For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,94

for that." She turned, giving him back the water. "Braden, you make me feel normal, and silly, and giddy! I mean, I don't even know your favorite color - "

"Don't have one," he admitted. "I'm also an earth tone kinda guy." He tipped his head back to rinse off but didn't stop talking. "It's just that all my exes said that I'm self-centered, and I'm kinda oblivious. I'm also not a real good dev. I mean, I'm probably the dumbest person on the team, and - "

"No," she said, stepping forward to press her hands to his chest. "You aren't dumb, Braden. Just because you're a big, strong man doesn't mean you have to be dumb because of it. Sure, I bet that's what everyone's told you. But look at what they say about people like me. I'm supposed to be some kind of sexual deviant, and I'm not. I'm..."

"Sweet and innocent," he finished, reaching up to cup her face. "Why is it that when I'm around you, I feel like I'm putting a puzzle together? I have all the pieces already. I just need to arrange them in order. I feel like I know so much about you, but hearing your version makes it fit into place."

"I kinda feel like I've known you forever," Rhaven admitted. "I mean, it's been about a year, so that's a while, right?"

"A year?" he asked. "Yeah, Columbus, so kinda close."

She nodded. "And when you said you didn't care. You know, about me being trans?" A smile flickered over her lips. "I think that was when I started hoping. I didn't even know what I was hoping for, but it kinda felt like the light at the end of the tunnel. Kate, and then you? I felt like, for the first time in my life, I didn't have to lie to be accepted."

"You will never have to lie to me," he promised. "But you should know that the longest I've ever dated someone was for about five months."

"Do you, um..." She really didn't want to ask, but she had to know the answer. "Do you get bored of them? The people you're with? I mean, that's kinda what my brother says, and I wasn't sure if -"

That was when he leaned in, pressing his mouth to hers so she'd stop rambling. Rhaven sucked in a breath, surprised because she hadn't seen that coming, and then she leaned into him. Her bare skin pressed against his. Her body felt like it sparked everywhere they connected, and his tongue tangled with hers.

Rhaven slid her arms higher, wrapping them around his neck. His moved behind her back, pulling her closer. She could feel his hard-on pressing into her, but she liked it. Her own excitement was right there, with nothing separating them, and he didn't seem to mind at all. If anything, he shifted closer.

While their mouths worked, sampling and learning each other, his hands explored. She felt one slide over her ass, grasping the fullness. The other moved higher, right between her shoulders. A soft little sound escaped from her lips, but he drank it in, growling in approval. That one kiss turned into more, and time suddenly seemed unimportant. The warm water of the shower crashed down on both of them, but she didn't want to pull back.

Clearly neither did he. Stepping closer, he pressed her back against the wall, holding her there with his bulk, but his lips left hers, hovering only an inch away.

"I want to kiss you all night," he breathed. "I want to touch and grope and seduce you completely, but Rhaven? I'm scared shitless that I'm going to move too fast."

"I can't make myself stop," she whispered.

His lips curled against hers. "Oh, I'm so ok with that, but maybe we should try talking, hm? I love the sound of your voice, Rhaven. I love the way your mind works. I want to feel you curled up beside me, and I want you to feel like you can say anything. No need for secrets, because I swear I will protect them all."

She leaned back enough to see his face. "What if I scare you off?"

"I promise that's not going to happen." His thumb swept across her lower lip. "Yeah, I want to fuck you. I definitely want to keep kissing you. I also want to know you, and the knowing is kinda winning. Baby, I want to lose hours talking to you. I want to have you fall asleep beside me