Pulling the hard-cased boxset from the cabinet, I tell him, “I’m a history nerd, too.”
“I didn’t say anything about nerd,” Christian says as he tickles my sides.
Laughing, I squirm away from him. “Nerd... history buff… it’s all semantics.”
Christian grabs my waist before I can get away from him. He lowers me to the floor, tickling my belly again.
“Stop,” I yell, gasping for air. I am super ticklish. My stomach and feet are my most sensitive areas.
“You give up,” he asks. “Say it. Christian, you are not a nerd.”
“Never,” I laugh. “You’re a nerd, just like me,” I yell, trying to get away from him.
Christian lowers his face, so he is mere inches from mine. He dips his head to my ear and whispers, “You like this nerd, though, don’t you?”
A gasp leaves me as his lips glide across my sensitive skin. A shiver runs down my neck. I hesitate and then shake my head. He takes a deep breath.
“No one likes a liar, Rory. Honesty is always the safest route,” he lowers his voice.
Swallowing hard, I nod.
He leans in closer to me, nipping my earlobe, “Good girl,” he whispers against my ear. His breath causes goosebumps to blanket my skin. Christian pushes up from the floor and extends his hand to me.
I stare at his hand, not sure what to do.
He cocks his head and points over his shoulder. “Let’s get comfy on the couch. Although, I’m not opposed to the floor.”
I roll my eyes at him. “I prefer the couch,” I tell him as I grab his hand to help me up.
Christian pops the disc into the player and I settle into the couch. Leaning over, I lift the wine glass to my lips and take a sip.
He grabs the remote and settles into the couch next to me. After a few clicks of the remote, the introduction to the series comes on the screen. Christian extends his left arm across the back of the couch. “Come closer, I don’t bite,” he teases.
Scooting over on the couch, I settle in next to him, my head against his broad shoulder.
We watch two episodes, each an hour or so long. The second episode began in the middle of the night with soldiers aboard a plane. Their aircraft takes a direct hit and catches fire, causing the men to jump. When they landed, they were in unknown territory without their weapons.
A small part of me can relate to these men. When Keith died, I was dropped into unknown territory with no weapons. Nothing to prepare me for what would happen next. Nothing to prepare me for the tasks ahead with raising our child on my own.
“Like it so far?” Christian asks when the credits begin to play on the screen.
Placing my empty wine glass on the table, I stretch my arms over my head. “Yes. I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this series.”
Reaching for my phone on the table, it reads one in the morning. “I didn’t realize it was this late. I should get going.”
Christian leans forward until our faces are dangerously close. My mind tells me to move, put some space between us, yet my body is screaming at me to lean into him. To touch his face, to kiss his lips. Every part of my body tingles with want. With need.
My stomach flutters like a teenage girl waiting to be kissed for the first time. Christian’s large hand takes my face and holds it gently. The mere touch of his hand sends a warm shiver through my body. His hand lingers there, his thumb strokes my skin as our eyes lock. Every time his gaze meets mine, my heart turns over in response.
“I’ve never wanted to kiss someone as much as I want to kiss you,” he murmurs.
My nipples pebble under my dress, my breaths become shallow and goosebumps cover my skin. His head dips to whisper next to my ear. His lips brush against my neck as he speaks. “Can I kiss you, Rory?” His breath against my skin causes a fire inside my body to burn.
Christian leans back to get my approval and I sit frozen, from both fear and excitement. We pause, looking into each other’s eyes, I swallow and hold my breath. His eyes search mine and he leans into me, mere centimeters from my lips. My heart flutters as his lips draw near, my lips part in anticipation of the kiss.
He watches me intently, waiting for my response. “Say it, Rory. Tell me you want this as much as I want this.”
I tingle when he says my name. My heart flutters wildly in my chest. “Yes,” I whisper, not recognizing my own voice.
