Well, that was also true. But James in my shirt was still pretty awesome.

“It may have crossed my mind.”

We stood, considering each other in the dim light for a couple of heartbeats. Faint chatter and video game sounds floated in from downstairs. My gaze fell to her mouth, and she caught her bottom lip between her teeth, her expression clouding over. She was nervous, but it was hard to tell whether it was in a good, excited way or a bad, anxious way.

“James.” I took a step forward, cupping her chin with my hand. Her skin was soft and smooth beneath my fingers, which were callused from my gloves and time in the gym.

She looked up at me through impossibly dark lashes, eyes wide. Her breath was quiet and shallow, like she was nervous or aroused, maybe both. “Yeah?”

“We don’t have to do anything tonight if you’re not ready.”

I wanted her so bad it hurt—literally—but more importantly, I wanted it to be right. Until then, I was going to compile a very long, very detailed list of all the things I would do to her in the future.

Plus, I had a hunch I could corrupt her a little if I was patient, and that would be well worth the wait.

“I know,” she said softly, looping her arms around my neck. “But what if I want to?”

All the blood left my brain. That was it. I was done.

I sucked my bottom lip, trying to get my head straight. I’d gone into this thinking we would just sleep tonight, that maybe it was for the best, because I didn’t want her to freak out after if we did fool around.

But no guy in his right mind could look at her and say no. And I wasn’t in my right mind at the best of times, let alone when I was around her.

My voice turned hoarse. “You might have to spell things out for me. I don’t want to push you.”

“Okay,” she said breathily. Her eyes were smoky, eyelids heavy. “Can we just kiss? Make out a little?”

“Of course,” I murmured, wrapping my other arm around her back.

Her expression turned serious, and she looked up at me, hesitating. “No sex.”

“You’re in charge here. I would never pressure you.”

Her eyelids fluttered shut as I slid my hand down to her neck and covered her mouth with mine. She let out a little sigh, parting her lips and granting me access. My tongue pushed inside her mouth, claiming, and she opened wider in response. She tasted better than I remembered, every single time.