Making His Move by Rhyannon Byrd Page A

luckiest jackass alive, he said, “I’m important to you?”
     

     
    “Very,” Sophie whispered, and the next thing she knew she was in his arms, crushed against his solid chest, and he was kissing her like he needed the taste of her mouth to survive. Which was dramatic as hell, but exactly how it felt. He shuddered, holding her tighter, one big hand under her bottom, pressing her against his growing erection, while the other slid up her back, tangling in her hair as he held her in place for the raw, aggressive demands of his mouth.
    When he finally let her come up for air, she touched her fingertips to the golden stubble on his jaw, and said, “So is that what this is? The start of a relationship?”
    Satisfaction burned hot and thick in his heavy-lidded gaze. “Damn straight it is.”
    “Good.” That single word held a wealth of emotion.
    “I meant what I said yesterday, Soph. Whether that text came through or not, I was done waiting. I’ve wanted you too much, for too long, to stay away from you any longer. I had to know if you felt the same. Then I got that text, and I wanted to fucking shout, I was so relieved. I got the opening I’d been waiting for and I took it.” His voice dropped, the husky rasp of it making her shiver. “I took you .”
    “You can take whatever you want from me.”
    “Jesus,” he groaned, lowering his forehead to hers. “Don’t say that. You have no idea how greedy I am when it comes to you.”
    Wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders, she squeezed him tight as she said, “I’m greedy about you, too. Why do you think I was so jealous of Lila?”
    He instantly pulled his head back, looking her right in the eye. “I’ve never been, or will ever be, interested in Lila. The only woman who interests me is you . And I know we’ll disagree sometimes and have our moments where I’ll probably drive you crazy, because I’m damn possessive when it comes to you, Soph. But it won’t ever be anything more serious than that. Other women aren’t something you ever need to worry about, baby. You have my word on that.”
    She gave him a wobbly smile, and had to sniffle back a rush of happy tears. “You really are a righteous kind of guy, aren’t you?”
    A deep, sexy-as-hell laugh rumbled up from his chest, his dark eyes smoldering. “You wouldn’t say that if you knew what I wanted to do to you right now.”
    Sophie lifted her brows and smirked. “Make that a nice guy at heart who’s dirty as hell in the sack.”
    He grinned like a devil, holding her tighter against his blatant hard-on.
    “Which means I’m a lucky girl,” she whispered, lifting up and nipping his chin with her teeth.
    “This mean you’re giving me a second chance?” he growled, his wicked gaze locked hard with hers as he quickly lifted her into his arms, cradling her against his chest.
    “I’m not stupid.” Surprising herself with her boldness, Sophie looped her arms around his neck and told him, “I plan on holding on to you so tightly, you can’t ever get away.”
    “Then I’m the lucky one.” Turning around, he headed toward the short hallway that led to her bathroom and bedroom. “And Soph.”
    “Yeah?” she whispered, burying her face against the side of his throat.
    “You won’t regret it.” His deep voice was gruff with emotion. “Not ever. I swear.”
    She couldn’t help but smile, honestly feeling like the luckiest woman in the world as he set her down on her feet beside her bed. Fading arcs of sunlight slipped in between her slanted blinds, casting the room in an ethereal, otherworldly glow. And that was how it felt. As if she’d stepped into a fairy ring, and was now lost in her dreams. Ones that were as precious to her as they were beautiful. As daring as they were tender.
    And as vital and necessary as a breath...or a heartbeat.
    If anyone had told her when she’d gotten home from Chris’s that morning that she would be standing in his arms as the sun went down, Sophie