they both moved toward the exit at the same time, laughing as they collided in front of the door. “After you,” he said.
He opened the apartment door and they went inside, Reed punching in the alarm code before they both hung their jackets on the hooks by his door. The tension swirled, thickened, coalesced. He felt it as a tangible thing and yet he didn’t want to acknowledge it because he’d promised himself he’d go slow. Give her time, even if the tension building between them demanded now. He turned back to Liza who had two high points of color on her cheeks. “Can I get you a drink?” he asked. “There’s still half a bottle—”
She stepped toward him, taking his face in her hands, and bringing her lips to his. Soft. Full. Lips that were made to be kissed, he thought as their mouths met and they both groaned. Their tongues tangled and he tasted her sweetness, familiar yet so new, something he wanted to explore for hours. He wrapped his arms around her, letting them trail down her spine, his fingers finding each vertebra, wanting to know every small part that formed her. She shivered, pressing her body to his, molding her soft contours to his hard lines. God, I could lose myself in you. It would be so easy.
She grappled with his belt as they kissed, a small sound of impatience emanating from her throat as she pulled him forward a few steps until her back hit the wall, and then broke her lips from his, turning so she was facing away from him. She looked back over her shoulder, bringing her hands up and bracing them on the wall. She pressed her ass back against him, an invitation and he grasped the hem of her dress, beginning to raise it, while simultaneously unzipping his jeans. She let out a moan, glancing over her shoulder again, anticipation clear in her expression, even though he could only see her profile.
Quick and dirty, that’s how she wanted it. Reed paused, his mind clearing ever so slightly. Quick and dirty . . . just like the first time.
He held himself in his hand, so hard he ached, his breath coming fast and sharp in lust-filled pants as he grappled for control. She looked over her shoulder again, confused now. “What’s wrong?”
Reed released a shudder of breath. He placed his lips on the side of her exposed throat and kissed her as he lowered her dress. “Not like this,” he whispered, tucking himself back into his pants.
Her body stilled, and for a moment she didn’t move. When she did finally turn, she looked uncertain, embarrassed. They stared at each other for an awkward moment. Liza looked down. “I’m sorry, I—”
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for.” He pushed away from her, zipping his pants. He needed space if he had any chance of holding on to the tenuous control he’d managed to grasp. He took another deep breath, running his hand through his hair. It didn’t matter how far away he ran. She was in his nostrils, under his skin, in his heart, though he wasn’t completely certain he wanted to consider how much just yet. And she looked so damned rejected, so wounded, and yet somehow resigned, that he almost took her into his arms again just to comfort her.
“Is it because of what you know about me? I understand if it’s hard to want to touch me after—”
“God, no. It’s hard not to touch you. I want this, Liza. I want you. Christ”—he looked off to the side—“you have no idea how much.” He looked back, straight into her eyes. “But not like this. I want to take it slow. I want to look in your eyes. I want to watch your face so I know what you like and what you don’t. I want to enjoy it, but mostly, I want you to enjoy it too.” He might be an idiot. Because God knew he needed a release. Needed it so badly he felt like he might crack. But he wanted more from her than just a quick fuck against his apartment wall. He wanted more than she’d given other strangers she’d met in bars, more than just an exercise in power that she managed to get through to prove to herself she could.
Zach had said she would need to come to him, but this was not her doing that. This was her playing a role, going