I blinked, because it felt like that was an actual question that was fairly insulting. I chocked it up to the wine.
“Hell yes, it’s true. Now, I picked up some pajamas for you to wear and Eve said you needed to have at least three pairs of underwear, so I picked you up a pack of those, too.”
“So you’re really not going to kiss me?”
I walked over to the bed and put my hands on either side of her hips so that I was close to her face. “The next time I get you all worked up I want you to be sober and wide awake for it, baby.”
I gave her a peck on lips and straightened. “I’m going to wash up and change for bed. You get in those pj’s before you pass out.”
Although it was small, not much more than a dresser, bed and guest chair, this was one of the few rooms in the B & B that had a connecting bathroom. The rest of the guests shared a common bathroom at the end of the hall.
I shut the bathroom door behind me and shucked my jeans and flannel shirt. I had also brought some pajama pants that I had to borrow from Ark. He’d almost pissed himself laughing when I told him I didn’t own anything like that but didn’t want to upset Shelby on our trip.
He’d called me a pussy but had given me the pants. I shucked my boxer briefs and put on the loose cotton pants. My semi was still noticeable but not as on display as it would have been in the briefs.
After brushing my teeth and counting to ten, I had to assume she’d had enough time to change. I opened the door, and she was just buttoning the last button on the top. Damn, she looked cute in the matching set.
“Bathroom’s all yours, babe.”
She didn’t say anything, but her eyes were plastered to my chest. I wasn’t sure if that was a shy thing or a I-want-my-mouth-all-over-that-chest thing. I was hoping for the latter.
She brushed by me and purposefully turned to the side so she wouldn’t have to touch me as she did. I tried not to take offense, but it was starting to get confusing with her.
When I’d kissed her this afternoon, it had been right after she’d caught her fish and had to release it. Her lips had formed this natural pout and it had been impossible to stop myself from taking her mouth. Like earlier, it got hot fast. So hot we ended with her legs around my waist and her ass in my hands as I ground her against my erection. I swear I had been close to getting us both off when she pulled away.
“Too much.” That’s what she’d said.
Too much what? Too much pleasure? Was that even a thing?
Only now she’d acted like she couldn’t bear the thought of touching me. And she was afraid of kissing me because of where it might lead. At least it hadn’t been about the bar fight. When I had come back to the table to see that guy leering at her, I had nearly lost my shit.
What Shelby didn’t realize was that what I had done to that guy was mild in comparison to what I might have done if I hadn’t had the sense to lock down my rage before dealing with him.
I shook my head, deciding I wasn’t going to get any answers tonight. Not when she was drunk, so I put the dark curtains down around the windows to keep the sun out and settled into bed, waiting for her to come out. I wanted her to be at ease. I wanted to show her how non-threatening this situation was.
After what I knew was longer than any person needed to do their business and brush their teeth, I called out to her.
“Babe, you fall asleep in there?”
A second later the door opened, and she poked her head around the corner. She smiled shyly. I lifted the covers and she crawled into the bed and lay flat on her back.
I sighed. “That’s not how it works, babe. Come here.”
I moved her so that she rolled into me and tucked her head on my chest, her arm now resting against my stomach. After a few moments when I did nothing more than hold her, I could feel her relaxing.
“Sorry I’ve been so weird,” she muttered. “It’s just that I’ve never slept with anyone before. I mean, slept slept. Like actual sleeping. I didn’t want you think I was virgin or anything.”
Wow. Was that what this was all about? I tilted her chin so I could look her in the eyes. “Shelby, honey, are you a virgin?”
It might explain both her desire and her reticence.
She shook her head and when she did, I could see there was a hint of sadness in her eyes.
Another horrible thought occurred to me. “Baby, did someone…did someone hurt you?”
She frowned and bit her bottom lip. “Not the way you’re thinking. I just…I regret the person I was with the first time, that’s all. He was a stupid boy and he told everyone in school and…well, people started looking at me differently. I didn’t like it. Which is why, since then, I’ve been real careful about who I trust. Why I’ve never actually spent the whole night with someone. Oh my goodness!”
She got up on her elbow and stared down at me as if something horrible occurred to her.
