She rested her forehead on his chest, trying to control her breathing.
“Sophia,” he spoke her name assertively and his hand encircled her throat, a thumb lifting her chin. His eyes blistered with hot green flames. “You’re unraveling me. Are you doing it on purpose?”
“Unraveling you?” She looked up at his eyes, “I don’t know. I’m just being me.”
His hand stayed on her throat, not letting go.
I crave more, much more. I want all of her. I want her to be mine. With the last thought, a fierce anger took control of him. What is she doing to me?
Sophia glanced at his tightened face. Is he… angry? At me? Please, don’t be.
He looked down at her, scrutinizing her face for some telltale sign. Something that would make him angrier, but didn’t find any.
Steady, Alistair Connor. This is just lust.
He waited for her acquiescence, teeming with desire. An intense emotion unfurled as his sun peeked out from behind the dark clouds of his sky. Immediately, he shoved it down deep into his dark heart. He didn’t want to acknowledge it.
She’s just another woman.
He didn’t waste time when she lifted her head for another kiss, dropping his to meet her mouth with a searing kiss, pouring into her all his confusion about how she made him feel.
Feel? I don’t want to feel anymore. His hand removed her hair from the path his mouth traced from her ear to the base of her neck.
Moaning low in her throat, she gave him room.
His fingers tightened on her waist, pulling her against his frame and she gasped as she felt his growing erection print itself on her belly. He was definitely turned on. His hand tensed up on her butt, kneading it.
Sophia pulled away, panting and, stepping back, put a hand on his chest. This madness has to stop. Now.
He towed her to sit near Gabriela, leaning his back on a tree and nestling her between his firm thighs, an arm snaked around her, his erection pressed on her hip.
“I apologize.” His breathing was labored and his smile taut and crooked, “again.” Fuck. What are you apologizing for, Alistair Connor? “I find it difficult to deny myself the pleasure of having you in my arms, and when I have you where I want, all my thoughts and reasoning fly out the window.” He looked so serious. “I have to have you, Sophia,” his raspy velvet voice entreated, “or else I’ll become crazed.” He stroked his thumb over her silken lips. “This is torture.”
“Alistair, we’ve been going out for a week.” She fingered her hair, combing it. “You cannot expect me to go to bed with you after such a short time.”
“Why not?” he whispered roughly. “I’ve been aching for you since the day I met you. And I know you feel the same. We’re grown-ups and we both have been married. You know me.” His fingers caressed her neck and wandered down, pausing at the swell of her breast. “Let me know you,” he purred on her ear.
She took his hand and put it below her left breast, pressing it on her ribs. “Feel me, Alistair. Can you feel my heart?” How can I explain to him? “I do want you, but… we need to talk about what is happening between us.”
This doesn’t sound good. “What do you want to talk about, sweetheart?”
He didn’t want her rationalizing what was happening between them. Their attraction - magical, intense, and aggressive even - had nothing to do with reason.
“Things are going too fast between us. We have to slow down before they get out of hand. I need more time.”
“Slow down as in slow down?” Slow down? Is the woman a nun? Christ! This is a bad idea. He felt rejected. He felt denied. Never had a woman asked him to slow down. Does she want to destroy my ego?
“Is there another connotation to slow down?” She bit her lower lip.
“Slow. Down.” He released a breath and tugged her lip from her teeth. “You don’t know what you do to me, Sophia. I don’t know if I have enough control.”
“I understand this is difficult… I mean… I want you too, but I don’t want to rush things this time.” She stared at his taut, serious face.
A long silence ensued between them. Sophia watched as he schooled his features into his usual poker-faced look and hooded his eyes so she wouldn’t see the irritation in them.
Too late, Handsome. They have given you away. This intense inferno of yours. She licked her lips. “You okay?”
“Aye,” he expelled a long breath, “yes, I am.”
Sophia shook her head and shifted in his embrace to better look at his eyes. “The thing is… I don’t know if we should insist on this relationship. I’m not the kind of woman you’re used to. I don’t do one-night stands. I don’t have sex just for sex. I need something more than a hello-let’s-go-to-bed handshake to…” Make love? Sophia’s laugh echoed bitterly inside her. He simply wants to fuck you, Sophia. He doesn’t do relationships. She bit her lip and tapped her fingers on her thigh. I’m an idiot. Yes, you are, Sophia. An idiot.
He noticed her ticks. He remembered them well from that day at the pool. She’s nervous.
“I wonder if I-”
He lifted his hand and softly put his fingers on her mouth, interrupting her words. “Listen to me.” He shifted her to straddle his lap and his fingers curled under her chin to raise her face to him. “Slow down,” he repeated lowly and breathed deep, exhaling, deep in his thoughts.
Sophia waited, studying his handsome face. A quietness surrounded them and the only sounds she could hear were the chirps of the birds perched high on the tree he reclined on. His fingers absentmindedly caressed her lips while he looked into the distance, trying to decide what to say.
An almost pained breath escaped his lips and he softly conceded, “All right, Beauty, I’ll try to maintain a hold on my desire.” He kissed her, hugging her tightly, pressing her down onto his erection, “I desire you as I never did another woman.” His green gaze locked onto hers. “This is not normal behavior for me. I don’t usually do… I don’t do relationships, period.”
So, Edward is right. Sophia felt her heart tightening in her chest. She opened her lips and closed them again, insecure. “Well, I don’t do one-night stands,” she finally said. “So, this is the end-”
“Let me rephrase, then.” Alistair didn’t even flinch. “I didn’t do relationships.” His eyes flamed. “If this is what it takes for me to have you, I’ll abide by your rules. I want you.” A dark twist quickly curled his mouth and disappeared in a second but Sophia didn’t miss it. “And what I want, I get.”
Oh, please! Another Giulius Caesar. “We shall see, won’t we?”
“I didn’t expect you to be such a prude, Sophia. After all, you’re no longer a virgin.” He immediately regretted his words when she flinched.
“It’s not a question of prudishness. It’s simply that I…” It’s simply that I’m falling for you. It’s simply that fate has taken everything from me once. It’s simply that I’m too afraid to give in. Can you understand what I’ve been through? What I still fear? I doubt it. “Call me old-fashioned if you will, but this is how I am.” She bit her lip.
He put a finger on her lip, liberating it from her teeth, and his hand moved to her throat. “I’ll wait for you. I’ll try my hardest, Sophia. Believe me. Just don’t torment me for long.”
I’ll convince her. Perseverance, Alistair Connor. For now, I’ll let her have her way. For now.