Page 125 of Cryptic Curse

This kiss is leading somewhere.

Somewhere I desperately want to go.

Somewhere I’m desperately afraid to go.

Hawk’s phone starts vibrating loudly in his jeans pocket.It knocks me out of my thoughts and I break away with a jerk.

“You okay?”Hawk asks, his blue eyes etched with concern.

I nod.“Yeah.I’m good.It’s just… I’ve never…”

“Daniela…”

I eye his cell phone.“Do you want to answer that?”

He pulls his phone out of his pocket, checks the caller ID, and rolls his eyes.“Nothing that can’t wait.”He returns his gaze to me.“But Daniela, ifyouwant to wait to do this, I understand.”

I hold up a hand.“No.It’s not that I don’t want this.I do.I mean, I truly do.”I rub at my forehead.“It’s just… I don’t want to disappoint you.”

He laces his fingers through mine.“You could never disappoint me.”

“I may not be a virgin, but I’ve never… I’ve never done anything like this because Iwantedto.”

He touches my cheek, trails a finger down my neck, leaving heat in its wake.“I wish I could change all of that for you.”Then he stands, rubs a hand over his face.“If I could crush every man who abused you with my bare hands, I’d do it in a minute and gladly spend my life in prison.”

I reach for him.“Please.Sit.”

He returns to his place next to me.

“I wouldn’t want you to do that,” I tell him.“I wouldn’t want you to spend your life in prison because of me.”

I know he means what he says, though.His brother spent time in prison, so Hawk no doubt knows what incarceration is like.

“I’d do it, though,” he says, “and I swear to God I’m not just saying that.I’d avenge any woman, Daniela, and especially you.”

His eyes are filled with a combination of rage and sorrow.And I believe him.I believe he would avenge me if he could.

“Your father was a monster,” he says.“I hope you know your worth, honey.I hope you know how much you mean to Vinnie, Raven, and Belinda.”He clears his throat.“How much you mean tome.”

I grab him then, bring his lips back to mine.

Again, the kiss is gentle at first, but then he invades my mouth, and I respond.I tangle my tongue with his, wanting, in this moment, to taste every part of him.I run my fingers through his gorgeous black hair, scrape them over his stubbled cheeks, grip his broad shoulders.

Am I ready for this?

Does it truly matter?

Because I want it.

I want it with this man.Because in a way, this will be my first time.And I want it to be with Hawk Bellamy.

Just as I think we’re about to cross that line, Hawk pulls back from me, his breath heavy and ragged.

“Daniela…” He casts me a tentative look.“If we’re going to do this… I want you to be entirely sure.I don’t want you to have any second thoughts.”

“I’m sure,” I tell him, my voice barely above a whisper.

He searches my face for a moment.