Chapter 18
Angela stared up at Tiro, not sure what to say. There was no chance she would admit her bag currently contained two large boxes of condoms as well as sex toys! Some of which she wasn’t even sure how to use!
“Nothing!” she gasped and took a step back. Unfortunately, the room was small enough that there was no way to escape. Although, thinking about escape, Angela doubted that she’d ever be able to escape this man. He was just too…everything.
“Angela, why are you acting so strangely? We’re here . We’re alone now. Finally. ” He moved closer, reaching out to stroke her cheek lightly. “We need to be honest with each other.”
“We…do?”
“Yes. Honesty helps both of us understand what the other is thinking.” He eyed her leather bag, still clutched to her chest. “For instance, right now, I am thinking that there is something in your bag that you don’t want me to know about.” He paused, seeing the panic increase in her eyes . “Is that true? Is there something in there that you’re embarrassed about?”
Angela suspected that he assumed she might be hiding tampons or pads, or something along those lines. Never would he think she was hiding condoms! Ribbed and colored condoms, to be exact. Well, also the normal kind too. But she’d never tried the ribbed kind. She’d had sex twice in her life and both times, it had been…meh. And both times, the man had used a condom, although he’d complained about the inconvenience of the protection. Because of her aunts’ and her mother’s admonitions over the years, Angela had insisted. She’d heard too many stories about how Laith, Rafi, and even herself arrived in this world to ignore the protection a condom offered.
Angela licked her lips, her heart pounding against her ribs. “Tiro, normally, I’m great at using words to convince people to shift their actions or their opinions in one direction or another.”
She paused and he moved closer, resting his hands on her hips. “I agree. I’ve watched videos of you speaking in front of an audience. Your ability to sway people’s opinions is impressive.”
For some reason, his touch blocked her next words. It took monumental effort to continue.
“Right. Well, here’s the thing.” She stared into his dark eyes, trying to remember what “the thing” was .
“Angela?” he prompted.
She lost her ability to focus. He was so close and smelled so good. Plus, she wanted to dump her bag onto the floor and pull him closer. Angela wanted to feel every part of him against her skin. She wanted to know him, to truly understand what it was like to feel Tiro in the most primal way. It wasn’t about sex…and yet, it was all about sex.
“What’s in the bag, Angela?” he asked, his voice husky.
“Stuff,” she blurted, then cringed at how vague that one word was.
“What kind of stuff?”
“Condoms,” she whispered, her lips numb as her body trembled, waiting, wishing for him to kiss her. To do something to ease this desire aching deep inside of her.
But at her answer, Tiro pulled back, startled by her answer. “You have condoms in your bag?” he demanded, his voice huskier than moments before.
“Among…other things,” she squeaked, then closed her eyes, wishing that she sounded more confident.
“What…other things?” he asked.
She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them, staring up at him and trying to understand why his voice sounded almost gruff now.
“Just, other …things.” She couldn’t tell him what was in her bag . She just couldn’t! Gone was her sophistication. Sex toys were completely outside of her area of expertise.
“Oh Angela,” he groaned, his fingers tightening on her waist and he lowered his forehead to press against hers. “I’m not going to ask,” he finally rasped. “I’m going to wait and convince you to trust me enough to show me.” He gritted his teeth for a moment, then continued with, “And then, we’re going to explore every damn thing in that bag.”
She really liked that idea, but couldn’t work up the courage to say it.
“Why don’t we,” he paused again, his fingers stroking her cheek and down her neck, “go for a ride?”
Angela was shocked for a moment. She’d been expecting him to drag her to the nearest bed! So it took her several seconds to process his suggestion. When she finally understood what he was suggesting, Angela nearly sighed with relief.
He chuckled and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Did you think I was going to suggest that we head to my bedroom immediately?”
“Yes,” she replied, feeling her cheeks heat up. Again.
He leaned lower, kissing her ear. “I like foreplay.”
And then he pulled away. Angela moaned, irritated that he had removed his warmth from her so abruptly. Her fingers itched to pull him back, to demand that he follow through.
But this was what they did. The sexual frustration was a living force between them. It had happened during his visit two weeks ago and now she was struggling with her body’s needs all over again.
With a groan, Angela pushed away from the wall, still clutching her purse as she followed him out the door. When they were in the hallway again, he pulled one hand away from her bag, lacing his fingers through hers. “So we look like an engaged couple,” he whispered in her ear.