Finally, she understood the word crave.

She was so dizzy with this need for him it was wildly thrilling and just a little bit scary. She’d never experienced anything like this—was she even equipped for it? How could she compete at Tucker’s level?

She dragged her mouth from his as the floor tilted beneath her feet, coming up for air, desperately aroused and hopelessly overwhelmed all at once. “Stop…stop for a second,” she muttered, her breathing a series of loud harsh pants as she ground herself against the windows to stop the spinning, her hand still clutched in Tucker’s shirt. “Everything’s spinning.” She gave a half laugh, her lips tingling deliciously.

Tucker went very, very still. “Oh God. Della…” His voice was dark and gravelly, and the hairs on her neck prickled in foreboding as he took a hasty step back, her hand falling abruptly away. “God…” He shoved a hand through his hair as he took two more steps back. “I’m so…sorry.” He stared at her, his face tight and strained, his mouth a grim slash.

What the hell? “Tucker?”

“That was…unforgivable of me. I…don’t know what came over me… I shouldn’t have pushed you like that. I shouldn’t have…come on so strong.”

Della blinked. “Tucker.” She took a step forward, but he stayed her with an urgent stopping motion of his hands as he took yet another step back.

“No.” He shook his head wildly. “I was out of line.”

Oh, for the love of… “Don’t be ridiculous. I wanted you to kiss me like that.”

“For God’s sake, Della,” Tucker snapped. “It doesn’t matter.”

Della blinked. What the what now? “I beg your pardon? What I want doesn’t matter?”

“No…God, no. I didn’t mean… I meant…” He stopped, clearly frustrated with himself. “I should have known you weren’t ready, damn it. I”—he poked himself hard in the chest—“should have known. Are you okay?” He took a tentative step forward and then stopped abruptly. “I didn’t scare you, did I?”

“What? Tucker, no.” She shook her head. “I’m fine. It was…amazing. Like…” She blew out a harsh breath, ruffling her bangs. “I didn’t even know a kiss could be like that.” It should belong in a Hall of Fame somewhere. “I just got a little…overwhelmed for a moment, that’s all.”

But Tucker was obviously too busy dishing out a mental ass-kicking to listen. “Don’t worry.” His expression was impossibly bleak, his mouth tense, his hands shoved determinedly on his hips. “It won’t happen again.”

And before she could object or proffer her opinion, he’d turned on his heel and was striding off in the direction of his room. Della touched her mouth as she watched him go. It was still tingling.

It won’t happen again.

God…she sincerely freaking hoped that wasn’t true.