“Unless, Jasper's who you want.” I forced the pang of jealously down. I didn’t have a right to be jealous. But even as I said the words, my hands involuntarily clenched.

Her eyes widened. “No. Alexi, it's not that. He's a harmless flirt.”

“Yeah, he is. I’d rather he not flirt with you though.”

One delicate brow arched. “Seriously? Are you jealous?”

Yes. “No.” I sucked in a deep breath. Big mistake. Her ginger shampoo wreaked havoc with my senses. “Okay, if it's not Jasper, then tell me, what are you so afraid of?”

Her wide dark eyes shimmered in the dim light, and with shaky hands she placed her mug on the table. “Me. I'm afraid of myself. I'm afraid of wanting this and being wrong about you.”

I was afraid she was wrong about me too. But in that moment, I wanted to be the guy she could count on. The guy she could want. Not the unworthy asshole. “I won't hurt you, Abbie.” I stood close enough to feel her warm breath on my neck. “Just give me a chance to show you,” I said as I gingerly pressed my lips to hers.

24

Abbie…

My breath lodged in my throat as Alexi took control of the kiss. I had no choice but to ride the wave of pleasure as my knees shook and need pulled at my womb. He slid his tongue over mine then teased it inside his mouth and sucked gently, muffling my cry of pleasure.

I slipped my hands over his torso, skimming over rippled abdominal muscles and the hard planes of his chest, eventually digging into his T-shirt.

He tore his lips from mine, dragging in ragged breaths. “Abbie, now is a good time to stop if you don’t want to do this.” His gaze briefly flickered to my lips, but then he held my steady gaze as he waited for my answer.

“I’m scared that I don’t know how to do this. But I want you.”

“Fair enough.” He deftly lifted me into his arms as if I weighed nothing, urging me to wrap my legs around him.

The position brought the hot, hard length of him directly against my heat, and I hissed, already dangerously close to bliss.

He kissed me gently, savoring my taste. “Are you okay with going back to your room?”

“I—I’m right at the bottom of the stairs.” I wanted this—wanted him.

He carried me down the stairs and through the back hallway easily, as if I weighed nothing. Once in my room, he gently laid me on the bed and slid in next to me. When he kissed me again, his fingers drummed on the nape of my neck, holding me in position while his thumb caressed my cheekbone.