Page 49 of Finding Emotion

She did, and Damon’s body slid under hers on the couch. The tingles weren’t a bad thing, and he took the inside against the back cushions that would have made her feel caged in. Skylar shifted on top of his body, her head finding his chest and that heartbeat, which was still a little fast. She let her lower body rest beside his instead of over it.

“You won’t fall?” he asked, his hand flat against the couch near her ass.

It should have bothered her, but with his other hand still moving over her hair, she didn’t feel trapped.

“Mmm… good,” was all she could manage as his heartbeat filled her.

She wanted to feel him touching her hair forever, but her eyes were already drifting shut. No laughter or memories rose. All she heard was Damon’s soft whisper.

“I’m here.”

And that was enough.

Chapter 19

Damon didn’t sleep. He dozed a little, but not enough to lose awareness completely. When his fingers could no longer continue their ministrations, he let his hand rest in Skylar’s hair as his thoughts raced.

Jimmy hadn’t sent him whatever media issue had set off her manager. The thought of having to address his manager again so soon twisted his stomach. Damon was like his own father in the way he avoided conflict. It was the only part of his father he recognized in himself.

Skylar had said ‘she’ this time. That had surprised him. At the tavern, she’d referred to a ‘him.’

Damon hadn’t given in to his curiosity about her. Besides what Jimmy let slip, he refused to look into Skylar’s past. No, that would lead to assumptions or the risk of figuring out what had happened to her without her being the one to tell him. He only wanted to know what she wanted to share.

And to hold her in his arms forever. He didn’t think he was wrong in his assumption that Skylar hadn’t been held often over the years. It wasn’t just that she didn’t like to be touched. She didn’t seem to want to feel emotions either.

That was what the sex was about more than anything. Sure, Skylar enjoyed the physical aspect, but that wasn’t what had driven her that night. No, not with the expression she’d had. It was more like she’d been trying to turn off.

When her arm wrapped around his waist and her fingers brushed the skin where his shirt had ridden up, he wasn’t immune to her touch. He breathed through the hint of arousal, picturing her empty gaze when she’d moved in to kiss him instead. Yeah, she’d bitten the hell out of his lip, too, but it was as if she had no longer seen him.

Damon wanted to curse when her leg hooked up over his, scorching him when it nudged what hadn’t been an erection before. If her breath hadn’t remained even where it feathered against his neck, he would have thought she did it on purpose. He could control himself, though. Not his morning wood, but that was exactly why he refused to sleep.

His fingers began moving again, the motions against her scalp shifting the ache from his dick into his chest. He was an idiot. She’d already punched straight through his defenses. Leaving his room to be with her again was the worst kind of self-sabotage.

He let himself enjoy it, limiting himself to that one hand in her hair as his body relaxed again.

Skylar’s breathing shifted just after dawn. The tensing of her hand at his waist gave her away, but she remained still, her ear pressed against his chest. He wished he could check how fast her own pulse fluttered.

When she moved her hand down to cup him, he expected it. The expert pass of her hand sent a thrum through him, but Damon bit his cheek to counter it. She would try to turn their morning into something else like she had the day before, and while he wanted it, he wanted something else more.

“Good morning,” he murmured.

Skylar lifted her head, and Damon let his hand fall away. She hadn’t removed her hand from his dick, though, and frowned down at him. “Something wrong?” Her fingers wriggled. “I wanted to reward my pillow.”

Damon used his arms to push himself up so he wouldn’t reach out to stop her. “I got what I wanted, Skylar.”

Her hand moved away on its own, and he breathed a sigh of relief. A few more strokes of those fingers, and he might have given in.

Skylar stood from the couch and stretched. “You’re a weird one.”

He was also a guy, and the way her shirt shifted over her breasts drew his gaze. He felt a pang as he realized he still hadn’t seen them. No, they’d never gotten completely naked with each other. He forced his eyes up to study hers, glad that she was staring out the window and not looking at him. Her pinched look was back. “What is it?” he asked.

“You’re sure we’re cool?” Her hands dug into her back pockets as she shifted. “I feel… I don’t know.” She shrugged, continuing to stare at the rising sun.

Damon hadn’t expected an expression quite like that, and sat up all the way. “We’re more than cool, but can I ask a favor?”

Some of her tension eased, and it clicked for him. She was feeling like the scales weren’t balanced. “Now you’re talking.” Her smirk flashed. “What did you have in mind?”

“Have breakfast with me?” Damon smiled back as her smirk changed to confusion. “I’ll order room service if you can skip the shake.”