Redeemed by Becca Jameson Page B

leaned her head against his chest. She unfolded her arms and wrapped them around him, hugging him tight and shocking the shit out of him. “I don’t deserve you,” she muttered into his shirt.
    “You do.” His hands flailed behind her for a moment as he tried to decide what to do. Finally he settled on stroking her hair. He inhaled her scent and closed his eyes.
    The way she pressed against him made it impossible to hide his hard-on, and he would forever have a hard-on around her so it was unavoidable.
    For long minutes she held on to him. She relaxed in small increments, her body settling against his in a perfect fit.
    It wasn’t enough, but it was heaven while it lasted.

Chapter Twelve
    Ashley wasn’t being fair. She knew that cognitively. She knew it as deeply and firmly as she knew he sported the hugest erection of his life and it was currently pressing into her stomach.
    She didn’t care. No—couldn’t. She needed him and this was all she could muster right now.
    She wanted to ask him to stay forever and let her torture him with her presence until he broke. But she wasn’t that big of a bitch.
    Was she in fact testing him to see if his words would match his deeds? How cruel.
    She flinched and wanted to step away, to stop the madness. But she couldn’t bring herself to let go and end the best moment of her life. Even though the moment had turned into several minutes.
    She knew her breathing evened out and her chest stopped beating as hard as it had been. Calmness filtered into her. He did that to her. With a touch to her hand, she soaked in peace and tranquility. For the first time in years.
    He wouldn’t hurt her. Never. She knew that intellectually. If only she could tell her body that.
    Not that she didn’t react to him. She did indeed. Her pussy throbbed. It had since he’d stepped on the first stair on his way down toward her. She just didn’t know what to do with the feelings he evoked. They scared her. They swarmed around the room and seeped into her skin. She felt both frightened and elated at the same time.
    He set his chin on top of her head, so tentatively she nearly wept at his sensitivity. She squeezed his waist harder. It had been so long since she’d felt this safe and craved this kind of contact. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all.
    She lifted her face and leaned back to see his expression.
    His brows were furrowed, but in concentration, not anger. He was trying to read her.
    “I’m all over the board with my emotions.”
    “It’s okay.” He stroked her hair and cupped the back of her head.
    “Kiss me.” She gasped, shocked at her forwardness and the fact she’d blurted those words out. She hadn’t dreamed of going this far so fast—as if first base were a marathon.
    He didn’t move. In fact, his eyes narrowed. “Are you sure?” He stiffened.
    So sweet. So kind. Too fucking sweet and kind, and he was killing her with his patience.
    “Now. Before I change my mind. Now, so I know what it feels like to be kissed by someone who means well.”
    He hesitated, reading her, his gaze traveling all over her face. And then he leaned the few inches that separated their lips and grazed his over hers.
    It wasn’t enough. She needed more. Her body controlled this…thing. Not her mind.
    She lifted up on tiptoes and deepened the contact. Her arms traveled up the hard length of his back and dug into his hair, pulling his head down toward her.
    He tipped his face to one side and their mouths fit together like a puzzle, lips pressing into lips. And she moaned. Her first real kiss.
    She’d been so innocent when Damon had snatched her. And he’d never kissed her. There had never been an inkling of passion behind his advances.
    Her body came alive and she concentrated on Evan, letting Damon fall crushed beneath her feet. She ground her toe against the carpet for emphasis.
    Of its own accord, her tongue reached out to graze the slit between Evan’s lips.
    Evan moaned and hauled her closer.