There is an unspoken trust, our face mere inches apart. Slowly his lips descend to meet mine. He brushes a gentle kiss across my lips, then moves his mouth over mine, devouring its softness. The touch of his lips is a delicious sensation.
He presses his tongue to the seam of my lips, and I grant him access. Parting my lips, I raise myself to meet his kiss. Christian delves inside my mouth and I moan. The kiss sending my emotions into a wild swirl.
My arms reach up around his neck. I breathe in sharply and kiss him. His arms encircle my waist, gathering me weightlessly onto his lap. I place my hand against his chest, intending to push him away, but instead I leave it there, gripping his shirt in my fist.
His lips capture my lower lip between his teeth gently, pulling it into his mouth and sucks on it hard.
Christian’s mouth sears a path down my neck to my exposed neckline. His lips recapture mine, more demanding this time. He takes control of this kiss. This kiss is his. He owns it, like he is beginning to own me.
My hands greedily pull at the hair near the back of his neck.
I want to pull away before I lose myself. Who am I kidding, I’m already fighting a losing battle. I’ve lost myself to Christian already. I’m screwed.
Utterly S.C.RE.W.E.D.
I begin to panic. Realization hitting me like a tidal wave. What am I doing? Placing both hands on his shoulders, I put some distance between us.
“That can’t happen again,” I say barely above a whisper, glancing at his swollen lips. My eyes close and both our breaths are shaking.
Shifting my body off Christian’s lap, I stand. Looking around the apartment to see where I placed my purse, I walk to the island, picking it up.
“Can you call for the car? I need to get going.”
Christian reaches for his phone on the table and sends a text message to the driver. A few seconds pass before Christian responds. “He should be here in fifteen.”
“I’ll wait in the lobby for him,” I say as I take a few steps toward the door.
Christian stands, blocking my path. “Rory, please sit here and wait for him to text me he is downstairs. You are not waiting in the lobby of my apartment building.”
Hands on my hips, I raise my chin to him. “Why not?” I ask defiantly.
He lifts his fingertip and places it on my swollen bottom lip. “Because I said so.” I detect a flicker in his intense eyes.
Huffing, I try to side step him, but he blocks my path.
“I want to kiss you again.” Huskiness lingers in his tone. His eyes darken with emotion, lust.
“You can’t,” I respond, my eyes bouncing from his lips to his eyes, then back to his lips.
“Oh, I can,” he says firmly.
Christian leans down, placing a soft kiss on my already swollen lips. In one quick moment, I’m back in his arms. His nearness is overwhelming. My heart thumps erratically in my chest. His proximity kindles a fire in me. I catch a faint scent of soap on his skin.
His arms wrap around my waist, pulling me against his strong muscular body. His arousal presses against my belly. A small whimper escapes me.
He tilts his head, spearing his hands into my hair, holding my gaze.
“And I will.”
Christian’s lips brush mine. Not innocently. He doesn’t wait for a response and deepens the kiss. Before I can react, he presses his tongue to the seam of my lips and I grant him access. His tongue delves inside my mouth. This kiss is hot, passionate, and demanding. My willpower isn’t strong enough to pull away.
Crushing me to him, he presses his mouth to mine. The touch of his lips
on mine sends a shock wave through my entire body. This kiss is punishing and angry. Forcing my lips open with his thrusting tongue. My body begins to burn with desire, an aching need. Standing on tiptoe, I bury my hands in his thick dark hair.
My hand moves from his hair to touch his strong toned arm. “I’m serious, Christian. This can’t happen,” I say, pointing a finger between us.
His eyes dance across my body. “You didn’t push me away the first time, or this time.” His lust-filled eyes reach mine. “If my memory serves me correctly, you were into the kiss as much as I was.”
He takes a few steps back, giving me some much-needed space. He shifts his head to the side and arches a brow. His eyes light up, “If not possibly more.”
My fingers graze my swollen lips. My breath quickens, remembering the kiss. The way his tongue danced with mine. He kisses me as if I was the air he needs to breathe. Little did he know, he was the air that breathed life back into me.
