Hallie’s lips parted, welcoming me in and letting me take.
My tongue stroked hers, teasing, toying. And God, her taste. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. I never wanted any other flavor.
My arms encircled her, pulling her into me, and she let out a tiny moan that had my dick hardening. My hand slid to her ass, and she stiffened slightly.
The tension had me yanking myself out of the haze of lust.
Hallie’s gaze was wide, her fingers going to her lips. “That was…”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed.”
She looked confused.
“You tensed when my hand moved.”
Hallie bit her lip. “I liked it.”
I studied her for a moment. “But it made you nervous.”
She was quiet for a moment and then nodded. “He never touched me. Not like that. He wanted us to submit first. To say we’dmarryhim.”
Rage flared somewhere deep. That monster might not have assaulted Hallie in that way, but the threat was there. Anything sexual had to be confusing as hell for her. “I’m so damned sorry.”
Hallie’s eyes flashed. “I don’t want anyone to be sorry. I want to be normal. I want to know what it’s like to turn someone on. I want to feel sexy in my body and powerful. I want to know what it feels like to break apart.”
“Hallie,” I began.
“I don’t want your pity,” she spat.
“The last thing I feel for you is pity. Take a look at my goddamned shorts.”
Her gaze dipped, and her mouth fell open in an adorable O-shape. “Oh.”
“Yeah. So, I’d say you can cross turning someone on off your list.”
The smile that split her face socked me right in the gut. “I can?”
“You can.” I moved in closer, pulling her into my arms. “I don’t know therightway to go about this. Hell, I’m your boss—”
“And my friend,” Hallie cut me off.
“And my friend. But this is complicated, and I don’t ever want to push. I think you need to be in the driver’s seat. You need to be in control.”
Hallie nibbled the corner of her lip. “Okay.” Her gaze lifted to mine. “What do you want?”
I stared down at her, knowing I would likely go to hell for admitting it, for tasting her just once. “I want you, Hallie. But I’m the last thing you need.”
27
HALLIE
Chaos reignedin the kitchen as the boys practically tripped over each other to cram breakfast into their mouths and get ready for school. I hurried to pick up plates and stack them in the sink, but my gaze kept going to Lawson. The way his uniform shirt pulled taut over broad shoulders, how his forearms flexed as he washed a plate.
I could still feel his lips on mine. Could still feel his heat and taste his flavor on my tongue. But Lawson hadn’t said a word about the kiss.
He’d left me with that cryptic warning and headed up the basement steps. Meanwhile, I’d basically been a puddle on the floor.
But knowing that I affected him? It made me feel powerful. Helped me regain a little of what I’d lost.
