Instead, she smiled, and a moment later asked, “Is that not my move? Slyly drawing you closer?”
Blake’s face heated. “Should I return the distance for you to steal?”
She shook her head. “No need. This is good, too.”
“I’ll remember it for next time,” his voice came out rougher than he intended. If a next time existed for them.
“Good,” she said, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
His heart thudded with agonizing force under his ribs, and he wanted nothing more than to ease her fully up against him, to surrender his whole being to the irresistiblepullthat grew stronger with each step. But he held back, matching her flow, branding each precious step into his memory. His thumb did, however, trace small circles against the fabric of her gown.
Lightly. Ever so lightly.
She felt so soft. Breathtakingly so.
When last had he felt the touch of someone before these last few days? Allowed anyone to touch him? He couldn’t remember. Perhapsthatnight, after she had hugged him and returned home. More recently, their kiss had been his most memorable touch. Now, he had yet another memory to cling to forever.
“You follow so obediently, Blake,” she murmured with a small laugh.
Say my name again.
“At this moment, I’d follow you anywhere.”
Her steps slowed, melting into a subtle sway, until they came to a complete halt, standing in the quiet of the moment. “I—” she murmured, her breath shaky, as if she weren’t quite sure how to continue. “I think I might just follow you back.”
“The two of us following each other? Who would lead then?”
“We could both lead, and we could both follow.”
Blake smiled faintly, his face mere inches from hers now, so swept up in the moment he couldn’t think straight. “That sounds like a catastrophe.”
“So long as it is a good one.”
“You should take the lead more often,” he whispered.
“You know, I do think I’m good at it.”
Yes, she was. His gaze fell to her lips. There was no music, no audience, no expectation—just the two of them...
God, I want to . . .
His thought was cut off by her next words. “I might just lead you into trouble.” And without another word, she just did that, stretching upward and capturing his lips in a soft, lingering kiss. She took what he hadn’t had the courage to claim again, but once she did, his control was all too happy to snap.
He deepened the kiss with a sweep of his tongue, a low, almost pained groan leaving him when her arms looped around his neck, pressing her body flush against him.
Could he kiss her until dawn?
Beyond that?
Could she just . . . claim him?
She pulled back slightly, her eyes finding his, but the loss of her lips made his chest tighten in protest. “Blake...”
“I’m here,” he said gruffly, not sure how else to respond. His brain had already been scrambled by his name on her lips in that breathless whisper.
A hand cupped his face, and he shuddered.
“I want you.”
