Текст книги "Levitate"

Автор книги: Kaylee Ryan

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Текущая страница: 7 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

THE FIRST WEEK of classes was busy. Getting my new schedule down and adjusting to a new routine. I only have three classes this semester, and then I tutor at the library. They tend to give those of us who are in our last year less hours. Most of us have internships and major projects due. Not me; however, I do have to find a small local company to volunteer eighty hours of time for. This is for future job applications. My major doesn’t require it, however, my business professor does. She says that it’s an opportunity to give back to the community as well as get some on-the-job training. Nothing better to prepare us for the real world. Her words not mine. I haven’t even started looking, but I’m sure something will come up. Who doesn’t want free help?

I haven’t seen Maxton since the day he showed up to watch movies while I did laundry. I remember him carrying me to bed that night, but that’s it. I had a dream that he was caressing my hair and calling me baby. This is not something I would admit aloud. Nicole didn’t say much the next day. Her comment was that he insisted on carrying me to bed. She said he was sweet and attentive. I asked her if we were talking about the same person and she scowled at me. His sexy body and good looks have coaxed her to his team. She is most definitely Team Maxton as she continues to drop hints about how sweet he was to me. I don’t remember it; therefore, it didn’t happen. Besides that, Nicole is so wrapped up in Brighton; she wants everyone to be in the honeymoon phase right along with her.

She’s seen Brighton every night this week. He’s either at our apartment or she is at Cooper’s bar with him. They invited me to go, but I declined. Maxton owns the bar, and I’m not ready to deal with him. Deal with how my body responds to him. I need to keep my distance for as long as possible, and I’m sure that once I do finally see him again, this crazy intensity will just be a vague memory.

Today is Friday and I don’t have class. Tuesday’s and Friday’s are my free days. Nicole was grumbling this morning that she should have thought out her schedule a little better so she could always have a three day weekend. I took pity on her and made her breakfast. Well, I put her bagel in the toaster and filled her travel mug with coffee.

Now, I’m at the grocery store. It’s been a few weeks since we’ve been, and with Brighton hanging out more, we need more than just fruit and yogurt. He claims he needs real food. We both laughed at him. I told Nic I would take care of the shopping today while she’s at class.

By the time I reach the checkout, my cart is overflowing. I stand at my place in line waiting for my turn when I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket.

Nicole: How’s grocery shopping?

Me: Uneventful. Standing in line to check out.

I snap a quick picture of my cart and text it to both Nicole and Brighton.

Me: Does this qualify as “real” food? ☺

Brighton: Yes! Finally, I was worried I would wither away. LOL

Nicole: Wow! I’ll be home in 30 minutes to help put it away.

I slip my phone into my purse and start emptying my cart onto the belt. The cashier, God love her, is well into her seventies and her speed shows it. When I finally make it back to the apartment, Brighton is there waiting on me, and in the passenger seat is Maxton. I take a deep breath. I was hoping to be able to distance myself from him a little longer. Nicole pulls up on the other side of my car. I slowly climb out, grabbing my purse and popping the trunk as I do.

“After seeing that picture, I felt guilty, and since we were out and about, I thought we could stop by and help you pack it all in,” Brighton explains. He must have seen the questioning look in my eyes.

Nicole skips over to him and he wraps his arms around her. I turn my head, giving them a private moment to say hello.

I reach into the trunk to start pulling out bags when I feel his hand on the small of my back. “We can get this. Go on in; we’ll be right up,” Maxton says. He’s already reaching in and grabbing bags.

“I can handle a few bags of groceries, Maxton,” I argue. I load up with bags and head into the apartment. I can hear him mumbling behind me as we go. The only words I can make out are stubborn and woman. I smile.

Brighton and Nicole follow him in, both loaded down with bags. “There are just a few more; we can get the rest,” Brighton says. He kisses Nic on the cheek and walks back out the door. She’s all smiles.

“He is so sweet,” she gushes.

I agree. “Yes, he is. I was surprised to see them here.”

“He does that, you know? Just kind of shows up. Yesterday, when I was leaving class, he was sitting in the parking lot. He knew I was done for the day, but he had to be at the bar. He just wanted to say hi. He also brought me a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks.”

“I’m impressed,” I say as the guys walk in.

“About what?” Maxton asks. That man misses nothing.

“Oh, nothing. I was just telling her how Bright showed up after class yesterday.” She wraps her arms around his waist.

