hair. Erasing any doubts he might have about them or her was important. She may not be ready to tell him how she felt, but she intended to show him every chance she got.
He circled her waist, pulling her in close. “I’m so glad I came here tonight.” He chuckled. “I was afraid you were gonna shoot me down again, but I had to try one more time before I gave up.”
She thought what a loss it would have been if he had given up on her, not that she would have blamed him. He’d already endured more rejection than most men would be willing to tolerate. “I’m glad you came too, Shane. Tonight was amazing.”
He ran his hand up her back. “You’re not sore, are you?”
Wrinkling her nose, she said, “Maybe a little, but it was worth it.” She wrapped her arms around his neck as she fixed her gaze on his lips. “You’re an incredible lover… not that I have anyone compare you to.”
He laughed, causing the soft lines around his green eyes to deepen. “I’m not complaining, believe me.” He sobered quickly, staring into her eyes. “I want you to know how much it means to me that you trusted me enough to let me make love to you tonight, sweetheart.”
Her heart clenched at the sweet statement. Knowing that he understood what it cost her to take this risk tonight made her realize that he was getting to know the woman behind the façade she presented to the rest of the world, and that thrilled and terrified her at the same time. “It was the right time, and you were the right man,” she said quietly, settling her palms against his chest. “No matter what happens between us, I’ll never regret what happened tonight.”
He frowned, tipping her chin. “What the hell does that mean? It sounds like you’re already writing me off.” When she didn’t respond right away, he scowled. “You need to know something about me, Lacy. I have more than one side. The guy you were with tonight was just one part of who I am.”
She felt her heart race, feeling the fear of his implied threat. “I don’t understand. Are you trying to tell me you were pretending to be someone you’re not just to get me to sleep with you?”
He took a step back, raking his hands through his hair. “No, hell no. How can you even ask me that?” He sighed. “Listen, I’m just saying that I didn’t get where I am without being determined. When I see something I want, I go after it with everything I’ve got, and I don’t let anything get in my way.” He lowered his voice, moving in closer. “And I want you, only you.”
The breath she’d been holding escaped in a small gasp as he closed his hands over her shoulders. “I see.”
“No, you don’t, but you will.” His eyes scanned her face, as though he was trying to read her thoughts. “I came here tonight willing to try one more time, but if you shut me down again, I was willing to walk out without looking back.”
Lowering her head, she chose not to respond. He still seemed angry, frustrated, and she didn’t want to say anything else to fuel his temper.
“But everything changed for me when you let me make love to you. I’m not willing to walk away now, Lacy. Not without a fight.”
She didn’t know whether to be relieved or alarmed. It almost sounded as though he was giving her fair warning.
“Don’t you have anything to say to that?”
She shrugged, trying to avoid the frustration she saw in his eyes. She knew she’d disappointed him, but she didn’t know what to do to rectify the situation. She wasn’t in a place emotionally where she could start making declarations, and she knew making false promises would hurt their working relationship if things didn’t work out between them. As much as she wanted it to last, she knew relationships were a risk with no guarantees. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
He closed his eyes and tipped his head back. “Nothing, you don’t have to say anything. Let’s just get dressed and get out of here, okay?”
She
He circled her waist, pulling her in close. “I’m so glad I came here tonight.” He chuckled. “I was afraid you were gonna shoot me down again, but I had to try one more time before I gave up.”
She thought what a loss it would have been if he had given up on her, not that she would have blamed him. He’d already endured more rejection than most men would be willing to tolerate. “I’m glad you came too, Shane. Tonight was amazing.”
He ran his hand up her back. “You’re not sore, are you?”
Wrinkling her nose, she said, “Maybe a little, but it was worth it.” She wrapped her arms around his neck as she fixed her gaze on his lips. “You’re an incredible lover… not that I have anyone compare you to.”
He laughed, causing the soft lines around his green eyes to deepen. “I’m not complaining, believe me.” He sobered quickly, staring into her eyes. “I want you to know how much it means to me that you trusted me enough to let me make love to you tonight, sweetheart.”
Her heart clenched at the sweet statement. Knowing that he understood what it cost her to take this risk tonight made her realize that he was getting to know the woman behind the façade she presented to the rest of the world, and that thrilled and terrified her at the same time. “It was the right time, and you were the right man,” she said quietly, settling her palms against his chest. “No matter what happens between us, I’ll never regret what happened tonight.”
He frowned, tipping her chin. “What the hell does that mean? It sounds like you’re already writing me off.” When she didn’t respond right away, he scowled. “You need to know something about me, Lacy. I have more than one side. The guy you were with tonight was just one part of who I am.”
She felt her heart race, feeling the fear of his implied threat. “I don’t understand. Are you trying to tell me you were pretending to be someone you’re not just to get me to sleep with you?”
He took a step back, raking his hands through his hair. “No, hell no. How can you even ask me that?” He sighed. “Listen, I’m just saying that I didn’t get where I am without being determined. When I see something I want, I go after it with everything I’ve got, and I don’t let anything get in my way.” He lowered his voice, moving in closer. “And I want you, only you.”
The breath she’d been holding escaped in a small gasp as he closed his hands over her shoulders. “I see.”
“No, you don’t, but you will.” His eyes scanned her face, as though he was trying to read her thoughts. “I came here tonight willing to try one more time, but if you shut me down again, I was willing to walk out without looking back.”
Lowering her head, she chose not to respond. He still seemed angry, frustrated, and she didn’t want to say anything else to fuel his temper.
“But everything changed for me when you let me make love to you. I’m not willing to walk away now, Lacy. Not without a fight.”
She didn’t know whether to be relieved or alarmed. It almost sounded as though he was giving her fair warning.
“Don’t you have anything to say to that?”
She shrugged, trying to avoid the frustration she saw in his eyes. She knew she’d disappointed him, but she didn’t know what to do to rectify the situation. She wasn’t in a place emotionally where she could start making declarations, and she knew making false promises would hurt their working relationship if things didn’t work out between them. As much as she wanted it to last, she knew relationships were a risk with no guarantees. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
He closed his eyes and tipped his head back. “Nothing, you don’t have to say anything. Let’s just get dressed and get out of here, okay?”
She
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