Luscious - Lexi Blake Page 0,28
endearment. She wasn’t his baby, but he wanted to give her some affection and words were likely the only way she would take it from him.
She slowly let go and he turned around. Her face was red, and he knew telling him that truth about herself had cost her. He didn’t want to hurt her. Not physically. Not emotionally. She was so strong and he hated to see her looking vulnerable. The last time he’d seen her like this was when Timothy had assaulted her. He kept his hands to his sides despite the fact that he wanted to hold her. “It’s all right. You don’t have to talk anymore. It’s okay.”
She walked right into his arms like she belonged there. She put her head against his chest, her body flush to his. She wasn’t trying to put distance between them or show him that they could still be friendly. This was an all-out plea for comfort, and he couldn’t deny her. He sighed as his arms wrapped around her and their bodies fit together for the first time in days.
This was where he’d needed to be. This was what he’d wanted. He’d wanted to be able to smell her shampoo and feel her body nestled to his, but it was confusing.
“Ally, I don’t understand. Baby, you’re going to have to tell me what you want from me because I can’t read your mind. I’ve kept my hands to myself all week because it seems like you only want to be friends, but I have to say, it feels like more right now. If I’m reading you wrong, I would like for you to tell me. I care about you. A lot. If you don’t feel the same way, please tell me. It doesn’t mean we can’t be friends. It doesn’t mean you can’t stay here. I simply need to adjust my expectations.”
Her head moved against his chest like she was trying to find the right spot. She settled her ear right over his heart. “Have you ever wanted something, but you know you probably can’t have it?”
“Baby, I haven’t been playing coy. If you want me all you have to do is ask.” He smoothed a hand down her hair, enjoying the rich feel of it. Like spun silk. “But you should know that while I don’t have to top you to have a relationship with you, all my friends are into the lifestyle. If that’s going to bother you, maybe we should talk about it.”
“Or maybe you should show me and I’ll promise to try not to let the fact that my dad was an atrocious human being ruin this, too.” Her face turned up, her eyes still shining with tears. “I’m not usually like this, Macon. I promise. I’m not so damaged that I can’t have a relationship. And I know I pulled back this week, but I wanted you to know me. I thought it was a bad idea to jump into bed with you. I didn’t want to be just another woman you went to bed with.”
“Uhm, baby, you seem to have gotten the wrong impression of me. I haven’t been to bed with anyone but my right hand in well over a year and honestly, there hasn’t even been much of that. I was stationed in Afghanistan and then I came home to divorce papers. So you wouldn’t be another woman. You would be one of two.”
Her eyes widened. “Two?”
He nodded and kind of wished he was the stud she thought he was. He was about to ruin that impression. “I married Elise when I was eighteen. I’ve never slept with anyone else. So if you’re looking for an incredible amount of experience, you won’t find it with me. You should know that. After the accident, well, there aren’t a lot of women out there looking for a broke, divorced, one-legged veteran.”
“One and a quarter legs. We have to use all our assets, Miles.” She went up on her toes. “I want you so badly. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a man the way I want you. I want to be enough for you.”
It was all he could possibly have asked for. He leaned over and brushed their lips together. “You are. And you don’t need to come with me. Like I said, I don’t need to top you to be with you. I’ll drop the cake off and come back here. We’ll play with the kids and maybe later tonight we’ll make