Dare to Resist (Wedding Dare, #0.5)(22)

She blanched. “Well, do it. What do you want to say?”

Here it was. Moment of truth time. Fucking finally. “Three years ago—”

“Colton, I don’t want to talk about ancient—”

He was on her in a flash. One hand over her mouth, the other cradling the back of her head so that he didn’t hurt her when he shoved her against the closet door. He held her there with the weight of his own body, his legs on the outsides of hers effectively boxing her in. “It’s not your turn to talk. Understand?”

Eyes wide, nostrils flaring, Kady searched his eyes and finally nodded. He could almost feel the questions rolling off of her.

“Three years ago,” he said again, arching a brow, “I pulled back from what we started for a couple of reasons. Same reasons why I pulled away again yesterday when I wanted to kiss you. But this book…this book makes me wonder if maybe one of those reasons isn’t as relevant as I originally thought.” He heaved a breath and leaned his forehead against hers, bringing them eye to eye. “The guy in your book? I’m that guy,” he said, putting it in terms he hoped she’d understand.

A shiver ran over her body. Against his chest, her nipples went hard.

Holy hell. Did his declaration just turn her on?

Her pupils were dilating. Right there was his answer. His cock went from hard to downright torture.

“You get what I’m saying?” he asked. A small nod. “I get off on being rough. Because I like and respect you, and because you’re my best friend’s little sister—”

Her brows furrowed.

He pressed his hand more firmly against her mouth and nailed her with a stare. “I get it. After our talk yesterday, that’s not how I see you. But it is how Tyler sees you. How he’ll always see you. Big brothers are genetically programmed to be protective of younger sisters no matter their age. Trust me. I know from firsthand experience. So I’ve backed off because I didn’t want to scare you or offend you with what I want, and I certainly didn’t want to piss Tyler off, either.”

Her fingers pulled softly at the hand covering her mouth, a gentle plea. He removed his hand immediately. “Can I say something now?” she asked quietly.

When had Kady Dresco ever asked for permission to speak around him? But he’d exerted a little dominance over her, and she’d responded with submissiveness. Probably wasn’t even aware she’d done it. A dark satisfaction heated his blood and further hardened his cock. “Go ahead.”

“I’ve never done any of the stuff in that book,” she said, her voice breathy. Colton’s gut dropped to the floor. Had he just read this thing all wrong? “But I want to. I’ve wanted to for a while. It’s just really awkward to ask a man to rough you up during sex. It either leads to them thinking you’re a wack job or it ends up feeling really cheesy.” Her cheeks pinkened as she spoke.

That was because she hadn’t been with a man for whom dominance was in his blood. “Why do you want to?”

“Um.” She ducked her face.

Colton caught her chin in his fingers and forced her to meet his gaze. He was so close to her truth he could almost taste it. “Why?”

She swallowed hard. “Because I, um, can’t…” She shook her head. “It’s the only thing that turns me on.”

Good answer. God, his mind was blown here, but she really did seem to have an interest in the same kinks he enjoyed. Which made her his absolute perfect match. They were like flip sides of the same coin. “I understand that completely,” he said. “Because I’m the same way. But what is it you can’t do? What were you about to say?”

She dropped her gaze.

“Kady,” he said in a stern voice.

Her eyes rose to his. “I can’t come. With a man.”

Colton frowned. “You came with me.” Of that he had no doubt, since he’d had his hands and mouth on her when it had happened both times.

“Yes,” she said, licking her lips.

“So…” Confusion gave way to clarity. “Wait, are you saying I’m the only man—”

“If you crack a joke right now I swear I will knee you in the junk.”

A dark, possessive satisfaction rose up within him. She’d only ever come for him? No other man? He probably shouldn’t like that as much as he did, but he f*cking loved it. “No jokes, I promise. Can you come…on your own?” he asked, hearing the arousal coloring his voice.

She nodded. “Why do you want to know this stuff, though?”

Was that hope in her tone?

Time to make a leap of faith—and hope she leaped with him. “I want you, Kady. I’ve wanted you for years. I’ve gotta be honest and tell you, though, that the idea of long-term relationships freaks me out. The disaster of my parents’ marriage has made me gun-shy. But you’re the only person who’s ever made me want to try, and the fact that you like what I like? Every part of me is saying to grab on to you and hold you tight. I know this is sudden, but I can’t help it.”

Her mouth dropped open and her chest rose and fell faster. “Wow. Okay. I think…I can’t…I might be having an out-of-body experience right now. I feel like I have wanted you my entire life, but I always knew you didn’t want me. Hearing you say all this is kinda shaking the ground beneath my feet.”