Page 35 of Off-Limits Bad Boy
Emma's eyes search mine, looking for the lie, but she won't find one.
I want to tell her the truth. I want to say, It's you, Emma. It’s always been you lurking in every thought, every moment I've tried to ignore.
But I can see her guard is up, it’s obvious in the way she holds herself and peeks up at me like a fortress preparing for a siege.
I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of the words I’ve kept buried for so long. Feelings that almost emerged when we’d nearly kissed. I want to tell her that I want there to be an “us.”
But would she be willing to take a chance on me? And what would we do about Alex?
Her gaze flicks down, lingering on my lips. She's close enough that I could close the gap between us and claim her lips in a kiss that would melt both our walls. But I don't. Not yet. I have to do this right.
“Thank you for saving me back there,” I say, and the corner of her lips curve into a slight smile.
Does she know how perfectly she played it? How easily she protected us both while taking her brother’s mind off of her and me and moving him to the fear that’s been eating at him for a while now? How close is she to the truth?
With her eyes locked on mine, she approaches me like one might approach a dangerous, wild animal.
She stops before me, her eyes soft as her lips move. “Kiss me.”
Every inch of my being screams to taste her lips. But hesitation claws at me—I don’t want to make an impulsive decision. She's different; important.
But before I can talk her out of her request, she bridges the gap between us.
Her soft hands cradle my face. She rises up on tiptoe, her lips touching mine with an urgency that steals my breath. The softness, the sweet invasion of her taste leaves me wanting her more than I can ever remember wanting anyone else.
I pull her closer, my arms like steel bands around her, lifting her against the wall. Her legs coil around me, clinging to me like I’m her salvation... and her downfall. Our kiss deepens, our tongues meeting and swirling around one another in a kiss that breaks down my self-control.
My fingers skim her skin under her shirt, craving more. They find the excited point of her nipple, and I tease the stiff peak. Her whimper vibrates into my mouth, a sound that calls to every primal part of me. I've waited too long for this, hungered too much for her to hold back now.
But then I feel her stiffen in my arms, fear mingling with her desire. My heart thunders against my chest, echoing her rapid pulse.
“Emma?” I whisper, needing to meet her where she’s at, to not scare her or force something she’s not ready for. I pause, the ache in my body warring with the need to protect her, to respect her, to take her for my own.
Reluctantly, I ease back, searching her sky-blue eyes for a sign. What is she thinking? Is it too much, too soon? I’m not hurting her, am I?
“Kade,” she whispers.
“Tell me what you need,” I say, and her gaze locks on mine before she kisses me again.
Her lips leave mine with a soft pop, and I hear her gasp for air. I lower her gently to her feet, my hands on her waist. Her chest heaves against mine, and I can't help but wonder if I've crossed a line.
“Emma,” I say, my voice a rough whisper. “I'm sorry if—”
“Don't.” She cuts me off, her breath still coming in short bursts. “Don't apologize.” Her fingers linger against my jaw, tracing the stubble there as her vulnerable gaze locks on mine.
“Are you okay?” I ask, needing to know she's more than just physically all right. The intensity of what just happened worries me, and I hope I didn’t hurt her.
She nods, her eyes still locked with mine. “Yes, I just... it was a lot.” There’s something she’s not telling me; I see it in the way she looks at the ground instead of me.
“Too much?” My gut clenches at the thought that I might've pushed too hard, too fast. That I might've scared her away when all I want is to pull her closer.
“Not too much,” she whispers. “Just more than I expected.”
“Good,” I say, my thumb tracing over her hip. “Because I've been wanting to do that for a long time, Emma Riley.”
“Me, too,” she whispers. Her confession ignites a desire deep within me, but restraint is a muscle I need to flex now, for her sake.
“Okay, then,” I say, taking half a step back to give her space, even though every fiber in me screams to close that distance again. “We should probably get out of this storage room before someone starts looking for us.”