Page 19

She’s fallen so many times I’ve lost count. She’ll definitely have a bruised ass tomorrow. I kind of feel guilty, I didn’t think this through properly, and I don’t want her to be sore or get hurt because of my stupid ideas.

Nonetheless, we’ve had fun. We’ve laughed and talked about our week. She told me about yesterday’s turnout and that she’s already received personal requests to plan other high-profile events, which she politely declined and referred them to the company she works for.

I told her she should go independent. She clearly has the talent for it and now a socialite to vouch for her. I didn’t say anything, but last night I went through every guest’s social media who attended the event, just to see the work my girl had done. I’m so proud of her.

I’m currently trying to teach her how to turn from forward skating to backwards without having to stop moving altogether, and it is not going well, to say the least. “Come on, baby. I know you can do it.”

She huffs and grumbles something incoherent under her breath before focusing back on her task.

She starts by turning her left foot outwards to begin her transition but somehow loses her balance midway.

She sways from side to side, making her do a complete 360-degree turn until she’s facing me once more.

Cecilia reaches her arms out as I come in to grab her; her pull on me is so strong that she manages to make me lose balance as well.

The next thing I know, we’re both going down, hitting the ice, her on her back and me lying above her.

The fronts of our bodies are pressed together, our heavy breaths mingling as one.

Her hands are still gripping my sides from when she tried to hold on before falling, while my elbows and hands rest against the hard ice on either side of her head where I tried to stop my weight from crushing her.

We’re completely lost in oblivion. The outside world ceases to exist. It’s just the two of us as her big hazel orbs bore into my green ones.

She searches them like she might be able to see into my soul.

I watch her features flick through emotions, one after the other, as if her mind is pulling her in every direction at once, uncertain where to go.

I move one hand to cradle the back of her head, lifting it from the cold ice. Her eyes widen, mouth parting as she silently gasps. I look down at her kissable lips, and in an instant, I decide to go for it.

Her hold on me tightens, and that beautiful blush begins to spread. The rhythmic beat of her heart begins to accelerate as her body starts to tremble slightly against mine. She’s nervous; she knows something is about to happen, and her body’s responding to it.

I begin to lower my head, bringing our lips a hair away from each other, my eyes still open, as are hers. And just as I’m about to steal her next breath, I see it. Fear. It passes in a flash right before she closes her eyes and gives in.

But it’s too late. There’s no way in my right mind I could do this now. I can’t kiss her knowing some part of her is afraid. I’m just not sure what has her feeling this way.

Feeling defeated but not wanting to disappoint her either, I lay a gentle kiss at the corner of her mouth, barely grazing her lips. I pull back up just as she opens her eyes, confusion running through them. I don’t blame her. I feel the same way.

I get to my feet and stretch out my hand to help her up. “Come on, Minnie. It’s time to go home.” That feeling I was trying to save her from clearly didn’t work. A gloomy look overtakes her features as she takes my hand.

The car ride home is quiet. We don’t talk much except for my occasional questions, like if she’s cold or if the music is okay, to which her answers are all monosyllabic.

I know I should try to engage more, get us out of this funk, but I’m too deep in my thoughts to say anything that would help at the moment.

If I thought the car ride was bad, the elevator is worse, and it increases the closer we get to her door. Once we reach our destination, she turns swiftly, nearly knocking into me.

“Silas, what’s wrong? Did I do something?” I can hear the hurt in her voice, and I can see the emotions on the verge of breaking in her eyes. Those big, beautiful eyes that are begging me to make this right.

I make a rash decision to put her at ease, praying to have enough self-control left. I pick her up in my arms, same as I did earlier, but change it up a bit. This time I pin her to the wall, my right hand holding her thigh and my left leaning against the wall beside her head.

My body presses hard into hers, needing her to feel exactly how she makes me feel. Her gasp is loud this time, her arms loosely circling my neck with her legs wrapped around me once again. Fuck, do I love feeling her heat so close to me .

My cock begins to swell, but this time I don’t pull away, I don’t try to hide or stop it. No, I let it grow, I encourage it with her scent drifting up my nostrils, wanting her to feel every delicious inch.

Her back arches involuntarily off the wall, pushing her breasts farther against me. Closing her eyes and leaning her head back, a small moan leaves her lips when she feels me against her center.

“No baby, you did nothing wrong. I’m sorry I made you feel that way, I was just too lost in my head,” I whisper in her ear.

“Why?” She’s breathless, her eyes remaining closed as she speaks.

I glide the tip of my nose along her jawline.

“Because I wanted to kiss you, but I know you’re not ready yet.

And I want to respect your words from the other night.

I’m trying so fucking hard to stay in control and respect them, Cecilia.

” I continue my path down her neck as she raises her chin higher, exposing herself more to me.

“But the truth is, Minnie, I want you so fucking badly. It’s all I think about, day and night. ”

My hips start flexing into her as she rocks against me. I kiss her neck, nibbling lightly and causing her to moan again, this time louder than before. I could come to the sound of her voice alone.

“I want to take you up against this wall, right here, right now. I want to make you scream so loud while I fuck you that everyone in this damn building hears you.” I bite down a little harder on her neck, wanting to mark her for everyone to see that she’s mine.

I’ve never been someone possessive or jealous.

I like rough sex, yeah. But with Cecilia, the want is different.

It’s primal, feral. It makes me want to go full caveman on her and lock her up so that no one else can have her.

I want to mark every inch of her body for others to know she’s already claimed. That she belongs to me.

“Silas,” she whimpers. Desire drips from her.

“But I won’t.” I stop the rocking motion we had created.

A small whine leaves her lips, protesting my action. Or rather, lack of action. My hand leaves the wall and comes down to cup her cheek, bringing her head back down to my level. She opens her eyes and looks at me wildly, pupils still dilated.

“I won’t, because you mean so much to me already, and I promised you I’d wait until you were ready.

And that’s not tonight. No matter how you feel right now down here”—I squeeze her thigh—“I know it doesn’t match completely with what’s happening in here, or here.

” I tap her temple lightly with a finger, followed by her heart.

“So, until the three can become one, I’ll wait.

But don’t ever doubt how I feel about you, because I’ll always wait for you, Minnie. ”

I bring her back to the ground and hug her to me. “Now head inside and go soak in the tub a little, it will help with the soreness.”

“Okay,” she says quietly.

I lower my head to kiss her forehead. “Good night, Minnie.”

She takes advantage of my lowered stature and brings her hand up, grabbing the back of my neck as she reaches onto her toes and kisses the corner of my lips delicately. Just like I did to her on the ice. “Good night, Silas.”