Page 12 of So Much More
“Because I don’t know if I can keep holding you like this without kissing you. I’ve been teetering on the edge of control, and I don’t know if I can hang on anymore.”
“Oh, I’m definitely cuddling you then.” I poke his belly. “And you can’t stop me.”
“You really think so? I’m more than a foot taller than you and weigh at least twice as much as you do, my little Munchkin.”
The possessive nickname sends a thrill through me, yet I give him a mock glare. “Are you threatening me, Randall Hamilton?”
“No!” He cups my shoulders and looks me dead in the eye. “I will never threaten you or touch you in any way that will hurt you. I swear to you.”
I match his tone so he’ll know I’m as serious as he is. “I know. I was kidding.”
He nods. “Good.”
“And I’m not a Munchkin.” I sit up as tall as I can. “I’m at least six inches taller than they are.”
Randall grins at me with a gleam in his eye.
“Why are you looking at me like that, you weirdo?” I ask.
“You want to know what I call you when you’re not around?”
“No,” I shake my head, “I don’t.”
“Well, I’m going to tell you anyway. I call you Glinda.”
“Glinda?” I can feel my forehead wrinkling. “Why?”
“Because you remind me of Glinda the Good Witch inThe Wizard of Oz.Just like her, you’re kind and you’re beautiful and you love to help people.”
My heart melts. “That’s so sweet. I love it.” I remove his hand from where it’s resting on my hip and kiss his palm, since he won’t let me kiss his mouth. “You’re a real smooth talker.”
“Not trying to be smooth—only honest,” he says.
“I appreciate that. Can I call you the Wizard?”
He chuckles. “Why? You think he and Glinda had a little something-something going on?” He wiggles his eyebrows.
“No, but neither will we, apparently.”
“Touché, my good witch.”
five
How I’m going to keep from kissing the woman in my arms, I don’t know. I didn’t plan to implement the no-kissing rule, but when her mouth was inches from mine, begging me to taste it, I knew if I gave in, I wouldn’t be able to stop, and that would lead to other things, and … well, then I’d be right where I always am at this point in a relationship, and I want to do things differently this time.
I also didn’t intend to come right out and tell Wendy I wanted more with her. In fact, when I arrived at her apartment, I was certain I was going to tell her I needed time on my own to get my life together. But then I walked through the door and she was sitting alone in that chair looking so anxious, and my heart nearly shattered. Breaking things off with her or putting a potential relationship on hold were no longer options. I’m now all in.
“Have you eaten dinner?” I ask her.
“Nope. You?”
“Not really. Let’s go get something.” I loop one arm under her knees and stand with her still in my arms.
She giggles and wraps her arms around my neck, her mouth hovering dangerously close to mine. “You going to carry me there?”
“Do you want me to?”
She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. “I do, but you’d better put me down. You’re going to need to preserve your strength in order to keep up this no-kissing nonsense.”
