Page 38 of Necessary Time

“Because I’m old?”

“You said it.”

He scoffed at that, rolling his eyes and smoothing my hair off my face.

“Wesley.” Colin took my hands in his, joined between us. And while he spoke, I studied the hangnails that framed my nail beds and mentally compared them to the finely shaped edges of his.

“Thank you,” I choked out, giving him a squeeze.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want.”

“That’s the problem. I want to do it all, but I’m terrified of it,” I said, daring a glance up at him. Sympathy colored his features, and I looked back down at our hands.

“All of it?”

“The rest of it,” I said.

“Is kissing okay?” he asked, leaning in the smallest amount.

“Kissing is very okay.”

“We can start there?” Colin suggested, lips pulling into a small smile.

“I’d like that.”

I wasn’t sure my brain wasn’t going to die the second his lips touched mine again because every drop of blood in my body flooded south, between my legs. When Colin touched my face, he held me with the same kind of gentle purpose as before, and I leaned into him, wanting more of our bodies to touch. I wanted more of that feeling from him. Colin groaned, breaking away from me with a frown.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, desperately hoping he didn’t want to stop.

“You’re never going to let me live this down,” he whispered, holding himself up with one hand, the other still soft against the side of my neck. “But my knees are killing me down here.”

I chuckled, relieved. “Did you want to get into bed?”

“Very much.”

I helped Colin to his feet and he hesitated, hooking one of his fingers into the front of my shirt.

“Do you want to take this off?”

I reached for the top button. My fingers were sweaty, trembling, but I managed to dislodge the button.

“I’m not asking for more than kissing,” Colin said softly, covering my hands with his own. “You can leave your shirt on if you want.”

“Will you take yours off too?”

“Do you care that I’m a little soft around the middle?” he asked, cheeks darkening beneath his stubble.

I shook my head and let go of the buttons, reaching for his shirt instead. Colin moved his arms and helped me get the sleeves off. The material pulled tight around his chest, but I fought through it until Colin’s shirt was on the floor by his feet.

“Do you want me to turn off the lights?” he asked.

“No.” I turned my attention back to my buttons, working them slow and steady until my shirt was on the floor beside his. I toed off my shoes and climbed onto the bed while Colin unlaced his boots and left them behind. He followed me onto the bed, coming alongside me instead of on top of me.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked, lips pulled into a tight line.

“I’m sure glad you’re in my bed,” I said.

He snorted and rolled his eyes, again reaching for the side of my face with that feather-soft touch and those manicured hands.