Chapter Five
Emelia
"You really didn't have to follow me all the way home, Royce," I murmur, leaning up against the side of my car when he saunters up the driveway toward me with his hands in his pockets. He looks too damn handsome in his suit.
"Yeah? How else was I going to find out where you live, babe?" He stops in front of me, crowding me up against the car with a devastating smirk.
"You could have asked," I point out.
"Where's the fun in that?" His hands find my hips, pinning me in place.
I know I should put a little distance between us, but I don't want to do that.
Frankly, he's making it impossible not to like him and his over-the-top personality.
I don't think the man knows what slow means.
He moves at the speed of light, sweeping everything in his path along with him.
I kind of like being swept for once. Usually, I'm the one calling the shots, making the plans, and deciding what happens. With him, tonight, I've just been…swept along in his force field. It's nice.
"What are the odds of you kicking my ass if I kiss you again right now?" he asks, his gaze locked on my lips in a way that has my whole body clenching.
"Try it and find out," I whisper, my voice a little breathless. I can't help it! My lips still tingle from where he kissed me in the restaurant. My panties are soaked, too. I want his lips on mine again, stealing my sanity like it's his job.
He doesn't hesitate. One hand slides up to cup my cheek, the other pulls me against him. His kiss is all wild hunger and possessive intent, like he needs to brand me with his taste right now.
My back bows against the car, my knees actually wobbling.
He notices. The bastard grins against my lips and then deepens the kiss, his tongue hot and demanding.
His thigh presses between my legs, and I can't help the way I grind down against it, searching for friction.
He swallows my moan, growling low in his chest. There's no question about whether he'd fuck me right here in the driveway if I let him. He's so damn hard, the truth is unmistakable.
"You make the cutest noises," he rasps, grinding his thigh harder against me. "Christ, you're soaked, Emelia. You that needy for me already?"
"Shut up," I say, but my voice is so breathy and desperate that it's not even an insult. Somehow, my hands are in his hair, searching for leverage.
"Say it." He kisses down the column of my throat, nipping and sucking marks into my skin. "Tell me you want me." One hand slips between my legs, pushing my panties aside. I'm so wet, it's humiliating, but he just groans, sounding absolutely wrecked. "Fuck, you're perfect."
"Royce," I whisper. I feel myself spiraling, already so damn close to losing it. "Please."
That's all it takes for him to growl against my throat, the sound hot and possessive. "I want to see you come for me," he says. "I want you to make a mess of my suit, right here where your neighbors can see."
If I had any dignity left, I'd be mortified.
Instead, his words make me wetter. My hips move of their own accord, chasing the heat of his body and the thrill of his touch.
He holds me there, his face buried in my neck, as he wrecks me with his fingers, running circles around my clit until I'm dizzy.
"That's it, pretty baby," he murmurs, nipping my earlobe as he pushes two fingers inside me. "Let go. I want to feel you."
I crack with his name on my lips and my body shaking against his. Waves of pleasure roll through me with enough force to have me clutching at his shoulders, desperate for something to ground me.
He kisses me through it, slow and gentle now, as if he's savoring every second.
When I finally catch my breath, he just looks at me, his eyes dark with satisfaction.
"Fuck, you're beautiful." He presses a kiss to my jaw, then my temple, then the tip of my nose.
"And so fucking hot when you fall apart for me.
I can't wait to feel that on my tongue and then my cock, in that order. "
I whimper, burying my face in his throat. Part of me wants to invite him inside—a frighteningly large part. But…we need to slow this down a little, right? Right. I can't just jump into bed with him the same day we met.
I want to do it, though. God, do I ever.
Goddamn childhood games. I'm not sure if they're ruining my life or fixing it at this point. I'm also not sure I care anymore. I just know that I like him. A lot.
"I'm not rushing perfection, babe," he murmurs as if reading my spinning thoughts. He presses a soft kiss to my forehead. "We've got all the time in the world."
My heart turns a flip. And then it flips again when he kisses me sweetly, turning my whole body to mush in his arms.
"You should get inside," he groans when he pulls away. "If you don't, I'm going to find a reason to keep you right here all night, just so I can enjoy the way you're looking at me right now."
"H-How?"
"Like this is Christmas morning and you just got everything you ever wanted." His lips brush my cheek. "I like knowing I'm something you want."
My cheeks turn pink, mostly because I'm pretty sure that's precisely how I was looking at him. But he wasn't supposed to notice. A girl is supposed to have a few secrets, dang it.
"You're mighty full of yourself, aren't you?" I say, rolling my eyes at him.
He grins in response, straightening my dress as he eases me back to my feet. "You could be full of me. Just say the word."
"You're ridiculous."
"You want it, though."
"I also want a pony and a jet ski, Royce. That doesn't mean I'm going to run out and buy either."
He chuckles, the sound hitting me right in the womb. "You'd enjoy riding me a helluva lot more than you'd like riding either of them, Emelia. In fact, you'd fucking love it."
"Oh, my god," I groan.
He just laughs again, linking his fingers with mine. "Come on. Let's get you inside."
"Are you trying to wriggle your way into my house?" I ask, eyeing him sideways.
"Too big to wriggle, babe," he teases.
"Royce."
He doesn't answer until we're standing on my front porch, the light spilling down over us. And then he tips my head back, forcing me to meet his gaze. It's far more serious than I expected.
"Told you already," he murmurs. "I'm not trying to rush perfection.
I'm willing to wait as long as it takes for you to invite me into your life and your bed.
But while I'm waiting, I will be following you home and walking you to your front door.
" His hand curves around my jaw. "When something matters, you don't take unnecessary risks with it. "
Lord, have mercy…
My heart slams against my ribcage.
I don't think I'm prepared for this man. Not even a little bit.
I almost invite him in. I almost tell him that I don't need perfection. Instead, I just gape at him, speechless.
He dips his head to brush his lips against mine. "Get inside, babe."
I fumble with my keys and then stumble inside on wooden legs without a word. My last sight of him is those wild green eyes boring into mine as he braces his arms on the doorframe like he's physically keeping himself from launching over the threshold after me.
"Goodnight, Royce."
"Sweet dreams, pretty baby."
I close the door, my heart beating like I just ran a race. It's only after I'm sinking down the door that I remember he's flying out in the morning for a game in Chicago, and I don't know when I'll see him again. And it's in that moment that I realize I miss him already.
"Goddamn childhood games," I groan before laughing like a wild woman.