Page 60 of Death, Interrupted

I leaned closer, drawn in by the unknown intensity in her gaze, and suddenly the air between us felt charged. I placed my hands on her thighs, and she opened for me to stand between them.

Finally, she spoke. “Sly?”

“Yes, baby?” I asked as her hands moved up to hold my shoulders.

Her eyes studied mine, and I waited for her to continue while the room around us suddenly felt hot.

“I…like you. I tried not to. I really did. But I can’t help it…even though I’m still scared of getting hurt.”

Her words hit me right in the chest, and then, in themost inappropriate way possible, my dick jolted in response.

Easy, boy.

We’re all excited here, but you need to stay down.

My chest tightened, with my heart thudding hard. I swallowed and leaned closer, closing the last of the space between us. “Sumner…” I said softly, my hand brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. “You don’t have to be scared with me. Not ever. And I’ve been liking you since the first time I saw you.”

I had told her that before, but she still didn’t seem convinced. “Since…then?”

“Since then,” I said, my voice steady but low. “I knew there was something about you the moment I saw you.”

“That’s…good.”

I chuckled and kept my eyes on hers as she tried to look down. “Yeah, I’d say.” I lifted her head gently with my fingers cupping her jaw, forcing her to keep her gaze on me. “I like you a whole damn lot, and I have feelings I’m not sure you’re ready to hear because I don’t want to overwhelm you, but just know that I’m right here waiting.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.” I smiled and dropped my hand again, wrapping both around her waist to step even closer until our bodies were flush. “For as long as you need me to.”

Her eyes were wide and her lips parted slightly. I could feel the tremor in her hands on my shoulders, the uncertainty and fear in her eyes. And still, she stayed close to me. She didn’t pull away. She was being brave.

“I like you a lot,” she admitted again, firmer this time. “Even if it terrifies me.”

She closed her eyes briefly, letting the words sink in, then looked up at me again with a longing I couldn’t quite place at first, but then understood.

I lifted my hands but let them linger in the air for a moment before I cupped her face carefully, with my thumbs brushing along her cheekbones.

She froze at first, but quickly relaxed as her eyes searched mine. “Sly…” she whispered.

I leaned in slowly, forehead pressing against hers. “I mean every word,” I murmured. “Every single one, Sumner.”

Her eyelashes fluttered, and I brushed my thumb gently over the corner of her mouth. She shivered at the touch. Then I leaned even closer, pressing my lips softly against her forehead. She exhaled into me, surrendering herself to this moment.

I moved to her cheek, kissing it lightly, then to her other.

“Sly…”

“Yes?”

She sucked in a breath as her hands fisted in my sweater at my chest. “Kiss me.”

Fuck yes.

I didn’t need another invitation for that.

The moan that escaped her when my mouth covered hers sent another jolt through my body, and I told myself to be careful not to overdo it. I couldn’t risk doing anything she wasn’t comfortable with, but as I tilted my head to the side to deepen the kiss, it became clear to me that this was exactly what she wanted.

Her hands fisted in my sweater, and her legs wrapped around my hips to keep me there, but I wasn’t going anywhere. Not unless she’d physically push me away from her.