Maxton just shakes his head and grins at his friend. He starts emptying bags. “Where does this go?” he asks, holding up a bag of sugar.

“I got this. Thank you both for helping, but I’ve got it from here.”

“Kensington,” he growls, “just tell me where you keep the damn sugar so I don’t have to go digging through your cabinets.”

“Hmpf,” is my reply as I reach for the bag in his hands. He quickly moves it away. He’s a good foot taller than me.

“Cabinet by the fridge, second shelf,” Nicole spouts off.

I glare at her and she grins.

The four of us have the groceries put away in no time at all. I have to admit it was nice to have the extra hands.

“Babe, we need to get back to the bar. Why don’t you two stop by tonight?” Brighton suggests.

Nicole looks at me. Her eyes are pleading. “Fine,” I grumble.

She tells Brighton that we’ll be by later as she walks him to the door.

“How was your week?” Maxton asks.

I shrug. “Good, first week of classes. Just trying to get my new routine down for this semester. You?” I decide I need to at least attempt to make small talk.

“Good, busy. Now that I have the renovation done on the bar, I need to get the rest of it in order. The books, ordering, staffing—Things like that.”

“Sounds like you have your hands full.”

He chuckles. “You could say that.” Looking toward the door, he asks, “So I guess I’ll see you tonight?”

Is he nervous? “Yeah, looks like it.”

“Good.” He walks over and kisses my temple. “Be safe,” he says, then walks away.

What just happened? Sweet Maxton is not what I expected. Honestly, I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t him kissing me and telling me to be safe. This man confuses me; I don’t get what his game is. He’s all over the place and it makes it hard for me to pinpoint what he wants. Is he still trying to get me in his bed or does he want to be friends since our best friends are obviously in deep. I’m lost in thought, pondering the situation, when Nicole walks back in.

“Thanks for agreeing to go tonight. I really didn’t want to go alone.”

I wave my hand in the air as if it’s no big deal. Normally it wouldn’t be, but Maxton will be there. My only saving grace is that he will be working. Then again… he does own the place.

I’M LOSING MY damn mind. From the moment she agreed to come to the bar tonight, I knew I was in trouble. When Bright suggested she come, I was sure she would turn down the offer. Then I saw the pleading look on Nicole’s face and I knew she wouldn’t say no. It was when she finally agreed that I felt my heart kick into overdrive. She was going to be there, on my turf. The excitement of being able to show her that I’m more than just the playboy she seems convinced that I am took hold. So much so that I found myself kissing her goodbye and telling her to be safe. Fuck! I’m glad Bright was in the other room. He would be riding my ass for that one. I couldn’t seem to resist the pull.

Back at the bar, Bright and I rush around and make sure everything is stocked and ready to go. There’s not much going on in town tonight, so it’s sure to be busy. As the crowd slowly flows in, I catch Bright constantly watching the door. If he’s not looking at the door, he’s checking his phone. When he looks at the door this time, his face breaks out in a goofy-ass grin. He elbows me and tilts his head toward the door. “They’re here.”

I nod my head that I understand as I continue to serve the customer in front of me. We’re fully staffed tonight, so technically, we don’t need to be here. However, as owner and bar manager, we like to make our presence known. We usually do it on different nights, but when Kensington agreed to be here, I decided I had nothing better going on. Bright knows I wasn’t planning to be here, but he didn’t comment when I said otherwise. He and I usually alternate shifts, but we also schedule time off for us to just hang. Tomorrow is a good example. He and I are getting together with a group of guys and going riding. We both have four-wheelers and it’s a blast when a group of us get together.

The crowd at the bar dies down. We have two servers out on the floor and two other bartenders behind the bar, which helps keep the customers spread out. It’s also the reason that I’m not really needed tonight. Brighton isn’t really either.

I watch as Brighton rushes to the door to greet the girls. He brings them to a table closest to the bar. I know it’s so he can keep an eye on them. I would have done the same thing. I nod toward Brighton, letting my two guys behind the bar know that’s where I’ll be. With two swift nods in return, I head toward the table. Toward the girl I’ve tried not to think about for the past week, the girl who has consumed my thoughts since the day I met her.

Lance reaches their table the same time I do. I swallow back my irritation. He’s a nice guy and we’ve been friends for years. Hell, he’s going with us tomorrow. Even so, I don’t like him sniffing around Kensington.

Lance stops behind Kensington and places his hand on her shoulder. I grit my teeth as I slide into the empty seat beside her. I know he was going for it, but there’s no way in hell I’m letting that happen. “Hey, stranger,” he says.

