Her Best Mistake by Jenika Snow Page B

her to the point she cried, said I was making things worse.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I feel like a failure because I didn’t force her to come with me.”
    “Sometimes you can’t force people, Toby. Sometimes they just don’t know how to live outside of what they know.”
    He nodded and grabbed her hand, tightening his fingers around hers, and looking almost sad and lost. “Does it scare you that I want you as much as I do?” Toby said, and pushed up on his elbows. He leaned in close, his gaze staring right into hers.
    She didn’t miss the way he changed the subject, but it was probably so hard for him to deal with. “No, but I wonder why me.”
    He took her hand and brought it up, looking at each of her fingers. “Your hands are so small, so tiny compared to mine.” He held his hand flat with his palm facing hers, and then placed hers on his so their palms were pressed together. The act seemed strangely intimate, especially when he started tracing each of her fingers. “It should frighten you, because it scares the hell out of me.” He looked at her again. “I know this is fast, so fucking crazy, too, but it feels right, doesn’t it?”
    She licked her lips and nodded. “Yes, it does,” she said in a soft voice. “It’s like we just met, even though I’ve known you for forever, but it feels good and right, Toby, as crazy as that sounds.”
    He brought her fingers to his mouth and kissed them as he watched her. “I missed out on years of being with you, even if I hadn’t realized it at the time.” He lay back on the hood again, breathed out roughly, and stared at the sky.
    Could he hear her increased breathing? Every touch and look from him sent a thrill of desire through her, and had this warmth moving through her that didn’t have anything to do with arousal.
    “This doesn’t feel like a passing, fleeting moment for me, Shoshanna, and although I don’t know why it is so strong, I am not about to question it. This is the first time I’ve felt anything remotely real and good in my life, and I don’t want to lose that.”
    Her heart raced at his words, and her gaze was on his lips as he spoke. When he didn’t respond she lifted her gaze to his. Everything else around them faded as Toby leaned up once again, and lowered his head toward hers. Her heart stopped at the first, gentle brush of his lips against hers. He intertwined their fingers together, holding her tightly. With his other hand he cupped the side of her face and tilted her head, deepening the kiss. At the first swipe of his tongue against her bottom lip she moaned and opened further. The kiss was heated and penetrating, and all he did was drag his tongue along hers, tease and tantalize it until she was chasing it back into his mouth and doing the same. His deep, vibrating groan resonated all the way to her core, sending shockwaves throughout her entire body.
    He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. “I want this, Shoshanna. God, I want this so badly, baby.”
    She opened her eyes just as he leaned back. If she hadn’t been sitting down she would probably be a pool of liquid on the floor. He ran his hand over his hair, causing the strands to stand on end. His aroma invaded her senses. It was clean and crisp, like soap and motor oil, with a touch of freshly cut lumber.
    “I have something to tell you, Toby.” She really didn’t want to break this spell they were in, but he needed to know about the baby. Her words were hushed because she anticipated, almost feared, how he would react. She didn’t want this to end, but the truth needed to be said.
    “What is it, baby?” he said in a low voice, and then cupped her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. The way he looked at her right then, serious, genuine, had her holding her breath. For a heartbeat they stared at each other. With his gaze locked on hers, and his thumb on her cheek he said, “You’re too good for me, but I will not be going anywhere,