Page 60 of My Tiny Giant
“I have.”
“And?” he asked expectantly. “Are you accepting it?”
I nodded with a smile.
“They say it’s better to have and lose than not to have at all,” I roughly paraphrased the famous saying by Alfred Lord Tennyson, “’tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”
I wasn’t going to utter the word “love” in any context right now. I figured it’d be best if we left love completely out of it.
“Meaning, I’d rather have you for a little while than not have you at all, Agan.”
He gave me the most amazing grin of all. “You’ve decided.”
“I have.”
He looked so happy, as if I’d just accepted his marriage proposal, not simply agreed to spend a few short days together. Something big and wonderful stirred in my chest in response to his happiness, but I quickly forced it down—this was a brief holiday romance, nothing more.
“Come here, now.” I placed my chin on top of my hand on the table. “Let me help you with that little problem.”
“What do you mean?” His smile faltered.
“Let me show you exactly where the inseam is.” I wiggled my eyebrows.
Yet he stood there, hesitating.
“What’s wrong, Agan? You said you’d love to do more than kiss?”
“To you ,” he replied passionately. “I wanted to do a lot of things to you. In fact, I meant to make it all about you.”
“Just me?” Pleasure at his admission warmed my heart, but his hesitation puzzled me. “Shouldn’t it be about both of us?”
He’d kissed me, when I didn’t think it would be possible. What I offered to him now seemed easy to me. I could touch him, taste him, lick him, and I wanted to do all of it.
“We can start with me doing something for you first, can’t we?” I asked. “Or is there a reason you don’t want my mouth on you?” Maybe he was scared I’d hurt him?
He sucked in a sharp breath, his erection jerking higher.
“Fuck, Eleven... There is nothing I want more.”
I licked my lips.
“Then come closer. Please?” I implored. “Come on, I want to see what you hide under that loin cloth.”
I’d never seen Agan looking this unsure before. He raked the fingers of one hand through his hair, the other fisted at his side.
“Believe it or not,” he huffed a brief laugh. “I don’t think I’m in the best shape to parade naked in front of a woman right now.”
“Even if the woman is me?” I asked softly.
“Especially , you. You, of all people, I’d really like to impress—in all areas.”
“You are the most impressive man I’ve ever met, Agan.” I put my elbows on the table, resting my head on my hands. “You commanded my attention from the very first moment I laid my eyes on you—not always for the right reasons, I have to admit. But the more I get to know you, the more things I find to like about you.” I tilted my head with the sweetest smile I could manage. “I’m sure I’ll like that part of you, too. Trust me, I already like what I can see from here.”
He heaved a sigh.
“And now you’re teasing again.”
“No.” I shook my head. “Not about this. Never.” I shifted my elbows closer to him, leaning over the table. “These are unusual circumstances, Agan, but let’s not allow that to spoil the little time we have together.” I folded my hands in front of me and placed my chin on top of them, bringing my face down to his eye level. “I want you to enjoy your time with me. Please, let me touch you.”