally freak, you know? I knew I was going to hate it. Before now, or maybe before you, it was just...yuck. I wanted no part of it. But now it’s like...well...” After floundering for words, and then giving up, she released another soft sigh. “I guess never rolled around pretty darned fast, right?”
“I’m glad.” Wondering how he’d gotten so lucky to be “the one” she’d find acceptable, Hunter decided he would make every single step of her awakening pleasurable—even if it killed him. He’d go slowly no matter how difficult that might be, and for tonight, he’d limit himself to kissing, and superficial kissing at that. He wouldn’t let her tempt him into losing sight of her past.
She lifted her brows, waiting.
“Let’s try this.” He sat back, sinking comfortably into the couch cushions, and easily levered her onto his lap.
If she noticed his erection, she made no comment, just braced her hands on his shoulders and stared at him expectantly.
Hunter slid a hand around her narrow waist and urged her forward. “Kiss me, Jodi.”
Confusion brought her brows together. “I thought you were going to kiss me.”
“I will.”
Still frowning, she looked at his mouth. “You think I won’t? Is this some kind of dare?”
Well, damn. Talk about missing the mark. “I thought that, this way, you could easily move away whenever you wanted.”
“Dude, I’m armed. I don’t need to be on your lap.”
Not laughing was a strain, but he managed it. “How about you don’t threaten to shoot me while I’m trying to figure out the best way to do this?”
Now she grumbled, saying, “I didn’t mean I would shoot you.” She slanted him a glare. “I assume you wouldn’t give me reason. Otherwise, I’d already be gone.”