Her scream had woken him up then. Just like this time, he hadn’t been able to get to her fast enough.
“Back then, you said you didn’t want to leave the bedroom. And when you were there in the room with me, I felt safe.”
“Evie…”
“That’s the thing about you.” She slowly crossed the room until she stood directly in front of him. “You always make me feel safe.”
“I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“I know.” Her smile was wistful. “I used to think you were like some kind of superhero.”
“I’m hardly hero material, and I’m certainly not super.” His buddy James would say he could be a super asshole but…Cole was trying to be different, for her.
Trying to be better.
And that was why his hands were off her and currently clenched at his sides.
“I still want you,” Evie confessed.
His jaw dropped.
“I’m not going to pretend that I don’t. The attraction that I had for you before is still there. And, just, um, judging by your condition, I’m assuming you still want me, too.”
His condition? Ah, yes, the giant hard-on that she probably hadn’t been able to miss. He arched an eyebrow. “Yeah, Evie, I still want you.” Still, always—whatever word she wanted to use.
“But you didn’t do anything about wanting me. You just walked out of the room.”
Bam. His heart thudded hard into his chest. “Do you want me to do something?”
“Back in LA, I had to come to you. I was the one who made the first move.”
Yes, she had been. He’d been the one taking way too many cold showers.
Her head tilted. Her hair slid over her shoulder. “How long do you think you’ll be guarding me this time?”
Her vanilla cream scent wrapped around him. Made him crazy. “I don’t know.”
“Last time, we only made it a week before we had sex.”
Was it hot in there? It felt hot in there.
“I’m not seeing anyone. You already know I lied about Leo.” Evie rocked forward. “Are you? I mean, are you seeing anyone?”
“No.” An instant denial.
She nodded. “I just wanted to know.”
“Now you do.” He waited. Couldn’t drag his gaze away from her mouth.
He heard her breathing hitch. “What do you want right now?” Evie whispered.
Since she’d asked… “I want to take your mouth. I want to see if you taste as sweet as I remember.”
Her eyes flared. “This is a mistake. My brother would say it was a huge mistake.”
“Yeah, well, your brother is a—” Cole caught himself, just in time. “It’s a kiss, Evie. If you want to kiss me, if you want to see what happens when your mouth gets on mine, then let’s do it. It’s not about your brother.” Hell, no, it wasn’t. “It’s not about what anyone else thinks. It’s about me and it’s about you.”
“Right.” She was staring at his mouth now, too. “Me and you.”
He unclenched his right hand. Let it rise. Cupped her chin as he tipped back her head. “It’s just a kiss. Not sex. You might kiss me and decide you don’t want my mouth or my hands on you ever again.” Fucking perish that thought.
“I might. Or you might decide that you don’t want me.”
Oh, that’s a big hell, no. Won’t be deciding that. Ever. “Maybe we should just kiss and find out what happens. That way, we get it over with.”
She nodded. “Maybe.”
But she didn’t move. Neither did he. He didn’t move because he did not want to screw anything up with her again. He was trying to hold onto his control. Trying to do things right this time, trying to show her—
“Fuck it,” Evie breathed. She threw her body against his. Her mouth came toward his.
He took her lips. Took them. Her lips were soft and sensual. And they parted for him…
His tongue slid into her mouth. He tasted her, and dammit, she was even sweeter than he remembered. So sweet and good and he wanted to devour her. He could feel his control splintering. Could feel his need for her raging too hot and hard. His mouth was savage in his need as Cole took and took, and Evie kissed him back the same way.
There was no awkwardness. No hesitation because it had been so long since he’d had her in his arms. There was just an explosion of lust. A surge of white-hot desire.
She moaned.
He lifted her into his arms as he tried to drag her even closer to him. Closer. Her arms twined around his neck and her legs locked around his hips. His dick shoved toward her, pushing at the juncture of her thighs and the thin panties he could feel there.
He took a few steps forward and pinned her between his body and the wall. His heart pounded in his ears. The scent of vanilla cream flooded his nostrils. He kept kissing her. Tasting her. Wanting her.
It would be so easy to rip her panties out of the way. To sink balls deep into her and get lost in the madness of pleasure they would bring to each other. He could have her screaming. She’d have him roaring. Her nails could scratch down his body as he got her to come again and again.
Her hips arched against him. Her lips sucked around his tongue, and then she—
“No.” Evie shoved her hand between their bodies. She’d torn her mouth away from his. “We…no.”
He sucked in a breath. One. Two. Counted his pounding heartbeats. The beats were raging out of control.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“You don’t have a fucking thing to be sorry for.” His eyes squeezed shut. His hands were holding her hips—holding them way too tightly. “Just…give me a minute.” To get his control back.
“I didn’t think it would still be that intense.” Her voice was soft. So husky. “It’s…it’s almost more than it was before.”
With her, it was always more. She didn’t get that. Didn’t understand that she was different for him. Had been, from day one.
Slowly, he lowered her so that her bare feet touched the floor. He forced his hands to let go of her. His eyes opened as he stepped back.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with us.” Her confession sounded lost. Uncertain.
“You do whatever feels right.” His voice was freaking gravel.
She bit her lip.
He growled. I want to bite. To lick. To suck. To take.
“I…should go to bed,” Evie mumbled.
And I would love to join you there. But he knew it was too soon. Too fast. He’d just come back into her life. After the day from hell that she’d had, Evie was riding one massive wave of adrenaline. Pair that with the fact that she'd woken up from a nightmare minutes before…
Yeah, he’d have to be one Grade A asshole to try and keep her with him that night.
Try not to be an asshole. This once. With her. Try. He locked down his body and told her, “If you have a bad dream, I’ll be at your side in a flash.”
Her gaze held his. “Thank you.”
She slipped away. Headed back into her room. The door closed quietly behind her.
He looked down at his hands. They were shaking. Lust burned through every cell of his body. He wanted her more than he wanted breath. “Fuck me,” he whispered.