Breathe (Colorado Mountain #4)(64)

“I’m good,” I whispered.

“Good,” he whispered back.

I pressed deeper into Chace and his arm got tighter around me.

Then I closed my eyes tight and called, “Chace.”

“Right here, honey.”

I pressed my lips together and then I did what I had to do.

I announced, “There’s something you have to know.”

“I know it.”

I blinked at his immediate answer, this action leaving my eyes open but I was so surprised at his quick response, I didn’t have it in me to notice I was staring up close at his very attractive throat which was an opportunity I would normally take time to savor.

Then I asked, “You know it?”

“Yep.”

“You know what?”

“That I’m the first man to have his hand down your pants and later, I’m gonna be the first man who does other things to you too.”

Yep, he knew it.

Oh God.

I closed my eyes again and dipped my chin, uncertain whether to be embarrassed or whether, from his tone which was gentle, quiet but straightforward, not to be and his hand curled warm around the back of my neck.

I felt his lips on the top of my hair.

There he whispered, “Faye, darlin’, I want you to hear this and get it, what you just gave me was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever been given in… my… life. What you’ll give me later I know from what I’ve already had, not just now but since I’ve known you, will be even more beautiful. With me, anytime, anywhere, you’re safe. But of the anytime and anyplace you’re with me, the place you’re safest is right here, in my bed. You never have to be embarrassed. You can ask questions. You can react how you want. You can be who you are. If I’m doin’ something you don’t like, you can stop me. Nothin’ will ever happen in this bed that you’ll be uncomfortable with. I swear to you, baby. You’re safe here and you always will be.”

These words were awesome.

But still.

I took in an unsteady breath, opened my eyes and started falteringly to ask his throat, “You don’t think that I… I mean, that I haven’t… uh –”

He cut me off to say firmly, “No.”

“But, at my age, the fact that –”

“No, Faye.”

I took in another unsteady breath and whispered, “Really?”

His fingers gave my neck a gentle squeeze. I read his message and pulled in another halting breath before I gave him what he nonverbally asked for and tipped my head back.

His was already tipped down and his eyes immediately captured mine.

My teeth immediately captured my lower lip. His gaze went to my mouth before coming back to my eyes.

“You didn’t hear me which means you didn’t get me,” he said softly.

I let my lip go and mumbled, “Um…”

He dipped his head closer, touched his mouth to mine and pulled back half an inch before he whispered, “Baby, you gave that to someone else, it wouldn’t be mine. Now it’s mine. No one can ever have it. It’ll always be mine. I love it. I think it’s beautiful. So I absolutely do not think the town’s sweet, cute, pretty, shy librarian who held onto that for as long as you did then gave it to me is anything but really f**kin’ good.”

I could tell by the seriousness mingled with serious warmth in his eyes he meant that. All of it. All he’d said.

Every word.

And because he did, I smiled at him.

His eyes dropped to my mouth before they closed slowly. That warm, raw thing I’d seen over pizza and deep conversation our first date was sweeping through his handsome features before he did what he did that night. Eyes closed, he tipped his head forward so his forehead was touching mine.

“Chace,” I whispered, watched his eyes open and his head went back.

Then he announced, “Time to feed you.”

I blinked. His body moved as if he was going to move away from me but my arms tightened around him.

“Chace,” I called again, he stilled and looked at me.

Then something else hit me and since I had his attention, I had to say something about it.

So I did, but I didn’t say it.

I stammered it.

“I… uh, well, um… you know… uh, that is,” I finished on a rush, “what about you?”

His features cleared and it was then he smiled at me.

It was a new smile. Wicked.

And also wicked hot.

Oh my.

Then he said quietly, “Just had my hand down your pants, honey, still gotta know, how real can you take it right now?”

“Real?”

“Real.”

I didn’t know the answer to that question.

But he told me I was safe in that bed and since Chace stopped giving mixed messages, I’d never felt unsafe around him.

So I invited, “Sock it to me.”

He kept smiling his wicked smile, but it was now tinged with amusement. He rolled partly into me so I had no choice but to go to my back. He was partly on top of me and he pulled one arm from around me to plant a forearm in the bed beside me.

Then he looked down at me, dipped his face back to close and he said gently, “Later, for you, I’m gonna take my time. I’m gonna do everything I can to give you everything you need to prepare to take me. What I couldn’t know is if you take care of you. If you don’t, like it just did, it could go fast for you so this wouldn’t give me time to prepare you. Now,” his lips tipped up, “you’re good. It’ll give me the time I need. Then it’ll be good again for you and also for me.”