Christian leans lazily on the door, crossing his arms over his broad, sculpted chest.
“If you’re looking for an apology, you’re not going to get one. I won’t apologize for kissing you. I won’t apologize for wanting you.”
Christian walks toward me and with one finger he tips my chin up to meet his stare. We stare at each other, deep into each other's eyes.
His lips brush against mine as he speaks. “For thinking about what you’d feel like underneath me. For thinking about what it would feel like to be in you.” Christian’s eyes are filled with passion and lust.
He looks at me as if he is picturing me naked in his bed, under him. Visualizing how my body would move with his every touch, imagining the sounds I would make while he was on top of me…inside of me. The fierce look in his eyes tells me he has the power to make me feel. Things I have no right to feel.
His hand drifts to my hips, pulling me against his hardened cock. Our tongues tangle as my hands grip his hair. Slowing the kiss, I place my hand against his perfectly chiseled chest. Why does he have to be perfect?
I splay my hand against his chest, needing a minute to compose myself.
His mouth twitches in amusement. “You feel things for me, admit it.”
Christian makes me feel things. He lowers his head, peppering my neck with delicate kisses. “What are you doing to me, Rory?” he says between kisses.
My head starts to spin, my heart begins to race. Christian is healing me. Slowly, I’m finding my way back to the old me. I feel alive again. When Keith died, a part of me died with him. But Christian awakened that part.
Needing a little space, I take a step back. I look up at Christian and lay my hand on his chest. “Why does this feel so right, yet I feel as if I’m doing something wrong?”
Christian closes the space I just made between us, leaning in a little closer so our foreheads touch. Dear God, I can’t fight against the thoughts running through my mind. “This feels right, Rory. Give me a chance. I promise I won’t hurt you.”
Christian’s phone vibrates on the table, the loud noise causing me to start. He walks over to grab his phone from the table. “The car’s here. I’ll walk you out.”
He leans down, brushing a gentle kiss across my forehead. Pulling back, our eyes meet. “Can I see you again?” he asks, his voice breaking. Christian doesn’t tear his gaze away from my face.
Before I think of some excuse as to why I can’t see him again. I nod.
Christian goes downstairs with me to meet the driver. He holds the door open for me. I lean up on tiptoe and draw his face to mine in a renewed embrace. I place a kiss as tender and light as a summer breeze on his swollen lips.
My arms reach up and snake around his neck. I breathe in sharply and kiss him. His arms encircle my waist, drawing me flush against his body.
“This kiss is yours. I told you, you enjoyed kissing me,” Christian whispers against my lips.
Laughing, I pull back and see him wiggling his brows at me.
Smacking his chest, “Thank you for tonight. I had a nice time.”
He lifts a brow, smiling proudly. “I knew you would. I just needed you to commit to it,” he counters.
Stepping off the curb and into the car, I reply. “Thank you for being persistent.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet, babe,” he says as he shuts the door and taps on the roof.
Silence surrounds me as I sit alone in the Town Car. I can’t help but wonder what’s happening between Christian and me. The moment our lips touched tonight, the world vanished around me. It was only a kiss—well, several kisses, actually—but look what happened. Those few kisses awakened something inside of me. I know I’m in too deep.
Christian Townsend is as hot as a burning flame and I’m bound to get burned if I get too close. He has the ability to bring me to life, but he also has the ability to crush me.
And I’m not sure which worries me more.
Chapter Ten
Christian
I walk up to the bar and holler to Lincoln. Holding up my finger, I point to the bottle of apple whiskey on the shelf. He nods his head, grabbing a tumbler from below the bar. Scooping some ice into the cup, he pours me a double of the golden liquor and tops it with a squirt of ginger ale.
“What brings you in here tonight?” Lincoln asks as he places a napkin in front of me and sets my glass down.
“Finished at the studio early.” Lifting the cold drink to my lips, I take a mouthful and swallow. “Didn’t feel like going home to an empty apartment.” I set my drink down. “How’s my godson?”
