“You sure? I understand if you do.”
Her hand tightened on his wrist as she turned her head to look into his eyes. “I need you to be with me.”
Barron smiled, a real one, not the sarcastic kind. “Then I’ll be right here.”
He moved closer to her at the same time she turned on her side to face him. He put his arms around her, pulling her in. He held her with one arm while he stroked her back slowly, methodically, almost forcing her nervous system to relax.
As her body began releasing some of its tension, he kissed her temple.
She moaned softly, so he kissed her temple again.
The hand stroking the length of her back went lower, his fingertips tracing the curve of her lower back and just the top of her ass. “Nothing’s going to happen to you, Em. I promise.”
“If it does, and it’s your safety or mine, let me go. Take care of yourself.”
The hand stroking her lower back stopped stroking. He pulled back enough to be able to look into her eyes. “You’re out of your damn mind if you think that’ll ever happen.”
“I don’t want you getting hurt over me,” she said simply. There was no attitude, no ulterior motive, nothing but the truth in her statement.
“I’d be a raving lunatic if something happened to you. Taking care of you is taking care of me.”
She looked at him in the darkness, his face so much like his father’s, and yet not. He was uniquely himself, a beautiful male, thick, husky, but not fat, wide shoulders, naturally tanned skin, the size of his father with just enough of the elegance of his mother tossed in. He was the perfect blend of both of his parents. His sandy blonde hair, his blue eyes — flashing gold as his Bear looked out at her. His always pleasant, easy-going sense of humor — unless he was dealing with her. His strength, his power, his near indomitable temper when you pushed him too far or threatened someone he loved. He was happy with the simple things in life that he held so dear. And she’d damn near thrown those values in his face. “I’m not nearly good enough for you,” she whispered.
“And yet you’re all I want.”
“You need better.”
“There is no better.”
She leaned forward just enough to press her lips to his.
Barron let his eyes drift closed, and allowed Emmalyn to kiss him slowly, sensually. He met every touch of her lips with one of his own. Allowed her tongue to taste and explore him, and smiled when she stopped him from doing the same.
Emmalyn increased the passion and power of her kiss, pushing him onto his back as she moved closer. She slid her leg over both of his and scooted up until she was half sitting across his hips, devouring his mouth.
Barron’s hands slid up her thighs to grip her waist as he hungrily accepted all she was willing to give him.
She sat up and looked down at him, her hands resting on his where they still held her waist. “Is this okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“You haven’t stopped me, but you haven’t encouraged me either. If you’re not ready for this…”
One side of his mouth curved up into a half-smile as his hands slid from beneath hers to press her down on top of his body while he rolled his hips.
Her eyes flashed and a shiver went through her feeling his hardness beneath her.
“I didn’t want to move. I was afraid you’d stop, and I’ll do anything you want me to do as long as you don’t stop.”
Emmalyn smiled at him as she gripped the edges of her teeshirt and pulled it off over her head, tossing it to the side.
“Can these go, too?” he asked, his finger toying with the edge of her panties.
“Take them off me,” she said.
A single long claw sprang from his fingertip. After just a gentle swipe or two the lacey edge of her panties unraveled, then he tore the other side, too, pulling them out from under her. She thought he was going to toss them to the side with her shirt, but instead he tucked them beneath his pillow and winked at her.
“How did you get my shorts off?” she asked, as she leaned her upper body against his again.
