do with pushing a few of those lines she’d drawn so clearly for herself. She was used to living carefully and by the book. Even though I didn’t know her well, I could tell she was stronger than she seemed to believe. She wouldn’t have been able to save my life if she didn’t have a spine made of steel hidden away in that graceful line of her back.
Being this close to her, and having her warm, soft skin so close to my mouth was torture. I really wanted to kiss her. I almost did earlier when I had her backed against the building, but I also wanted her to know I heard her when she said I couldn’t just do whatever I wanted. Even with her staring at my lips like she was starving and they were the first meal she’d seen in months, I made myself be respectful. Instead of making the move I desperately wanted to, I took a step back and followed her to her car like I originally intended. I could be a good guy when I needed to be. However, I questioned if I was going to have the willpower to do it again.
I reached past her, bringing our bodies closer together so I could knock my knuckles on the roof of her car.
“Get in and go home.” I didn’t tell her I planned on following her to make sure nothing happened on the way. She wouldn’t like it, but it wasn’t for her peace of mind. It was for mine.
She was turning to pull the door open when a sudden, deafening bang rang through the parking lot. It was loud enough to make my ears ring, but I knew immediately it was nothing to worry about. It was just a car backfiring.
In the dark and already on high alert, Presley obviously assumed the sound was something else. She shrieked, which made my ears ring even more. She also jumped a foot in the air and threw herself into my arms, hitting my chest hard enough to make me grunt in surprise. Her arms locked around my neck and she buried her face into my shoulder. I reflexively put a hand on the back of her head, my fingers threading through her feather-soft hair.
“Shhhh…it was just a car backfiring. You’re fine. Everything is okay.” I didn’t have a lot of experience with soothing someone else, but I was willing to try and wing some compassion for her. I kept muttering soft reassurances until I felt her body stop shaking. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Presley.”
It was a bold declaration, one I was determined to follow through on.
She knocked her forehead against my collarbone, and I felt her fingers curl around the back of my neck. Her breathing remained rapid, but it no longer seemed rough with fear.
“When I’m around you, I can’t decide if I’m the safest I’ve ever been, or in more danger than ever.” The words whispered against my skin, and I felt a slight tremor where her hands were clutching at me. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
I chuckled as I put my free hand on the base of her spine. I liked the way we fit together. I knew we shouldn’t. All the parts and pieces we were made of didn’t match, yet somehow and someway we clicked. “I am dangerous.” No use in lying about it, not with the way we’d first met. “Right now, maybe you need someone dangerous in your life.” And maybe I’d finally reached the point in my life where I was ready for someone who balanced out all the rough and ragged edges. When I was around her, the raging river of my life felt like it slowed to a trickle. Some days it was hard to keep my head above water, but when I was around Presley, I felt like I finally had my feet firmly on the ground.
When she pulled back to look at me, with worried eyes, I couldn’t resist lowering my head so I could seal my mouth over hers. The temptation was too much. She was too close, and her racing heartbeat was too compelling. I didn’t know when I was going to be this close to her, or if she was going to be caught off guard like this again. She gasped against my lips and her nails dug into my scalp. There was surprise in her actions, but not protest. I expected hesitation or