Landon

“Here’s a thought,” I said before kissing her shoulder.

“Mmm?”

“You can cut my hair.” I moved upward and sucked her lobe into my mouth before stopping to add, “I can make you dinner.” Keeping my lips on her, I then murmured against the smooth skin of her neck, “And then you can stay with me tonight.”

She pulled away far enough so I could see her face as her breathing stilled. “No, I’m not changing my mind about going too fast. I merely want this…” Accentuating my point, I pulled her into my body, eliminating any space between us. “You and me, wrapped in each other’s arms, waking up together.”

The words “I need that” sat on the tip of my tongue. But with them I’d have to explain that I’d never had such intimacy before. I’d have to admit I had never wanted it before, as well as how badly I wanted it with her now.

I watched as she processed my request. With a small sigh, she rested her forehead against mine. “I want to, but…”

“You can’t because your father will flip out,” I finished for her.

“No. That’s not it,” she said defiantly with an unmistakable fire in her eyes.

I couldn’t hide my shock. I thought for sure that would be the reason stopping her from staying. “Then what is it?”

“First off, Marshmallow would miss me.”

“He’ll survive. And second?”

“What you’re asking me would be torturous. Sleeping here with you all night? I predict you snore. And look at the size of you and the size of this bed. I’ll be lucky to get half a butt cheek on it.” In slow motion I watched a smile spread, revealing her perfect set of dimples.

“You think you’re funny?”

“I do.”

At lightning speed, I flipped her onto her back, causing a squeal to echo in my quiet room. My fingertips barely touched her when she cried, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Ignoring her pleas, I tickled relentlessly as she thrashed beneath me. “Please! I take it back!”

“You’re just trying to get me to stop. Prove you’re sorry.”

Breathlessly, she whimpered and mewled in between repeating my name over and over. God, I couldn’t wait to hear her saying it the first time we made love.

Made love?

“Lance!”

“Yes?”

“Please, I’m sorry. I’ll do whatever you want. No more…” She gulped a huge gasp of air before adding, “Please!”

I stilled my hands, but kept them wrapped around her waist. “You have no idea how happy it makes me knowing you are so ticklish.”

She narrowed her eyes, pretending to be annoyed. “You’re mean. And you can’t be trusted.” The simplest flex of my fingers caused her to stiffen and yell, “I take it back! I take it back!”

There we were, on my bed—her naked, me not—with my hands all over her bare body, and it felt like the most normal thing in the world.

Once her breathing returned to normal, she smiled warmly. “Getting back to staying, I really need to go home tonight. I’m working tomorrow. And if I stayed the night, leaving you in this warm bed to go to work would be torture. Can I stay tomorrow night instead?”

“You’re seriously asking me that? You can stay every night.”

“Don’t tempt me.” I was one hundred percent serious, and she could have been teasing me, but her admitting that still affected me all the same.

“I need to kiss you.”

Her gaze cut down to my lips before she asked, “Are you asking me or telling me?”

“Telling you.”

I wasn’t sure why I was informing her of that. Seductive honey-brown eyes stared at me expectantly. Time stood still as our gazes locked.

It was happening again, that deep pull I felt in my chest whenever she drilled me with those fucking gorgeous eyes. The same overwhelming need to hold on to her and never let go fucked with my head…but in a good way. In a way where I struggled to breathe, not one coherent thought would form, and every single cell in my body buzzed and tingled.

The levity between us just a few moments ago dissipated with each moment that passed. She palmed my jaw when I bent to kiss her. Softly at first, but slowly building with each press of our lips or stroke of our tongues. Each grip of our hands led to shameless grinding on my part. The hard-on was inevitable and was what forced me to pull away.

Once I flopped backward she did the same while dragging in breath after breath. “I’m sorry, but if I didn’t stop now…”

“I know,” she said, staring at the ceiling. The mattress shifted as she climbed off the bed. My eyes tracked her every move, making my cock even stiffer. This wasn’t helping my predicament, not by a long shot.

How was it possible that seeing her put her bikini back on was as hot as taking it off? Her fingers tying the side ties one by one before adjusting the scrap of fabric to cover her ass cheeks was driving me insane. She bent over—bent over—and picked up her top. Turning sideways and giving me a fantastic glimpse of side-boob, she fastened the string around her neck.

“Zara, you’re killing me.”

She peered over her shoulder with an amused grin. “I’m nowhere near you now.”

“It doesn’t matter.” At the sound of my groan she laughed.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, she tied the black strings around her back before asking, “Ready for your haircut?”

“No.” Her eyes focused on my hand as I adjusted myself in my bathing suit. “I need a minute.”