Burned(13)
Chapter Four
With her panties soaked from the excitement of taking Hauk to orgasm, Vic stood. If she expected him to say something or behave a certain way, she wasn’t sure what or how it should be. Whatever it was, it wasn’t what she got.
As she raised her head and met his gaze, she found herself facing a wide grin that erased all the shadows and stresses of his life. It wasn’t a smile he smiled often. It was a smile—given the circumstances of the moment—that reached through her chest and wrapped itself around her heart.
Whatever arguments she made to Byron about her and Hauk being a poor fit were only token ones. She wouldn’t go so far as to believe she would win the heart of the man standing proudly naked before her, but she was smart enough to recognize the danger she was in. He was about to own her heart, even though he didn’t quite know what to do with it.
He stared, sort of mesmerized, and traced the outline of her mouth. “You arranged for someone to get Sophie to school this morning for this?”
“A little selfish, I know.” Falling under his spell, she flattened her palms on his shoulders. “Are you sorry?”
“A little worried.” Smiling just enough for the chipped corner of his front tooth to show, he bent over and kissed her. Lingered. “Not sorry for a second.”
A wash of relief flooded her, making her realize she’d needed the most basic reassurance. Taking his hand, determined to enjoy as much time as he would give, she led him down the hall to her room.
“Tell me, Vic. What was your main reason for sending me a babysitter and calling me here? Byron’s request, or sex?”
“Sex, but Byron’s request makes a great cover in case anyone sees you.”
“Vic,” he warned. “I can’t play this game and have Sophie caught in the middle.”
“I know, and I have done nothing to risk her. Tell me something, Hauk.” She glanced over her shoulder, curious to see if his face would tell a different story than his words. “Would you have come over if I’d told you why?”
They stepped into her room and he half laughed. Once. “Hell no.”
“Because you think this is going to destroy our friendship.”
“Don’t you?”
“A little.” She relied on the strength of their friendship, hoping it would make honesty easier. “I’m more concerned about Sophie getting hurt by this. And by your views on relationships.”
“I can’t have a successful, committed relationship, Vic.” He cupped her neck. His thumb brushed her pulse. “You deserve a man who can grant the dreams you have.”
“You can grant my current dreams.” She pushed him to the bed, stripped off her panties and climbed on top of him. She’d get him to accept love eventually. “No reason we can’t go with that for a while.”
His hands moved to rest on her hips as she straddled him. “What if we can’t go back?”
“I’m not going to lose you as a friend, Hauk.” She tugged her cami over her head and braced herself on his chest. Her pussy rubbed his cock. She lowered her face to his and whispered, “I love you too much to let sex screw up what we have.”
“I love you too, Vic.” His eyes pinched at the corners, the way they did when he was seriously concerned. “And I hope you’re right.”
They’d never said they loved each other, and she knew he only meant it in the way of friendship. And though it felt amazing to make the declaration, the part of her that wanted a family couldn’t help but want him to mean it on a more intimate level someday. “I’m right.”
To prove it as much to herself as to him she kissed him. It wasn’t tentative or aggressive like their earlier kisses had been. It was slow and deep. Soulful and emotional. She used the kiss to tell him how much she cared. To show that she didn’t want to lose what they were beginning to explore.
He wouldn’t miss the message, but neither would he acknowledge it or talk about how it made him feel. She’d likely never know if his heart trembled like hers or if his skin shrank as if he’d been exposed to too much heat or if his muscles quaked as if they’d been overworked.
Whatever happened between them, she had wanted a memory special enough to compare with her first time. She was getting more than one memory, and that treasured memory of her first time was quickly being outshined.
“I didn’t bring protection, Vic.”
“I get a shot. We’re safe.”
“You make it hard to argue.” Hauk ran his hands over her, going from her hips to her lower back to the base of her neck and down again to pin her closer. His mouth explored hers. His dusting of chest hair tickled her breasts and teased her nipples. The tickle traipsed along her nerves until her body trembled to the core.