Chapter 23
It was precisely what I wanted to hear, yet I wasn’t prepared for the impact of those words.
My skin tightened over my bones in a new, unfamiliar way. My pulse raced. Warmth bled into every pore, every cell, and flooded my veins, turning my blood into lava. With one single word floating around in my head.
Mine.
I wanted this woman to be mine, just mine, more than I’d wanted anything in my entire life. The reality of that slammed into me with such force it almost knocked me back. It was crazy, exhilarating, and fucking terrifying.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, a small voice whispered for me to walk away before I fell too hard, too fast. But that thought was quickly silenced when my heart whispered back.
Too late.
And there it was, the truth I couldn’t admit out loud.
I swiped a rough thumb over Snow’s bottom lip and repeated my words, “I don’t fucking share.”
Her breath hitched, but she held my stare. “Neither do I.”
“You don’t get it.” My face inched closer to hers. So close, the warmth of her breath skated over my lips. “There was no one before you and there won’t be anyone after you. I just want you.”
Snow stared at me for a few seconds. Then her mouth was on mine, kissing me softly, tenderly, and in stark contrast to the way I ached to devour her. The way I intended to devour her.
Unfortunately, before I could even think about taking over and deepening the kiss, she pulled away with a gasp.
“I’m sor—”
I wasn’t having it. Cupping the back of her head, I closed the little distance she’d put between us. I slammed my mouth over hers in a bruising, punishing kiss. Hard, painful, and achingly beautiful.
Every bold stroke of my tongue against hers warned me I’d just fallen headfirst off a dangerously high cliff, and there was no coming back. I didn’t care. I couldn’t. Not when everything about this moment, about us, felt so damn right.
“Fuck,” I breathed.
I dragged my nose along her jaw and down her neck and lost myself in the way she smelled. Delicious. Intoxicating.
She pushed her fingers into my hair and dug her short nails into my scalp. I couldn’t keep the deep groan from rattling through my chest. Nor could I stop my wandering mouth from drifting farther down her throat.
I let out a satisfied hum when Snow angled her head on a low moan to give me better access. I licked along the gentle slope of her neck, reveling in the tiny bumps I left in my wake.
Another one of those needy sounds rolled over her lips, and I nearly lost my damn mind. Because, holy shit, it was sexy as damn sin. And I wanted to hear it again. Louder.
Kissing my way back to her waiting mouth, I slowly lowered us to the mattress, twisting our bodies so we were chest to chest. The position allowed me to wedge my knee between her legs and pull her flush against me.
Our kiss deepened, tongues twisting and tasting. I wound my hands in her hair. I wrapped those tresses around my fingers and held her tight.
Seconds turned to minutes. My jaw ached, my breaths were short and choppy, and yet, I couldn’t tear my mouth from hers.
In fact, I wanted more.
So much more.
And judging by Snow’s restless hips, so did she.
Gently, slowly, I slid my palm down her back, brushing the bumps of her spine as I went. I’d intended to keep my touch light, but the instant I reached her ass, it was impossible not to dig my fingers into the soft flesh.
She liked it, too.
Her hips shot forward, and she sighed into my mouth.
Fuck, tearing these sounds from her was addictive. So damn addictive. That was exactly why I smoothed my palm over her skin before digging my fingers in again. A bit harder this time. More sweet noises spilled from her lips.
I couldn’t get enough.
Moving my hand to the hem of her sleepshirt, I salivated at the thought of finally seeing her. Fingers tightly curled into the fabric; I tugged it up.
“Wait.” Snow’s hand clamped down on my wrist. “Please, wait.”
The fear in her voice was like a bucket of ice over the head. I immediately tore myself away from her and rolled onto my back with my palms facing the ceiling.
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s not you.”
The mattress dipped, and when I sat up, Snow already stood in the middle of the room. Brows pinched, lips pressed into a thin line, she hugged her middle.
Shit, she looked three seconds away from tears.
I didn’t know what to do.
Everything inside me screamed to go to her. To comfort her. But dammit, I didn’t want to overcrowd her like I’d just done.
So I chose to keep my ass parked on the edge of the bed. Not the easiest decision when the few loaded moments that passed before she finally spoke felt like years.
“You probably think I’m nuts.”
“I don’t,” I answered honestly. “I’m just a little confused.”
A glassy sheen covered her eyes. “I swear, I’m not being this wishy-washy on purpose.” Hands on her hips, she paced a few steps to the left, then another few to the right. “You’re saying all the right words that melt my insides, and I just want to climb all over you and beg you to make me feel good.”
Her words came out fast, so freaking fast, and I just knew not to interrupt her.
“Gosh, do you even know how many dreams I’ve had about you? So many. Too many. It’s embarrassing, actually. And I can honestly say experiencing you in real life is way better than any dream I’d had. I like kissing you. I really like it. It makes me feel things…want things… But the problem is, I’m not that dream girl, Liam. I…I…” Snow threw her hands up and took a staggering breath. “I don’t know how to do this.”
The words tumbled over her lips, soft and broken. And fuck, I couldn’t sit there and watch this beautiful woman fight whatever it was she was fighting. Crossing the room, I halted her frantic pacing and curled my fingers around the sides of her neck. With my thumbs tucked under her chin, I guided her gaze to mine.
Nothing could have prepared me for the fear, panic, and confusion burning in those green irises. Just as nothing could have prepared me for the desperate need I felt to take care of her.
“Take a slow breath for me, Snow.”
Eyes wide and wild, she watched me like a buck would stare at a lion. Cautiously. Carefully. For a moment, I thought she’d back away and put distance between us.
But much to my surprise, she took the breath I’d asked her to take. Slow and deep, dragging air to her lungs.
“All right, now tell me what’s going on so I can help.”
My eye caught the pink tip of her tongue as it slowly slid over her lip.
“I’m not ready,” she breathed out.
“That’s okay.”
“No.” She shook her head as much as she could with me still holding on to her. “I mean, I want more, I just…I don’t…I can’t…” Her lids fluttered closed, and her next words came out barely above a whisper. “I don’t want you to see me.”
And there it fucking was.
I’d known from the moment she’d said no one wanted to see her naked that she was insecure about her body. I wasn’t stupid. Notions like that only came from someone planting them.
When I found whoever made her believe she wasn’t worth looking at, I’d make the sorry bastard eat his own words.
“Look at me.” I waited until her gaze found mine. “You’re fucking exquisite. Whoever made you believe otherwise is a dirty fucking liar. Seeing you, having my hands on you? Shit, I’ve been fantasizing about that since the moment we met.”
Her eyes went wide, and her lips popped open.
She didn’t have time to voice her protest because I quickly spoke again.
“I will never force you to do anything you’re not ready for. Hell, there are things I’m not ready for either.” I held her stare, ensuring she fully grasped what I was about to say. “You’re safe with me.”