“No. That’s not all.” His lips did curve up at the corners then. “I don’t think less of you because you don’t see what I see, what I know, when I look at you. That’s the issue I’m more than willing to work with. You get that?”

I nodded as I pressed my lips together.

“I like you, really like you,” he repeated, and that hope in my chest sparked into a wildfire. “I’ve always liked you, too. And yeah, Nicole is great looking, but she’s not the person I’m standing in front of and she’s not the person who gets me hard when I think of her. And she isn’t the person I almost lost last night. That’s you, sweetheart, all you.”

Warmth invaded my cheeks. Oh…oh wow.

“I can tell you where this relationship is going. Or at least where I hope it is. We’re going to spend more time together. We’re going to really get to know each other, and I’m going to chip away at that low confidence shit until you see what I see,” he said, and a shiver curled along the base of my spine in response to his steely determination.

My breath caught as he took a step forward and lifted his hands, gently holding my cheeks once more. “I want this to work,” he said, his voice low. “Because like I said before, I believe in second chances and I don’t believe in coincidences. There was a reason why you and I reconnected, and I don’t want to pass that up. And we almost lost that last night, so really, we’re working on a third chance. I want this to work.”

“I…I want this to work too.” My heart was thumping like a steel drum.

“Then we are on the same page.”

“We are,” I whispered.

“Good.”

Then he kissed me, and in the back of my head, I realized we were still standing just inside the foyer, but I didn’t care. His kiss started off sweet and tender, but I wanted more. So did he. My hands found their way to his chest, and I could feel his heart beating just as fast as mine.

I broke the kiss, breathing heavily. “Do you want to stay?”

“Hell yeah, but if I…if I do, I’m not leaving tonight.” His thumbs dragged over my cheeks. “And if I don’t leave tonight, I’m going to be upstairs and I’m going to want to be in that bed and in between those pretty thighs of yours. If you don’t want that or you’re not up to it because of last night, let me know now. I can wait, but either way, I’m not letting go of you tonight.”

“I’m fine.” There wasn’t a moment of hesitation. “I want that.”

Chapter 14

Colton didn’t waste a single moment.

He tilted my head back, lowering his mouth to mine in a deep, demanding kiss that brokered no room for denial. Not that I wanted to. That was the furthest thing from my mind as his tongue tangled with mine.

Backing me up, he kept going until we reached the bottom of the stairs; only then did he lift his mouth from mine. Blue eyes met mine, and my throat dried at the intensity of the passion in them. I turned and made it up three steps before his arm came around me from behind, curling around my waist. A second later, his front pressed against my back and I could feel him long and hard against my rear.

“I’m so damn impatient,” he said, placing a kiss against my neck. “That bedroom seems awful far right now.”

My laugh was breathy. “It’s not that far.”

“Fuck it ain’t.” The arm around my waist tightened, sealing our bodies together as he blazed a hot path of tiny kisses down my throat.

Carefully tipping my head back and to the side, I let out a soft moan as his hand drifted up my stomach and cupped my breast through the dress. With unerring expertise, his fingers found the aching tip of my breast. Then I felt his hand between my legs, and the thin, delicate material was no barrier to his seeking hand on my heat.

Without even thinking, my legs spread, giving him more access, and he took it, pushing the dress in as he cupped me. He pressed his palm in against the bundle of nerves. My hips jerked, and the sound he made in response sent a wave of little bumps over my skin. There was no control. I gripped his wrist with one hand and my other flew out, blindly seeking for the railing. I held on to both as I moved against his hand, grinding, seeking, right there, in the stairway. Pleasure built and swelled, pounding through me.

“Damn,” he groaned, dropping his hand from my breast. “We aren’t going to make it to the bed if we keep this up.”

“You started this,” I reminded him.

“True.”

Pressing one last kiss to my neck, he backed off. My knees were a little wobbly as I started back up the stairs. I was already dazed and breathless and we hadn’t even reached the bedroom.

The hallway upstairs was lit from the nightstand lamp I’d left on in the bedroom, and when I turned to glance back at Colton, I found myself suddenly pressed against the wall just outside my bedroom, his long and lean body against mine.

“I’m really fucking impatient,” he admitted.

I looped my arms around his neck, giving in to the crazy sensations building in me. “Me too.”

Colton kissed me and then pulled back. My arms fell to my sides as I dragged in air. Grabbing the collar of his shirt, he quickly pulled it up and over his head, letting it fall to the floor.

I’d seen him shirtless before, but memory didn’t serve any justice. From his well-defined pecs to the way his stomach coiled tightly, he was an artwork of tone and lean muscles I wanted to touch and taste.

I reached for him, my fingers finding the button on his jeans, easily flicking them open. I caught the zipper next, and as the material folded to the sides, my fingers brushed over the long, thick length straining against his boxers.

“Fuck.” His hands clasped the sides of my face again and the kiss was so much fiercer. Our teeth knocked together. My lips felt bruised, but I reveled in the raw passion.

Pressing me back against the wall, his hips pushed into mine in a slow, tantalizing roll that caused me to cry out. His hands slipped down my throat, over my arms. Pulling me away from the wall, he led me into the bedroom. Only then did he let go of my hands.

“You sure about this?” he asked.

I moved so I stood in front of my bed. “I’m sure. Are you?”

“Never been more sure about anything in my life.” Toeing off his shoes, he whipped off the socks in record time. “I want you.”

My stomach constricted. “I want you.”

Reaching around, he pulled out his wallet. A silver foil packet appeared between his fingers. I arched a brow as he tossed it on the bed behind me. “What?” His grin turned sheepish, almost boyish. “I always like to be prepared.”