“I’m scared. I need to be strong, but . . .”
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “Lean on me.”
“You’re already done so much.”
In the last two years? No. The way he looked at it, even if he wasn’t crazy about her, he owed her like mad. The excuse of needing to pay up kept her close—a bonus that would buy him time with her.
“No worries. Whatever you need.”
She chewed on her bottom lip and looked at him with wary blue eyes that silently begged. “Hold me.”
He wrapped her up tighter, all but drowning in her sweet scent. “You got it.”
Tyler would love to do a whole lot more, but as upset as she was, now wasn’t the time.
Del placed a hand on his chest, then backed away to meet his gaze again. “Kiss me.”
His heart stopped. “You’re sure?”
Slowly, she nodded. His hormones flew off the chain.
She was fragile; he had to remember that. No tossing her to the bed and devouring her. No ravaging her lips, violating her pu**y, or making her take every bit of the hunger he felt for her.
Fuck. How was he going to manage that? He knew a shitload about getting a girl off. Not so much about comfort. But for her, he’d do his best.
Taking hold of her shoulders gently, he let out a calming breath and cupped her face, resting his forehead to hers. “Angel . . .”
He laid his lips over hers, a soft press, a sharing of breath. Reverent. Connected. Tyler felt her all the way to his core. The moment was endless, effortless. He could simply breathe her in all night.
But she wanted more. Needed it, he knew.
He laid his mouth over hers, gently nudging her lips apart, then let her take the lead. Del grabbed his shoulders with a desperate gasp and surged against him, thrusting inside his mouth with a moan. Her fervency ripped away his restraint. Tyler grabbed her, met her, took her in greedily. Crap, he wanted to soothe her, but he couldn’t stop himself from trying to consume her in one fiery kiss.
Everywhere, they were entangled—arms, tongues, heartbeats. He clasped her hair tightly in his fingers, keeping her right where he wanted her. She felt so perfect to him. How the f**k could he ever let her go again?
Tomorrow, she might hate him, regret whatever happened next, but she needed something from him. He wouldn’t turn her away, even if she just wanted to be held. The first time he’d touched her, he’d done it at Eric’s request, trying to push aside how badly he burned for Delaney. But even then, he’d wanted to give her what she’d needed. Right now, he’d think not of his throbbing dick, but only of Del and how he could ease her.
With a sharp intake of breath, she pulled away, chest heaving as she stared. Her eyes were so damn blue and resolved.
“Tyler?”
“Yeah?” He panted.
Please, God, don’t let her push him away.
She whispered, “Will you . . . make me forget everything?”
Chapter Nine
EVERY word Del spoke tingled through Tyler’s body. He clenched his jaw. “I only know one way to do that, angel.”
“Please.” She tugged at his towel and brushed her soft lips against his neck.
Lightning shot down his spine.
An instant later, he eased her back and pressed her to the mattress, staring at her through the shadows. Need and insecurity, fear and vulnerability—they were all over her face, and it damn near broke his heart.
Maybe she and Eric would have divorced, eventually. But he’d certainly helped the situation along, unleashing all his buried feelings for her that night. It was at least half his fault that she’d been alone for the last two years. No f**king way was she going to be alone tonight.