I watch her as she turns to see who it is. She smiles, stands up, and gives him a hug.

What. The. Fuck.

Since when are the two of them so chummy? They’re standing there making small talk. Their conversation is swallowed up by the crowd, so I have no idea what they’re saying. The blood is rushing through my ears as everything blurs except for the two of them. His arm slides around her shoulder and something I’ve not felt before bubbles up inside of me. The sound of her laugh brings me back in focus. “Sure, if you think you can keep up,” she says.

“Oh, I can keep up all right.” Lance winks at her. “I’m holding you to that dance,” he says as he walks back toward a cute girl with brown hair. He’s here with a fucking date and hitting on her. I never pegged Lance to be that guy.

“I didn’t realize the two of you were so close?” I say, irritated as soon as she sits back down.

“We’re not really. I met him that night we first met. He’s a nice guy. We’ve texted a few times.” She shrugs like it’s nothing.

My guts twist at her admission. The thought of them together doesn’t sit well with me. “Interesting. You seem pretty close to just have texted a few times,” I accuse.

“His sister is in my finance class. He dropped her off the other day. When he picked her up, we all went for coffee,” she explains.

I don’t comment. I just stare over her head at where Lance is sitting. At this point, I’m not sure what pisses me off more, Lance being able to be close to her or my reaction to it.

“So what are you ladies drinking?” I need a change of subject.

They both say beer is fine. I head to the bar and grab four bottles and bring them back to the table. Bright raises his eyebrows at me, but doesn’t comment. Usually I’m against him or me drinking here. It’s hard to maintain authority when you’re intoxicated. We need to remain professional for the staff. Tonight, well, tonight I don’t give a fuck. My nerves are on high alert.

The four of us settle into easy conversation and the night flies by. After our one and only beer, Bright and I both switch to water. I want to say I did it to be responsible. In reality, it’s because I need to be able to make sure she gets home safe. I’m sure Bright and I are on the same page with this.

Before I realize it, it’s eleven o’clock. We’ve sat here for over two hours and it only seems like minutes. The four of us have a lot in common. The alcohol helps loosen Kens up a little and she’s not as serious as she usually is. She’s still guarded, just not as much. All is good until Lance steps up to the table.

“Ready for that dance?” He has both hands on her shoulders, looking over her. She tilts her head back and giggles. She fucking giggles at him. I love and hate the sound at the same time.

Kensington jumps out of her chair and stumbles. I reach out to catch her, but it’s Lance who wraps his arm around her waist. She looks up at him and smiles. I want to murder him.

“It’s just a dance, man.” I hear Brighton trying to calm me down. He and I haven’t talked about her. I’ve kept my mouth shut all week, trying to work it out in my mind. That doesn’t matter; he knows me better than anyone and can read me like a fucking book. He knows I want her. I want her to be more than just under me, and it scares me to death.

My eyes never leave them. I watch every move he makes. The song turns slow and I’m out of my seat stalking toward them. No fucking way is he going to hold her.

“MY TURN,” I hear his deep voice rumble behind me.

Lance backs away with his hands up. He looks at me and winks. “Thanks for the dance, Kens.”

I hear Maxton growl as he wraps his arms around my waist and turns me to face him, holding me tight against his chest. Words aren’t necessary; he says everything with his eyes. Those gorgeous eyes are currently locked on mine. I slide my hands up around his neck, threading my fingers through his hair. He releases a heavy sigh as he tightens his grip on my waist and we start to move. I’m not sure you can even call what we’re doing dancing. He’s holding me so tight, it’s more of a small sway back and forth. I’ve had a few drinks, more than I normally would. I don’t know why, but something tells me it’s okay to let loose a little with Maxton around. I definitely would not have fallen willingly into his arms if I were sober.

When the song comes to an end, Maxton leans his forehead against mine. “You’re a perfect fit for my arms.” His deep timber causes me to melt. Right there in the middle of the dance floor, I melt. Something about the way he says it, like he doesn’t really want to but he can’t help himself.

Standing to his full height he releases me, but not completely. He places his hand on the small of my back and leads me back to our table.

Maxton pulls out the seat that I occupied before Lance asked me to dance. I automatically sit, thankful, as my knees are still jelly from his words. Leaning in, he whispers, “What do you want to drink?” His hot breath sends a cold chill through my body.

