and a full kitchen to run my baking experiments so I’d stopped holding the communal kitchen hostage. It was my private getaway, but I’d always thought it was a little big for just me.
There was room for someone else here, but I tried not to think about that too hard—my mind was always jumping too far ahead. Right now, I simply wanted Heath to be as comfortable here in my space as he was in his room at the Hell’s Ankhor clubhouse.
“That’s from when I first became an enforcer,” I said, gesturing to the picture. “I was twenty. Dad didn’t even let me have a beer to celebrate.”
“Sounds like Blade.” Heath laughed ruefully, and then he threw a grin over his shoulder. “You were cute.”
“Still am,” I joked.
“No, now you’re handsome,” Heath said easily, truthfully.
And there was no way I could resist now—I sauntered up behind him and set my hands on his hips, pressing my body flush to his. Heath sighed at the contact like he’d been waiting for it and leaned back into me willingly.
God, he was so pretty. And he’d beyond impressed me tonight, the way he’d fit in so well with my Liberty family. He was a little quiet, sure, but not out of fear or shyness. He was just observant, watching the way we interacted, and then sneaking in some riotously funny jabs when I least expected it. And throughout the dinner, he’d leaned into my hand on his knee, even resting his own hand on my forearm as he looked to me for cues. He was cautious, but not afraid. Not anymore.
There was no denying the spark between us—but I also didn’t want to leap into this on intuition alone. We had to talk about this. About what I wanted, and what I hoped he might want, too. Even if I was still a little afraid that the reality of my desires would make him bolt. Better to have him break things off now than for me to get even more attached only to lose him unexpectedly. That would suck for me, and wouldn’t be fair to Heath at all.
I squeezed his hips. Heath leaned back against me with a sigh, and I kissed his temple. “We should talk about this.”
Heath stiffened a little, but then he took an intentional breath and the tension bled from his shoulders. “Yeah. We should.”
I led him to the small loveseat in my living room area, my hand wrapped easily around his wrist. He followed me dutifully, even letting me gently guide him to sit down on the plush cushions. I sat next to him, angled toward him so our knees knocked together. Heath already looked a little nervous—he folded his hands in his lap and ducked his chin so a strand of blond hair fell into his eyes.
“Hey.” I brushed the hair from his eyes, and then gently touched his chin. “Look at me.”
Heath responded immediately, blinking as his gaze met mine. God, it was so beautiful watching him respond to my directions. I’d never get used to it. His brown eyes were so open and trusting, but I could see hints of the bruise from where he’d been punched. It wasn’t swollen, but there were still traces of purple and green around his eye.
“How’s your face?” I asked as I traced my forefinger carefully across his cheekbone.
Heath smiled gently and leaned into the touch the barest amount. “It’s all right. I had to put a little concealer on it for tonight.”
My heart clenched. I cupped his face in my palm. “Hate seeing you hurt.”
“I’m not hurt.” He wrapped his fingers around my wrist, keeping my hand where it was. “Not anymore.”
“I want to keep it that way,” I said, determined. “That’s why I want to talk about this.”
Heath just kept watching me with that open expression. Waiting for me to take the lead.
“I know you don’t have a lot of experience in bed,” I said. “But what about relationships? Have you dated much?”
His cheeks pinkened as he broke my gaze. He pressed his lips together and then murmured something I couldn’t quite hear.
“Speak up,” I said gently.
Heath swallowed. “This—this is it,” he admitted quietly. “I’ve been on a few shitty first dates, but everything beyond that—this is it.” He finally looked up again. “You’re it.”
My heart thumped hard in my chest. Knowing that I was the only man who Heath had trusted enough to be with in so many ways sent a hot, possessive thrill through