Page 46 of Won't Back Down

His lips gave a wry quirk. “It’s nice that you think so. But surely you’ve heard the talk about us.”

There’d been talk? “The only talk I’ve heard has been a hundred percent supportive. Who said something to you?”

“Nobody’s said anything to me. But there are plenty of folks who think you’re slumming it marrying me.” He jerked a shoulder in easy acceptance. “They’re not entirely wrong.”

Furious, I curled my hands to fists. “Fuck them and the rude ass barn they were apparently raised in. They’re not right.” By God, if I did nothing else for this man while we were married, I’d help to banish this demon. “You know who I see when I look at you? Not only my personal hero, who literally brought me back to life. I see an incredible friend. A man who’s been willing to not only put his life entirely on hold for me, but inextricably tangled that life up with mine to save me when he didn’t have to. I see the guy who steadies me. Who comforts me after my nightmares and holds me to make sure they stay away.”

He watched me with unreadable eyes as I edged closer.

Emboldened by the wine, I kept going. “I see the guy I crushed on from the time I was thirteen. The guy I can’t stop thinking about kissing again.”

Sawyer’s throat worked, and those eyes had gone storm dark in the candlelight. “Willa.”

My name was all he said, and I couldn’t tell if it was a warning or a plea. I knew what I wanted it to be.

My heart thundered in my chest, as much terror as anticipation. “Can I kiss you, Sawyer?”

“You can do anything you want.”

At that incredible, heady invitation, I leaned in and brushed my lips to his. He sighed, as if he’d been holding his breath, waiting just for this. It wasn’t for display. Wasn’t to prove anything to anyone. It was simply because we wanted. He wanted me, and that was my own personal miracle.

I traced his lips with my tongue, and he groaned, reaching out to drag me against his hard body. Our legs tangled, and I wrapped my arms around him, wanting to get closer. Our hips bumped and shifted, until the bulge in his shorts pressed to the softness between my thighs. I arched against him, wanting so much more. His hands snaked around me, and he rolled so I straddled him.

I broke the kiss only long enough to whimper a little moan as he bucked against me. God, that felt good. Taking his mouth again, I began to rock. His hands skated beneath my shirt, up my back and around to palm my breast. I wanted more of that touch everywhere, with a lot fewer clothes. And he’d said anything I wanted… But in a minute. Because the tension coiling at my center was making it hard to think past chasing this high.

His fingers worked down the cup of my bra, and suddenly I felt that delicious, callused touch against my nipple. He gave the slightest pinch and roll, and I detonated, shuddering against him as if I’d been hit by a live wire.

When I managed to pry my eyes open again, I looked down into his. They’d gone all but black with an unmistakable hunger as he gazed up at me. I wanted everything those eyes promised.

Intent, I leaned down to kiss him again, and something crashed.

We both froze.

“What was that?” I gasped.

“Something hit the house, I think.”

We held there, listening for another few minutes.

When I would’ve picked right back up where we’d left off, Sawyer stroked the hair back from my face in that way he did, and I knew the spell had been broken. Again.

“We should probably stop there.”

I wanted to howl in protest, but even in my current state, I could recognize that the last thing we needed was to be bare-assed naked and lost in each other if the roof somehow got ripped off the house.

Still tingling, I slid off him.

“Do you think you can sleep?”

Was he kidding? My body still hummed from his touch, wanting more of it. And now I was wondering if he thought this was some kind of mistake. Sleep was the last thing on my mind. “I don’t know.”

He tucked me back against him. “Why don’t you give it a try? It’s probably going to be a long night.”

Okay, he wouldn’t cuddle after if he thought it was a mistake. Right?

My gaze slid lower to the tent in his shorts. “What about you?”

“It’ll go away, eventually. I have lots of practice when it comes to you.”