Page 87 of An Inevitable Marriage

Her hips shot forward, and she sighed into my mouth.

Fuck, tearing these sounds from her was addictive. So damn addictive. That was exactly why I smoothed my palm over her skin before digging my fingers in again. A bit harder this time. More sweet noises spilled from her lips.

I couldn’t get enough.

Moving my hand to the hem of her sleepshirt, I salivated at the thought of finally seeing her. Fingers tightly curled into the fabric; I tugged it up.

“Wait.” Snow’s hand clamped down on my wrist. “Please, wait.”

The fear in her voice was like a bucket of ice over the head. I immediately tore myself away from her and rolled onto my back with my palms facing the ceiling.

“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s not you.”

The mattress dipped, and when I sat up, Snow already stood in the middle of the room. Brows pinched, lips pressed into a thin line, she hugged her middle.

Shit, she looked three seconds away from tears.

I didn’t know what to do.

Everything inside me screamed to go to her. To comfort her. But dammit, I didn’t want to overcrowd her like I’d just done.

So I chose to keep my ass parked on the edge of the bed. Not the easiest decision when the few loaded moments that passed before she finally spoke felt like years.

“You probably think I’m nuts.”

“I don’t,” I answered honestly. “I’m just a little confused.”

A glassy sheen covered her eyes. “I swear, I’m not being this wishy-washy on purpose.” Hands on her hips, she paced a few steps to the left, then another few to the right. “You’re saying all the right words that melt my insides, and I just want to climb all over you and beg you to make me feel good.”

Her words came out fast, so freaking fast, and I just knew not to interrupt her.

“Gosh, do you even know how many dreams I’ve had about you? So many. Too many. It’s embarrassing, actually. And I can honestly say experiencing you in real life is way better than any dream I’d had. I like kissing you. Ireallylike it. It makes me feel things…want things… But the problem is, I’m not that dream girl, Liam. I…I…” Snow threw her hands up and took a staggering breath. “I don’t know how to do this.”

The words tumbled over her lips, soft and broken. And fuck, I couldn’t sit there and watch this beautiful woman fight whatever it was she was fighting. Crossing the room, I halted her frantic pacing and curled my fingers around the sides of her neck. With my thumbs tucked under her chin, I guided her gaze to mine.

Nothing could have prepared me for the fear, panic, and confusion burning in those green irises. Just as nothing could have prepared me for the desperate need I felt to take care of her.

“Take a slow breath for me, Snow.”

Eyes wide and wild, she watched me like a buck would stare at a lion. Cautiously. Carefully. For a moment, I thought she’d back away and put distance between us.

But much to my surprise, she took the breath I’d asked her to take. Slow and deep, dragging air to her lungs.

“All right, now tell me what’s going on so I can help.”

My eye caught the pink tip of her tongue as it slowly slid over her lip.

“I’m not ready,” she breathed out.

“That’s okay.”

“No.” She shook her head as much as she could with me still holding on to her. “I mean, I want more, I just…I don’t…I can’t…” Her lids fluttered closed, and her next words came out barely above a whisper. “I don’t want you to see me.”

And there it fucking was.

I’d known from the moment she’d said no one wanted to see her naked that she was insecure about her body. I wasn’t stupid. Notions like that only came from someone planting them.