Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(59)

“I’m so sorry, Pet. Did I scare you? Did I go too far? Did I hurt you?”

His worry made her chest constrict. The fact that that worry, for her, overrode a deeply engrained imbalance made his feelings that much clearer. And like a dumb girl that just wanted a guy to be nice to her, her eyes teared up, which definitely wouldn’t help this situation. She didn’t need to join him on the crazy train.

Taking a deep breath, Krista analyzed the situation. What she had to do was talk him down. She had to get his mind off of whatever was happening to him, and back him down into reality. Somehow.

Okay, she thought, thinking quick. He’s a smart dude who treats life like a chess board, so logic would work. But he likes to laugh off problems, and this is a giant problem. So then, maybe humor is better?

Krista spun a mental wheel--logic or humor, logic or humor…

She chose humor.

“Calm down, dummy!” she said with a playful punch to his chest. “I’m not hurt. And certainly not scared by a Nancy like you. I’m crazy turned on, which I can prove, but we set rules, and you are about to step over the line.”

For a few moments Sean was lost, desire flooding his eyes. Then slowly reality sank in. After one full minute, he let out a breath in a whoosh as his body relaxed back to fluid grace. Krista laid back with an unladylike flop, encouraging him to follow her lead.

“You kind of jumped the gun there for a minute,” Krista said with a chuckle she didn’t feel.

She was talking about the “L” word, and it seemed like he caught her meaning because he hesitantly matched her chuckle before he laid down on his back, looking at the ceiling.

“I got a bit too into it I guess.”

“Well, I know I’m good, but I didn’t know I was that good,” she laughed.

“You are better than good,” Sean said quietly. “Much, much better.”

It was a short-lived ego boost because fear was lingering on the edges of the conversation. They were in too deep. Krista was having a hard time steering them out of troubled waters.

“Did I kill the mood, or do you want to try and make-out a little more?” Krista asked lightly.

“I want to make love to you so badly it literally hurts, Krista,” Sean said sadly as he pulled his boxers back up.

He was killing the fun with this. And while Krista could absolutely sympathize—how many times had she made things awkward, after all—she would not accept it. He had parental problems, yeah. So what? So did most of America! People got over it. They turned into adults and they worked to get better. With a divorce rate of one-and-three, he wasn’t alone, no matter how much they hated each other.

She got up, closed the curtains, blew out the candles, and turned on the light. He sat up and blinked. Then eyed her near na**d body. Hunger crept back into his eyes.

“We’re friends, Sean. Only friends. Remember on the beach when we were doused in water?”

He blinked a couple times at the change of topic. “You mean, when you tried the energizing method of drowning?”

“Exactly. Remember when we got back here and had to change?”

“And you peeked?”

“I didn’t mean to! I thought you were done!” She exclaimed, throwing herself on the bed, but not near him. “Besides, you got even and saw me butt naked.”

“That’s because you stripped right in front of me.”

“Well, you were distracting me!”

He was smiling, his erection still going strong, while lying back with his hands behind his head. The light in his eyes was normal now; thankfully less manic.

“You’re hot,” he said easily, shrugging his big shoulders.

“You are,” she with a smile as she moved closer and fastened a mouth-shaped suction cup to his nipple.

He moaned pleasantly, but calmly. That was good. They needed the finish of this night to be light and carefree. And she wanted the grand finale to be a dual cl**ax. All easier said than done. With fear clawing at her, she didn’t know if she could get to the finish line. She wondered if that would that make him feel guilty.

“Remember when we finished that one time at sunset and both took off our shirts to wipe our sweat?” he asked with a smile in his voice.

She kissed down his stomach. “You mean, when you were trying not to get caught checking me out?”

He jerked in laughter. “Me trying not to get caught checking you out?” he exclaimed.

Krista moved her body between his legs and kissed up to his boxers. She smiled and let her chin rest on his hard length, which was still bursting to get out. Her legs were tingling with anticipation. She figured that was a good sign for her, but she still had to brave the rapids of Sean’s emotional crazy.

“You so were trying to check me out!” she laughed and lightly bit the tip of his penis through his underwear.

“Oww!” He jolted when he felt teeth. “Not fair—precious cargo in that pocket.”

He laughed as he reached down and dragged her up to sit on top of him, her groin directly on top of his.

“And anyway,” he continued, “I saw you checking me out.”

“Posh. No way.” She lay down on top of him, putting her lips on top of his and giving him a light, playful kiss.

“Way!” he said, quickly jolting his lips up to kiss hers. “Now, where was I?”