“He’s getting big, you should stop by more often.” He looks at me, lifting his brow.
Placing my hand over my heart, “Ouch, that hurts.”
Lincoln grabs a white towel from under the counter and begins to wipe the bar down. “Wasn’t meant to hurt. Simply the truth.” He sets the rag down and pulls out his phone. After a few taps of the screen, he turns the phone to face me. “Here, let me show you what he looks like, in case you don’t remember.”
Laughing, I snatch the phone from him. “Don’t be a dick. I know what Jaxson looks like.”
He raises a brow. “You sure? He seems to change every few days. Maybe I picked the wrong friend to be his godfather. Jamie seems to see him more often.” Lincoln’s blue eyes narrow.
After scrolling through the pictures on his phone, I hand it back to him. “How about you and Morgan go out this weekend, and I’ll keep Jaxson for a few hours.”
“Are you shitting me? You have zero experience with a baby,” he says as he continues to wipe the bar down.
Lifting my drink to my lips, I take a mouthful. The amber liquid burns my throat. “No more experience than you had. You hit the ground running when your kid was born. You did it, why can’t I?” I ask.
Lincoln tosses the towel on top of the cooler. “For starters, he’s my kid, I didn’t have a choice but to figure shit out. Second, you have no idea what it takes to care for a child. The midnight feedings, the dirty diapers. The screaming when a tooth is cutting. Shit got real when Jaxson was born.”
“Whoa, slow down there.” Lifting my hands up. “Have a little faith in me. I can feed him a bottle and rock him if he cries. If it’s too much, I’ll call Camryn or my mom.”
“If you say so. I’ll ask Morgan and let you know what she says,” he hollers over his shoulder as he walks to the end of the bar to help a customer.
Grabbing my phone from the bar, I send Rory a text.
Me: It was nice spending some time with you last night. Hope we can do it again... Soon
She starts responding immediately. Guess I caught her at a good time in between patients.
Rory: I had a nice time, too. Maybe.
Me: Maybe. Ouch, that response hurts.
Rory: It’s not you, it’s me.
Me: That response is so cliché. We had a great time last night. Let’s do it again. We have more episodes of Band of Brothers to watch. Remember, it’s a miniseries.
Rory: I don’t k
now……
After a few minutes, my phone vibrates with another incoming text.
Rory: I’m not sure that is such a great idea.
Me: ? Please explain.
Rory: I have a past. One that I’m not sure I’m ready to move on from.
Me: We all have a past, sweetheart. But more importantly, we all have a future, as well. The past you can’t change…but the future is yours for the taking.
Rory: That is very philosophical.
Me: It is. I’m a very wise man. Let’s just see where this goes.
Rory: I’ll try, but I can’t make any promises.
Me: As long as you try, that’s all I can hope for.
Rory: Talk to you soon.
The way Rory felt in my arms last night is a memory I won’t be able to shake, so I’ll wait as long as it takes.
Over the past few weeks, Rory and I still haven’t been able to meet up. I think she’s attempting to put distance between us. I saw the fear in her eyes that night. As much as she enjoyed spending the night with me, something is keeping her from opening up to me. She wanted the kiss as much as I did. She can deny it all she wants, I call bullshit.
I’ll see her today at the meeting for the upcoming gala. I reach for my grey suit jacket on the bed, shrug my arms through it, and smooth my tie over my dress shirt. Once pleased with my appearance, I grab my phone from the charging cord on the nightstand and my wallet off of my dresser.
Thirty minutes later, I reach the hospital, meeting Jamie and my father in the lobby. We make our way to the conference room and my girl is already in her seat, her father sitting next to her.
I don’t miss the excited look on her face when she sees me. As quick as it appears, she composes herself. She quickly looks away and I drop my eyes, having a hard time steadying my heartbeat.
Unspoken Fears (The Unspoken Love Series Book 4) Page 10