Every Kiss(49)

His mouth quirks up on one side. “It’s about time you showed up. I’ve been missing your big, opinionated mouth.”

I narrow my eyes at him and jump up to sit on the counter, crooking my finger at him to come closer. “Good because I’ve missed your mouth, too.”

Taking the situation in my own hands this time, I grab each side of his face and pull him to me until our lips meet. The sweet hint of whiskey on his lips takes me back to that first kiss. With his hands firmly planted on the granite, he allows me to take the lead, only giving what I ask for and matching my pace. Gentle. Unhurried. All-consuming.

I let myself drown in him, in the feeling of his soft lips caressing mine, in the way his breath catches when I suck gently on his bottom lip. When my tongue grazes the seam of his mouth, his darts out to meet mine hungrily, and I suddenly need more.

Releasing his face, I break his grip free from the counter ledge and wrap his arms around my waist, and that’s all the encouragement he needs. He pulls me closer into the firm wall of his warm chest until I’m at the very edge of the counter, and I wrap both arms around the top of his shoulders, one hand diving into his hair and urging the kiss to deepen. He moans into my mouth as his tongue seeks mine out, swirling and dancing in rhythm with my own.

Finally, I’ve had all I can take. Needing to feel his skin, I reach down to the hem of his shirt and slide it up his chest, breaking the kiss to get it over his head. When I drop his shirt onto the floor, our eyes meet. The usually frosty blue is somehow darker, smoldering. His lips are glistening with moisture, and his chest is heaving in and out with every breath. The warning bells are going off big time. This man is so going to break my heart. And I’m going to let him.

Deciding it’s only fair, I hold my arms straight up until he takes the hint to take my shirt off, too. He inches it up slowly, his eyes never leaving mine except for when it slips over my face. Even then, they find them again immediately.

“You’re so beautiful, Callie.” His voice is hoarse, barely audible. “And so damn perfect it kills me.”

I reach out to bring him closer until we’re chest to chest, skin-to-skin. Nuzzling my face into his neck, I take a slow, deep breath, taking in the warm scent that belongs only to him.

He follows my lead, doing the same. “You smell like me,” he whispers against my neck while his hands skim up my back.

“I like it,” I whisper back.

Wes straightens and kisses me softly. “It smells way better on you.” He stares at me for a long moment before groaning and lowering his chin to his chest. “Damn it, Callie. What are we doing?”

“Do you really need me to spell it out for you?”

“I’m being serious. You don’t want this. Not with me. I warned you from the beginning that I can’t give you more than this, and I can’t help wondering if you think you can be the one to change me. Trust me on this . . . it won’t happen. I need to be 100 percent sure that you realize that.”

I shake my head. “Wes.”

“No, I’m serious. Tell you what, I’m going to go into my room and give you a few minutes to think about it. And I really want you to think long and hard about what you’re getting yourself into. I’m not saying that it’s impossible for me to fall for you. I just want to make it clear that, if I do, I have no trouble walking away the minute the thought pops into my head. I’m not going down that road again.” He pushes away from the counter. “That’s how it has to be. You may end up hating me and will be relieved when that day comes. Hell, it may even work for us to just stay friends and have this, too. I just want you to be prepared for what could happen. Take a few minutes. Take an hour if you need it. Just let me know if you want to go or stay.”

He stalks toward his room, leaving me sitting on the counter, topless. I’ve known the hard facts all along, so I can’t help wondering if he’s afraid of the outcome. If he’s scared that it might sting a little when it comes time to walk away. Now that I think about everything he’s said, maybe the real truth is that he needs to know he’s wanted. Perhaps he wants someone to stop him from walking away for once.

By the time I hear his bedroom door close, I’m off the counter and jogging to his room. I push the door open just as he’s sitting on the side of the bed, and I rip into him. “I’m not like any of these other women you’ve been with Wesley Baxter. I know the risk. Yeah, it’s going to end, and it’s probably going to suck for one or both of us. I get that. But for once, you need to take ownership for the decisions made in your life. If you don’t want this to go any further between us, then say so. If you do, I’m making it abundantly clear to you that I want you. I want this. And if I end up hurt, so be it.”