I tilt my head up to give him my answer, and we’re now close, too close. His face is not even an inch from mine. “Water,” I whisper. The next thing I know, he closes the distance and places a soft kiss against the corner of my mouth. It happens so quick that it’s over before I can process that he just kissed me. He kissed me in front of the entire bar.

I can feel the embarrassment heat my cheeks. Instead of turning to face our friends, and my embarrassment, I watch him go. Through the fuzziness in my brain, I know I’m playing with fire. I know flirting with him, allowing him to kiss me, is a mistake. He’s going to take what he wants and forget he ever met me. I’m starting to wonder if that’s really such a bad thing. Surrendering to what he wants, a night in bed with me, is bound to be a night to remember. He’s already too close. Closer than any other has reached in a really long time.

I’m startled when the chair besides mine squeaks across the floor. Maxton settles his large frame into it, setting my water in front of me. I quickly grab the bottle, twist off the lid, and bring it to my lips. I tilt my head back and savor the cool liquid as it coats my throat. I down over half the bottle before I take a break. Realizing I didn’t thank Maxton, I turn to do just that. The words get stuck in my throat. He’s watching me. His eyes are on me. Eyes that are filled with want and desire. He takes my breath away. I can’t tear my eyes off him. This is becoming a habit, and I know for sure with the alcohol running through my veins, I don’t have the power to fight it. To control how I feel when he’s around. I turn my body to face him; it’s like a gravitational pull, this effect he has on me. I wish I could blame it on the alcohol, but I can’t. The alcohol just makes me admit what it really is.

Attraction.

Lifting his hand, Maxton softly rubs his thumb across my lips. The rough pad of his thumb causes me to close my eyes and savor his touch. Keeping my eyes closed, I try to calm my heart, which is suddenly racing. I can feel the steady rise and fall of my chest. “Kensi.” Maxton tries to get my attention. I squeeze my eyes closed tight and focus on deep even breaths. I feel his hand snake around my neck and pull me toward him. My forehead lands against his hard chest, which I notice has a rapid rise and fall like mine. One hand stays on my neck, his thumb stroking gently. The other wraps around my waist and I shiver at the contact.

“Kensi,” his voice is low, next to my ear, “let’s get you home, sweetheart.”

Home. Yes, that’s what I need. I need to go home, climb into my bed, sleep off my buzz, and never drink around Maxton again.

I manage to nod against his chest, still not willing to open my eyes. Even though I know it’s wrong, I want to bask in his warmth for as long as I can.

“Kens.” Nicole is trying to get my attention. I ignore her, wanting to stay in my Maxton bubble, oblivious to anything else. “Kens,” she says again. This time she’s closer. I feel her hand touch my arm. Turning my head, I blink open my eyes to look at her. “Hey, Brighton invited us to go riding with them tomorrow. What do you think?”

I can’t think about tomorrow; I can only think about now. This moment with his strong arms wrapped around me, and his smell invading my senses.

“Kensington, are you even listening to me?” I can tell she’s getting irritated.

“She’s had too much to drink and obviously she’s exhausted. I’m taking her home. I’ll see you guys there,” Maxton informs her.

“Wait! You mean you’re taking her to our apartment, right?” Nicole, always my protector. “Kens, are you okay with him taking you home?”

Realizing she’s not going to let me leave until I answer her, I reluctantly lift my head from his chest to address her. “Yes, he can take me home. I just want to go to sleep.”

Nicole studies me before asking, “What about tomorrow, are you in?”

Releasing a heavy sigh, my forehead drops back to Maxton’s chiseled chest. “Yes, fine, whatever. Can we go now?” I’m frustrated, not really with Nicole, but with myself. I know I should not be leaning on him like this, but I don’t have the will power not to at this point.

“Great. We’ll be right behind you,” she chirps. Damn she’s too fucking chipper.

Now that she’s satisfied, I can finally go home. I lift my head to look at Maxton. He’s already staring down at me. “Can we go home now?”

HER WORDS CAUSE a tremor to run through my veins. I know what she meant, but it’s the way it sounded. Her sweet voice asking if we can go home, together. I quickly shake off the thought of me and her as one unit. That’s not what I’m about. Instead, I focus on her. She’s clearly exhausted; mix that with the alcohol and she’s dead on her feet. I realize she’s waiting for my answer.

“Yeah, let’s go home,” I say against her ear. Just for her. I’m going to pretend I don’t like how it sounds. Pretend like the thought of taking her home, to my home, to my bed, isn’t the best fucking thought I’ve ever had. I don’t take women into my bed. I’m always in theirs, or anywhere else. Never my bed; never let them get too close.

