to her body language. Arms around his neck. Sexy body pressed against him as close as physically possible—with their clothes on, anyway. He could rectify that detail.
Hands under her ass, he lifted her off the floor. She went with it, wrapping her legs around his waist. Oh yeah, that worked. But it’d work even better on the couch. Four strides and that’s where they were, Candace on her back with him nestled between her legs. Instinct and need kicked in. He rocked against her, a firm, rhythmic grind. The way he’d do if he were inside her.
He hooked one hand over the side of her shorts, tugged them down, past her hipbone. Ditto for the other side. He lifted his hips, got his hand between their bodies.
“Jake…” she said, breaking the kiss. “Not yet.”
He pulled back, just enough to look into her eyes. “Any chance ‘not yet’ means ‘not until you go lock the door, Jake?’”
Light from the table lamp bounced off her hair as she shook her head. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He kissed her, sweetly this time, and extricated himself from between her legs. It was fine, all good. Until he looked down at her.
Hair fanned out on the couch, rosy cheeks and lips, glassy eyes. Nipples, still hard with arousal, pointing up at him through her t-shirt. And that band of smooth, soft skin where he’d eased her shorts down…
He bit back a groan. “I’m going to go lock the door.”
“I don’t blame you if you want to leave instead.”
“That’s not what I want. But if it was, you should blame me. You should kick my ass out and tell me not to come back. Any guy who just wants to be with you for sex is—”
“A customer.”
“An asshole not worthy of your time.”
She shrugged, but didn’t answer, then shifted to a sitting position, hugging her knees to her chest.
Shit. This night had taken a sharp turn for the worse. Not entirely his fault, but he’d played a part.
He sat beside her, unfolded her arms so he could hold her hand. “I said I wouldn’t rush you into anything and I won’t. You wanted me to stop and I stopped. That’s how it’ll always be. Or I can keep things strictly to kissing until you initiate more. Whatever you’re comfortable with, I’m on board.”
“You could easily have your pick from a slew of women who’d be happy to do everything you want, anytime you want. Why would you settle?”
“I’m not settling, I’m waiting.”
“I don’t know why.”
“Because I want to.” He stood, keeping hold of her soft skin until the tips of her fingers slid from his hand. “I’m going to walk over to the door now. I can lock it or let myself out. Your call.”
“Lock it,” she said, looking up at him with those gorgeous, expressive eyes.
A step in the right direction. He leaned down and framed her face in his palms. Kissed her, nice and slow. A kiss that demanded he thread his fingers through her hair, cup the back of her neck and take full control. Control she was happy to give up, based on her soft moan.
“Jake,” she whispered, coming up for air between hungry kisses.
If his cock wasn’t already stiff as a steel beam, the sound of his name in her sexy, breathless voice would do it. “Yeah, sweets?”
“Lock the door.”
“On it.” One last quick kiss, then he headed for the door, doing some necessary adjusting below the belt on the way.
She’d asked him why he was willing to wait for sex. Truth was, he didn’t have a good answer. Sex had been easy to come by since he filled out in senior year of high school. Even more so since he’d become a cop. Beautiful women were everywhere, and plenty of them liked a man in uniform—and out of it. It was almost too easy.
Candace was anything but easy.
“Do you want to pick the movie tonight?” she called, as he turned the deadbolt. “Something that’ll hold your attention more than last night’s.”
Most women hated action flicks. And raunchy guy-humor comedies. Unless he wanted to up the sexual tension to bust-a-nut levels, he’d be smart to avoid anything hot or explicit. That didn’t leave a lot of options. Certainly nothing that’d hold his attention.
He cut around the coffee table and settled on the couch beside her. “Ladies’ choice.”
“Again? Okay, if you say so.” She pointed the remote at the TV. “One three-hour tearjerker coming right up.”
He must’ve had a look of horror on