Page 14 of Protecting Her

And he was still as sexy as the moment I’d met him. I stepped closer, my heart a drum in my chest, and looked up into his eyes. “Kevin.”

“Ember,” he replied, and his arms came up to grip just below my shoulders. “I’ve wanted to see you since the moment I left you.”

“I, I’ve been so alone…” I let the words trail off because I didn’t know what I wanted to say, not really.

What could I say?

He pulled me closer, his lips so close. My eyes closed but opened right back up as a shriek came from the stage. We pulled apart and looked in that direction. A new, ahem, performer, was on the stage and she’d started to sing. Scream. Whatever.

“Oh dear, that is…” I started to say but stopped when her scream went up a decibel or three.

“Fuck me, that’s atrocious!” Kevin took my hand and pulled me away. We laughed as we walked swiftly away.

“That was a nightmare,” I said as we waited for the elevator to take us up to the fifth floor.

“I knew you were the right choice.” There was a weight to those words, and I looked up as the elevator doors opened.

“Thanks,” I said and stepped into the small elevator. I thought he’d come in and stand beside me. Instead, he walked up to me until my head tilted back. He placed a hand on each side of my head and looked down at me.

“You can say no to me, Ember, whenever you want to. And I swear to you, I didn’t do all of this to get a fuck out of you. I can get that in a million places. I did it for you. But damn, if I don’t want to be inside of you again as you moan my name.”

His lips cut off any response I might give and my arms went around his neck to pull him tighter to my face. Our tongues met, and something in my brain exploded with happiness. I hadn’t let myself dare hope he’d want me like this again, and part of me had been afraid that was all he wanted, but I knew that wasn’t the situation. And I wanted him, I’d wanted him from the moment he’d walked into the bar; even when I almost walked away from him, I’d wanted him.

“The elevator doors will open in a moment,” he said, his lips still wet from my kiss. His eyes had turned a darker shade, almost a brown color as he’d kissed me, and now they were directly on mine. “Do you want me to follow you to your room, or should I hold the doors while you drop off your case?”

I swallowed hard around a lump in my throat and told my tongue to work for something other than swirling around his. Use your words, Ember.

“Uh...” The door dinged as we came to a stop. My eyes darted behind us, then back to his. “I want…”

“Hurry, before the doors shut.” His fingers traced down my jaw, and I couldn’t look away.

“Come in with me. Please.”

It might be a mistake, it might lead to more hurt, but my body remembered his touch; the way he felt against me, inside of me, and I couldn’t say no.

Kevin took my hand and pulled us out just before the doors shut again. I used my key card to let us in and walked to my bedroom. “Do you want a drink?”

“I only want you, Ember,” he said as he pushed me down gently to the bed.

I stared up at him, this real man who stood over me with a hot look in his eyes. I hummed, but it wasn’t a word, or even an attempt at a word; it was just a reaction to that look. Oh boy. He leaned over me, his hands to either side of my head, and brought his face down to mine.

Heat, wet, then the sensual sensation of his tongue as it slid over mine. My hands came up to pull him down, and he settled between my thighs.

“Kevin…” I whispered his name against his lips as he pressed into me, hard and ready.

“I promised myself I’d give you time. I’d let you settle in before I let this go any further. But I can’t. I want you too much. I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you.” His lips brushed along my jaw to whisper into my ear, “I can’t say no to you. Why is that?”

“I don’t know,” I flubbed, too caught up in the way his lips brushed at the place beneath my earlobe. Who knew how fantastic that was?

My fingers tightened on his shoulders, and my hips pushed up into his. “Why do you fascinate me like you do?”

He pressed back into the push of my hips, and we both groaned. It felt too good. “I don’t know, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you either.”

“That’s good,” he said with a raised eyebrow. His voice had gone deeper, quieter just before his lips brushed against mine again.

“I need…” I started, but couldn’t finish. I needed so much, and he’d given me far too much already.

“You can have it all, Ember. Whatever you want.” He began to move, and his hands pulled at my shirt until it was gone and all I had on was my bra and jeans. I’d kicked off my shoes the minute I walked into the room, as had he. “All you have to do is ask.”