I place my arm around her shoulders and bring her as close to me as possible. My large frame causes people to move out of our path as we make our way outside. Once we reach my truck, I open her door, place my hands on her hips, and lift her into the passenger seat. She starts to giggle as soon as her feet leave the ground. That’s the second time I’ve heard that sound tonight, and this time it’s for me. I reach in to buckle her seat belt. Her head is already turned sideways; she’s settled in for the drive home. I place a kiss on her temple, because I just can’t fucking help myself.

The drive to her apartment is what most would call uneventful. I, however, cannot call it that, not at all. The cab of my truck smells like her. The sound of her breathing fills the air around us. This does nothing to dull the ache I have to be inside of her. The smell of her and the gentle sound of her sleeping peacefully will always be associated with this truck. I’ve never wanted someone, hell, anything, this bad. Ever!

Reaching our destination, I park and turn the truck off. I grasp the handle, and take one more look at Kensington before opening the door. The moonlight is filtering in through the window, casting a gentle glow. She’s so fucking beautiful it takes my breath away. I’m frozen in place, just watching her sleep. I’m going to have to buy a new fucking truck because this night, her bathed in the moonlight, sleeping soundly, will forever be engrained in my memory.

Careful not to wake her, I quietly slip out of the truck. Bright pulls up next to me, so I wait for them to join me. “She’s sound asleep. Can you unlock the door?” I ask this of Brighton. I know the girls come home by themselves all the time, but I would never forgive myself if we sent either one of them in alone and something were to happen while we were here. Bright holds his hand out for Nicole’s keys and kisses her on the cheek.

“Would you mind closing the door quietly, once I have her out of the truck? I really hate to wake her.” I sound like a pansy-ass, but I don’t really care. She needs her rest.

Nicole salutes me with a smirk, but says nothing. Once I have Kensi in my arms, I carry her into the apartment and down the hall to her room. I don’t bother turning on the light. I place her on the bed as gently as I can, trying hard not to wake her. As soon as her body hits the softness of her mattress, she curls up in a ball and sighs. The sight brings a smile to my face. Once she settles, I take a seat on the bed and slowly ease her shoes off her feet. I know she’s going to have a killer headache in the morning. Nicole confirmed this as well. Kensington doesn’t usually drink, so she’ll definitely be feeling the effects tomorrow.

I stand to go search for some Ibuprofen and a glass of water. I want to have it ready in case she wakes up in the night. The sooner she takes it and starts to hydrate, the better she will be. I feel her hand wrap around mine, which stops me from leaving.

“Thank you,” she whispers into the quiet room.

Not able to resist the pull, I sit back down on the bed. My hand automatically reaches for an errant curl that’s hanging down over her eyes and tuck it behind her ear. “You’re welcome. I’m going to get you some water and something to take for that headache.”

“I don’t have a headache,” she mumbles.

“You will. I’ll be right back.” I stand to resume my search of headache meds and water. I want to kiss her, even just on the forehead. Anywhere my lips can make contact with her skin.

I pass Nicole and Brighton in the hallway. Bright tells me he’s spending the night. Nicole asks about Kens and I assure her she will be fine, like I would let her be anything but. She directs me to the headache medicine, we say goodnight, and they disappear behind Nicole’s bedroom door. It doesn’t escape me that neither one of them asked if I was staying or heading home.

I quickly grab what I need and add the trashcan from the laundry room to the list. Just in case she gets sick. I don’t think she’s to that stage, but better safe than sorry. I find her right where I left her. Sitting the trashcan by the bed, I take a seat next to her. I rub my hand up and down her arm. “Kensi, wake up. You need to go ahead and take these.” She can’t be in too deep of a slumber; I was barely gone five minutes. Her eyes slowly flutter open. “The sooner you take this, the better you will feel in the morning.” She reaches for my hand and I pull her to a sitting position.

She takes the Ibuprofen and sucks down the water without complaint. I throw the empty bottle into the trashcan and make a mental note to grab another before I leave.

“Can’t sleep in this,” she mumbles. She then lifts the hem of her sweater and tries to pull it over her head.

I avert my gaze, trying to offer her some privacy. It takes every ounce of will power I have. I want nothing more than to let my eyes roam over every inch of her body. I reach down and adjust myself as I have a sudden situation, which seems to happen a lot in the presence of Miss Kensington.

“A little help here,” she huffs out.

