“Edward,” she murmurs, her voice a soft invitation. “You’re not going to make me sleep out here all alone, are you?”
I clench my fists, digging my nails into my palms. “It’s… it's not a good idea.”
“Why not?” she challenges, taking another step.
I swallow down harder.
She’s close enough now that I can smell her.Christ.Why does she have to smell so good?
“Are you afraid, Edward?”
My head snaps up. “I’m not afraid of anything.”
“Oh, I think you are,” she whispers, her gaze soft, knowing. “You’re afraid of feeling. You’re afraid of… this.” She gestures between us, a silent acknowledgment of the palpable tension, the undeniable pull.
She’s right. She’s absolutely, terrifyingly right.
The prospect of feeling, of allowing myself to connect, to desire, toliveagain… it’s terrifying. It threatens to shatter the numb world I inhabit.
She reaches out, her hand gently touching my chest, just over my heart.
“I don't think you're broken, Edward,” she says, her voice a low, soothing murmur that bypasses my logic and goes straight to my soul. “You’re just… wounded. And sometimes, even wounded warriors need a little comfort.”
Her touch, so light, so tender, sends a jolt through me, a current of warmth that spreads from her fingertips, igniting something deep inside.
My cock twitches against my jeans and the raw strength of my desire, the desperate hunger for connection, overwhelms the ingrained fear.
This woman, this vibrant, sunshine-infused creature, is offering me a glimpse of life.
A chance to feel. To be touched. To be… to be…loved.
My hand instinctively reaches out, my fingers tangling in her soft hair, holding her face gently. She's soft. So fucking soft.
Her big blue eyes are wide, luminous, reflecting the firelight, mirroring the desire that’s raging within me.
“Penny,” I breathe, my voice a ragged plea.
“Yes, Edward?” she asks, her voice barely a whisper in return.
I lean in, drawn by an irresistible force, by the scent of her, the warmth of her, the sheer incandescent life she embodies.
My lips brush hers, a tentative, exploratory touch that sends a jolt through my entire being. She tastes of warmth and sweetness, of everything I’ve denied myself for so long.
She sighs, a soft sound, and her hand moves from my chest, wrapping around my neck, pulling me closer. The hesitation, the walls, the fears… they all crumble in that moment.
"Oh,Edward…"
Her lips part, inviting me in, and I deepen the kiss, a hungry, desperate exploration.
It’s not soft. It’s raw, urgent, filled with the pent-up longing of years of isolation, of denial.
My hand slides from her hair, cradling the back of her head, pulling her impossibly closer until our bodies are pressed together, a perfect, exquisite fit.
Her hands explore my back, her fingers digging into my shoulders, and a low groan escapes me. Every nerve ending is alive, tingling with sensation.
I break the kiss, gasping for air, our foreheads resting against each other. Her eyes are flushed, her lips swollen and red, and a fierce, primal surge of possessiveness rips through me.
“You have no idea what you’re doing to me, Penny,” I rasp, my voice thick with emotion.
