Page 92 of Holding Grace

She wasn’t wrong. I had more experience than her. Not that it mattered.

“I told you it’s been a long time for me, right?” Grace nodded silently and I let my hand fall away from her lips. “Ask me how long it’s been.”

She looked at me, hesitating.

“Ask me.”

She straightened a little, preparing for I wasn’t sure what. “How long?”

“Since the day you walked into Brothers Pub. Technically a little longer since I hadn’t been with anybody for a couple weeks before that.”

Her eyes widened. “So...”

She needed it spelled out, I’d spell it out.

“I haven’t been with anyone since I met you. Haven’t slept with anyone, haven’t dated anyone, haven’t so much as touched another woman since Jamey introduced us.”

“But...” she tilted her head, frowning as she looked back up at me... “we weren’t dating or anything. I could hardly even bring myself to talk to you for weeks.”

“Believe me, I’m aware.” I smoothed my hand over her hair, hoping to ease her tension. “There was something about you, Gracie, from that very first day that made me want to pay attention to you. Then you started to open up a little and I was hooked. That’s why I went a little crazy when you disappeared. And when I saw you again.”

Maybe now she’d understand why I’d acted the way I had.

“You truly haven’t been with anyone.”

I held up my right hand. “I solemnly swear, I haven’t been with anyone. Haven’t wanted to be with anyone. Only you.”

She kept her eyes down and I wondered what was going through her head. Then she looked up at me through her eyelashes.

“I was well worth the wait, right?”

I couldn’t resist. I shrugged and tilted my head like she had. “I mean...”

She shoved me hard, right out of the bed, and I landed on the floor in a heap, laughing. God, I loved this woman.

I grabbed her and dragged her to the floor with me, pinning her beneath me as she tried unsuccessfully to maintain her glare.

“You’re worth everything, Grace. Worth every single second I waited and much, much more.”

“You better believe it.” She looped her hand around my neck and drew my head down to hers, stopping just short of kissing me. “For the record, so are you.”

She pulled me down that last inch, her lips met mine, and there was no more conversation for a good long while.