Page 26 of Don’t Look Back

“I just got a straight man to admit he had feelings for me.” As he spoke, he strolled closer, closing the distance between us. “I feel like the most powerful person in the world.”

“You have no power over me at all.”

“You sure about that?”

There he was… Relieved, I sagged against the counter. Not a lot of people called me out on my bullshit. Well, Charlie did, but this was different.

Ryan and I were toe-to-toe now, his brown eyes locked onto my every move. My heart thumped a steady rhythm against my chest, so violently that I wondered if Ryan could hear it.. Mouth suddenly dry, I licked my lips. When his gaze flickered down to track the motion, I tried to remember how to breathe.

Just let him do it…

Then he was leaning in…

And I bolted to the other side of the kitchen.

“Fuck!” I groaned into my palm. “I’m sorry.”

“You think too much.”

“You’re right. I think way too much. I overthink everything.”

“So stop overthinking it.” Ryan’s presence grew closer, and then I felt his body heat against my back. “What do you want right now?”

“I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do. Turn around and look at me.”

I obeyed, gasping at the sight in front of me. Ryan still watched me, but his demeanor had changed. He had his hands in his pockets, almost as if he was restraining himself. Worrying his bottom lip, his eyes trailed over my body, hungry for something that food couldn’t give him.

“Without thinking, I want you to answer my next question. Can you do that for me?”

Shit. A shiver passed through my body. Unable to speak, I simply nodded.

“What do you want right now?” he repeated.

Ryan rolled his teeth along that swollen bottom lip, and I felt a sudden urge to have it in my mouth.

“I—”

“Don’t tell me. Don’t think about it. Just do it, Jason.”

Raising my hand, I brushed an aggravating curl out of Ryan’s face. On a shaky exhale, he leaned into my palm. My thumb stroked his cheek, silky-soft, unlike the Ryan in my dream.

My breath caught in my throat, lungs burning with the need for oxygen.

I curled my hand around his neck, thumb stroking that jawline I’d fantasized about. With a slight tug, he drifted into my space and I gasped as gentle hands clasped my waist. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “Relax.”

Using the leverage I had on him, I urged him closer until our chests bumped together. Fingers threaded through the hair at his nape, and he shuddered in my grip.

Refusing to ruin that moment by speaking, I wrapped my free arm around him, palm flattening over his back.

Ryan nosed along my jawline and when he spoke, soft puffs of air tickled my neck. “Don’t be scared.”

“You don’t scare me,” I scoffed, but the quiver in my voice begged to differ.

“Then why’s your heart beating so fast?”

“Shh…”