Page 73 of Timid (Lark Cove 2)

I stepped right into his space, taking his face in my hands and tipping it down so I had his full attention. “I haven’t built you up into anything, Jackson. I just see you for the greatness you already are. I don’t need candles or flowers or a fancy hotel room.”

“You deserve special.”

“Yes, I do,” I declared. “And no matter where it happens, it will be. This is already going to be one of the most special experiences of my life, simply because it’s with you.”

Fuck. How was I supposed to resist her?

Never had a woman stared at me the way Willa did. She looked at me like I was a king. The adoration in her eyes had nothing to do with my face or body. She saw straight to my center, and it was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.

“You’re sure?”

A playful smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “I’m sure.”

Planning a special night at a hotel was ancient history now. Thea’s ordeal tonight had scared me enough to abandon those plans. Why hold off the good moments when bad ones were around every corner?

And if Willa wanted me here, in her own bed, then tonight was good enough for me.

I crushed my lips down on hers, swallowing her yelp of surprise. She must have been expecting me to put up more of a fight.

But what she couldn’t know was that I’d been fighting this for weeks. I didn’t have the strength to wait any longer. There was only so much a guy could take and she’d worn my resolve thinner than my threadbare T-shirt—the one she was tugging out of my jeans as my tongue devoured her mouth.

I groaned as she pressed in closer, her stomach pressing against my throbbing dick.

Her hands slipped between us, going right for the button on my jeans. The shyness she’d had with me on our first date had disappeared over the last couple of weeks. She’d grown bolder, more comfortable with my hands on her body.

When she came, she made the hottest damn noises I’d ever heard. She didn’t hold back her moans or stifle her cries. Hell, two nights ago when I’d gone down on her, I’d thought for sure she’d wake up the whole neighborhood.

It had taken every bit of willpower not

to sink into her tight, wet heat. Tonight, I wouldn’t have to pull back. I wouldn’t have to walk home with an aching cock just to get myself off in the shower as I imagined how Willa’s pussy felt around me.

Tonight, I’d make this good for the both of us.

She worked the button free on my jeans and went for the zipper, but before she could pull it down, I reached between us and captured her hands, breaking off our kiss.

“What?” she panted. Her eyes were hooded as she looked up at me, confused. “I thought—”

“In a minute.” I dropped my forehead to hers. “I don’t want to rush through it.”

“Oh, okay.” She nodded, her cheeks flushed and her lips a shade darker than their normal pink. She worried the bottom one between her teeth.

Willa may have grown bolder when it came to our physical activities, but perhaps she was getting too deep in unfamiliar waters. I wanted her in control of how fast we took things, and there was no doubt she wanted all of me tonight. But there was also no doubt she was ready for me to take the helm.

“I, um . . .” She trailed off as she walked over to the end table next to her bed. Just the sight of her next to her mattress made me weak.

Don’t fuck this up. Do not fuck this up.

I had one shot to make this experience special for her.

I wasn’t going to fuck it up.

She turned to face me with a shy smile on her mouth. From the nightstand, she lifted out a box of condoms. “I bought these.”

Damn it. I should have told her I’d already taken care of the condoms. Buying them couldn’t have been easy for her. I crossed over into her bedroom and took the box from her hands, tossing it onto the bed behind her.

“I want to talk to you about something.”

Her forehead creased. “What?”