Page 74 of Before Eve

He sits down and lifts his coffee cup. “To the first brunch of many.”

I like the sound of that. I click my coffee cup to his, and we both dig in.

“So, are you hungover at all?” he asks.

“No. Little thirsty this morning, but that’s it.” A bit of hair peeks out from his V-neck sweater. I have this weird urge to bury my nose right there.

An image floats through my brain of him in that towel, and the temperature rises as I recall his lean muscles, the tattoo, and that light dusting of hair just below his navel.

He waves. “Did you hear what I asked you?”

I shake my head.

West arches a knowing brow. “You were just fantasizingabout me, weren’t you?”

“No!” I deny.

“You were!”

I frown. “I was not.”

His gaze deepens, as does his voice. “Hell, Eve, fantasize away. Lord knows I do enough of that about you.”

“You do?”

“Oh, yeah.”

His sexy voice does lovely things to my insides. This might not be the moment, but I say it anyway. “I’m sorry for how I acted at your family’s house and afterwards. You saw and felt things I wasn’t ready for, and it scared me. I freaked, and I took it out on you.”

He sits back in his chair. “I love the frank honesty. Thank you. Let’s not keep things from each other, okay? Here on out, fresh start.”

My chest tightens with the guilt of things I am still keeping from him.

He reaches across the table and takes my hand. “I want this to work for us.”

I press my lips together. I do, too. Very much. I have a real chance at something here. The life I never thought I’d get to experience. Happiness. Friends. A boyfriend. Love. Acceptance.

I need to tell him the rest.That thought wiggles into me, takes deep roots, and wars with my guilt. I shove it all into the deepest crevice of my mind and focus on this perfect guy in front of me. I can do this, can’t I? I can stay hidden and still be with West.

“I’ve never been in a real relationship,” he says. “It’s always been quick and no strings. I’d like to try the dating thing with you. That is, if you feel the same way.”

I nod. “I do feel the same way.”

His lips curve. “Well, then there. I guess we’re officially dating.” He lifts his coffee cup again. “To dating.”

“To dating.”

Last night tumbles through my thoughts, as well as the past weeks and everything back home. “West, be patient with me, okay? I want to be the way you described. Honest. Open. Talking. But this is all new to me, and I don’t know how. I’ll try. I promise. But be patient.”

He reaches across the small table and takes my hand. “We’ll be patient with each other.”

Something between us shifts into an anticipation that wasn’t there before. An awareness. Simultaneously, we stand and move into each other’s arms for a long and warm hug. West pulls back first, trailing his hands just below my rear and lifts me to straddle him.

I let out a surprised gasp, but go on instinct and wrap my legs around his waist. He pulls me in, and every inch of me tightens at the mind-numbing feeling of the new position. I run my fingers through his hair and down his cheeks to outline his bottom lip with my thumb. The kiss that comes next is soft and tender as we reacquaint ourselves with each other’s lips. I slide my fingers back into his hair and tug on the strands.

West lets out a moan that vibrates through both our bodies and elicits a powerful excitement in me. Our kiss deepens as he takes a few steps and lands with me on the bed. He angles his head, taking the kiss deeper still, sliding his tongue over mine. He squeezes both my hips, and the kiss transitions into something hotter, sexier, before he tears his lips away and moves to my neck.

There is no panic in me, only sensation, control, freedom, and power.