“I know. I was there.” His tone is dry. “Do you regret sleeping with me?” He can’t even look at me when he asks.
“No, no,” I insist, “I don’t, that’s the problem. I want you, Kent, but you’re not going to give yourself to me.”
“What happened to baby steps? You’re thinking too far ahead for me right now. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to think ahead,” he continues when I start blubbering. “Why can’t we take this slow? I’ve got too much to fix before I jump into another relationship. Rain,” he begs, watching me fall apart. “What do you need from me?”
“You don’t even want to be in a relationship with me?” I am an idiot. A moron. A stupid, stupid, woman.
“Raina!” he shouts, finally getting my attention. “Would you stop? I never said that. I’m trying to be what you want. Remember? You want a guy who doesn’t kiss you in a bathroom? You want a guy who doesn’t make you miserable. All I’m going to do is make you miserable if you don’t give me time. I need time. And so do you. You’re so quick to distrust me you won’t even give me a shot. It’s like you don’t trust anyone.”
I don’t trust anyone. Especially if they have a penis. “So we give each other time until when?”
“How about this? If we can go one month without giving up then I’ll give you everything you want. I need at least that long, maybe even longer, to fix this.” He touches his heart.
I touch it too, placing my hand over his. “So we’re not dating?”
“No.”
My stomach sinks. “You’re not going to sleep with other women, right?”
He smiles patiently. “No. Honestly? After you it would never be the same. Same goes for you. Erase Trevor’s name from your phone and let me handle James.”
“No. I want to handle James.” I give him a firm look. “Don’t be mean to him. He said just once to me.”
He frowns. “It’s almost like he kissed you on purpose.”
“Why would he do that?”
“So he could tell how I felt about you. He’s been on my ass about it, trying to get me to admit I wanted you. That little shit.”
“I guess he knows, huh?” I look into his eyes, but instead of falling into them I hold myself back. One month.
He reaches over and wipes my tears away with his fingers. “I guess he does.”
“One month? That’s the least you need?”
“That’s what we need. You have to admit you have some things to work on. We’re like gasoline and fire. When we’re together we explode. And Raina, I’ve never wanted to blow up so badly in my life. I don’t want to blow you up in the process. So let’s work on us.” He nods to himself, proud.
I’m proud too. “You’re kind of hot when you’re being responsible.”
“Oh yeah? You should see me when I’m emotionally mature.” He nuzzles my neck, leaving kisses across my pulse.
“Oh, Kent, talk dirty to me.”
He smirks against me. “How do you feel? Are you sore?”
“Sore is an understatement.”
He pulls back to look at me, appearing guilty. “That bad?”
I don’t want to lie to him. “That bad.”
“The messed up part is I’m not sorry. I’d do it all over again knowing it would hurt you. Last night was…unbelievable.” He swallows hard and the look in his eyes shows how much last night truly meant to him.
“I’d let you.” He grins and leans over to kiss me. I turn my head away. “Morning breath.”
His laugh brushes across my cheek. “I’ve haven’t wanted a kiss from a girl in the morning in so long and now I can’t have one?”
“Nope.” Pushing against his chest, I wiggle out from under his tight hold and painfully slide to the end of the bed. Upon standing I can feel him inside of me like a memory and the stinging gets worse. “Oh,” I huff, trying to bend down to get my panties. I scoop them up and quickly put them on. “I take it back. I wouldn’t let you.”
“You need some aspirin.” He jumps out of bed in his boxers and walks over to his dresser. Pulling out a pair of dark blue shorts, he hops into them.
I’m miffed he’s so unaffected. I can’t even walk and here he is, buoyant and gorgeous. I don’t bother putting on any more clothes. I hide my breasts with my arms and reach for his door. “I’m going to go take a