Taking a deep breath, I turn to see what she needs. She has somehow gotten herself tangled up in her sweater and it’s stuck over her head. I would laugh, but her bare belly and the bottom of what appears to be a black lace bra are mocking me.

“Maxton!” she whines.

This has me jumping into action. I reach for the hem of her shirt and tug upward. In one smooth motion, it’s removed from her body. I toss it across the room into the chair in the corner. I don’t bother looking away this time. I think it might kill me to try. Her plump, round breasts are swaddled in black lace, begging for me to touch, to taste, to savor them.

She ambles to her feet and begins to unbutton her jeans. Tearing my eyes away from her breasts, I’m a spectator as she shimmies her hips from side to side, trying to rid herself of the tight material. “Help.”

Not needing to be asked twice, I fall to my knees and place my hands on her hips, stilling her little jig, which doesn’t seem to be earning her the desired results. She places her hands on my shoulders to keep from falling over. Not able to help myself, I place a kiss right above her belly button. Her body quivers beneath my lips. I want her. I thought I wanted her before, but now seeing her like this, I’ve never seen anything more beautiful. I need to sink inside of her, like I need air to breathe… just not tonight. She’s been drinking and I couldn’t do that to her. I want her lucid when she makes that decision. I push back the thought of wanting her to want me, Maxton, just as much as I want her. I refuse to try and decipher what that even means.

Resting my forehead against her belly, I concentrate on taking deep even breaths. She removes her hands from my shoulders and begins running them through my hair. This simple act from each of us feels more intimate than any sexual encounter I’ve ever experienced. With one final deep breath, I grab onto either side of her jeans and begin to pull them off her. Steadying herself on my shoulders once again, she steps out one leg at a time.

“Ca-Can you hand me a shirt?” She points to the dresser. “Bottom drawer.”

Without moving from my position, I reach out and pull open the drawer. I grab the first shirt I come to and hand it to her. Climbing to my feet, intending to give her privacy, I stop short at the sound of her next question. “Can you unhook me?” Her arms drop to her sides as if she doesn’t have the strength to continue to try on her own.

Holy shit, but this girl is testing me. I’m so fucking hard right now I could break concrete. I have to remind myself it’s the alcohol talking. No way would she be asking me to help her if she were sober. I know it’s an asshole move, but I’m going to do it. No way in hell am I going to pass up a chance to see all of her. I just need to remain in control.

My index finger finds its way to the strap on her shoulder. I work my way underneath and slowly run my finger to where the strap ends just above her breast and back up to her shoulder. Knowing I’m playing with fire, I remove my finger from under the strap and pull her to stand in front of me. Once she has her balance, I turn her to face the bed. Gathering up her soft curls, I tuck all of them over one shoulder, exposing her back. I slowly unhook her. I want this moment to last as long as possible. I have no idea how long it will be before I’m with her like this again, or if ever. I need memories to carry me through.

Once she’s unhooked, the straps slip from her shoulders. I close my eyes, fighting to gain control. I don’t open them until my name falls from her lips. “Maxton.”

My eyes pop open to see she has turned back around and is now facing me. Her hands are placed over her breasts, holding her bra in place. It takes extreme effort to not look below her face. “Kensington,” I copy her.

With the sound of her name, she drops her hands and her bra goes with them. Standing before me, she’s completely bare except for a tiny pair of black lace panties. The sight of her rips all the air from my lungs. My heart skips a beat and my mouth waters all at the same time. As I focus on breathing, my heart hammering in my chest, I stare at her. Yes, it’s rude as hell, but what man would pass up a chance to look at perfection. She has her hand over the top of her right breast and I decide that just won’t do. If this is the only time I’m ever going to witness her, I want it all.

Nothing in the way.

I reach for her wrist and she shakes her head no.

I trace above her left breast with my index finger, outlining its form. I try again to move her hand and she shakes her head no again. “Kensi, baby, I need to see all of you.” I can’t tell if it’s fear in her eyes or just her non-trusting nature. I bring both hands to her face and cup her cheeks. Bending down so we are eye to eye, I promise her, “I will never do anything you are not ready for or don’t want. All you have to do is say stop. This goes not farther than looking and maybe a soft caress, nothing more. I want you in my bed, Kens. Hell, I want you anywhere you will have me, but I want you sober.” Leaving one hand on her face, the other goes to the hand covering her right breast. I have no idea what she’s hiding, but I want to find out. I want to know every inch of her skin.