Chapter 4
4
TOBIAS
I was going to kiss her. Emmy wanted me to kiss her. And I wanted it more than I wanted my next breath.
I took a step toward her, closing the short distance remaining between us. Then I put a hand on each of her upper arms, just as I had before. Only this time, I was facing her.
She pointed that beautiful face up toward me, giving me access to her mouth, and that was when I lowered my head and captured her lips with mine. She tasted sweet—like cinnamon and chocolate combined. I wondered if she always tasted that way or if she’d just had a particularly delicious dessert earlier that evening. Whatever the case, it was addictive.
She was addictive.
She moved even closer to me as our kiss deepened, her body pressing against mine, making it tough for me to resist ripping off her clothes and taking her right here on this rug. But I held back. She would be worth waiting for, even if I had to spend months romancing her to get her into bed.
I’d never said that about any woman. I’d never met a woman worth waiting for until Emmy.
Finally, we broke the kiss, and I stared down at her. What now? I could take her back to her room at the lodge—I assumed that was where she was staying since the competition was happening there. But it was the last night. She didn’t have to be anywhere in the morning besides the bank.
“Stay here,” I said.
Her eyes widened briefly. It was almost as quick as a blink, but in that one look, I knew exactly what she thought I meant.
“I have a guest bedroom,” I rushed to add. “It only has a twin bed. I had it when I was on base, just in case anyone wanted to visit. But it’s not like one bed would invite company. When my sister and her family visit, they stay in a hotel.”
What was I carrying on about? This wasn’t like me at all. I was usually a man of few words. She had me all nervous and tongue-tied, stumbling around like a guy who didn’t have game.
I didn’t have game. Not anymore. I was out of practice. Rusty. I didn’t think I’d have to use these skills again anytime soon.
“You can stay here as long as you need,” I said.
There. That was the offer. No hidden agenda. I wasn’t trying to get her into bed. Okay, I was, but this had nothing to do with that. I wanted to keep her in my life. I wanted to get to know her. I didn’t want her to walk out of here and sleep in a building that was a good ten minutes away. That was too much distance. I’d just lie awake all night, remembering her, wondering if she was dreaming of me.
Yeah, I’d really lost it now. I’d turned into some nutty, stalker-type dude.
“I’m going to stay in a hotel near the interstate,” she said. “I have a reservation for tomorrow night.”
“You can cancel it,” I said. “Save the money. Put it toward your bakery fund.”
We were still in each other’s arms, though her body wasn’t pressed as tightly against mine anymore. I longed to pull her closer, but I resisted the urge.
“I won’t make a pass at you,” I said. “I promise.”
She frowned, and for a second, I wondered what I’d done wrong. Then it hit me.
“Not that I wouldn’t want to make a pass at you,” I added quickly. “I’m just saying I’ll be a perfect gentleman as long as you’re under my roof. You don’t have to worry about me sneaking into your bed or anything.”
She shrugged. “What if I snuck into your bed?”
“Well, then just be aware that I sleep in the nude.”
I did not sleep in the nude. Usually, I slept in my boxer briefs. I wasn’t even sure why I said that. Maybe to let her know what she was in for if she tried sneaking into my bed.
She was in for the best sex of her life. Not to be cocky about it. Actually, I just wanted to be clear with myself that if I did get the chance to make love to this woman, I’d do everything I could to rock her world.
“I guess I’d have to sleep in the nude too.” She leaned back a little from me and looked down at her body. “I have nothing to sleep in.”
“I’ll loan you a T-shirt,” I said. “Or anything else you want. My clothes will probably be big on you, but it would make a good nightgown.”
What was I doing? If she wanted to sleep naked, I should let her. That might make it more tempting for her to slip into my bed.
But I wanted her to be comfortable, first and foremost. And we’d take this slowly. I was cool with that. She’d be well worth the wait in the end.
“Seriously, I’ve already been enough trouble,” she said. “You could just drop me off, and I’d be out of your hair. You could go on with your life if that’s what you want.”
She looked at me then, as if to see how I felt about that. Was that what I wanted? Hell no. The thought of dropping her off at the lodge and never seeing her again filled me with dread. That would never work. If she wanted to stay, I had to make it clear that I wanted that too.
“I like having you around,” I said. “It gets kind of lonely up here in the mountains.”
I hadn’t met anyone in a long time that I wanted to have under the same roof with me. She might be the first in my life.
“Then I’ll take you up on it,” she said. “On one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“I make breakfast in the morning.”
I chuckled. “If you can find anything in my kitchen that will make a meal, go for it. I usually just grab an egg sandwich on my way to the job site.”
“Work?” she asked. “You have to work in the morning. I’m so sorry.”
I shook my head. “I was just going to crash in front of the TV. This has been far more interesting.”
She stepped away from me, dropping her arms to her sides. I missed her touch already. But yeah, it had been a little awkward standing there, embracing, while we talked about something as innocent as her making me breakfast in the morning.
My thoughts were anything but innocent.
“I’ll show you the guest bedroom.” I paused. “And if you want me to run to the lodge and grab your stuff?—”
She shook her head. “No, but if you could give me a ride to my car in the morning, I’ll go pack up and check out.”
“I get up at five,” I said.
She smiled up at me. “Five it is, then. I guess that means I won’t be able to sneak into your room tonight and keep you up.”
Oh, fuck. She could sneak into my room anytime she wanted, but I didn’t say that. Instead, I just gave her a smile before I turned and led her to the guest bedroom.
Yeah, it would take everything I had not to sneak into her room. But I’d do it. I’d have restraint.
I couldn’t promise that would be the case every night, though. Not by a long shot.