“Let’s table the Wyatt discussion for now.” Yoshiro jiggled the bullet in his palm as if he was shaking a pair of dice and about to make a bet. “Are you still mad with me?”
“I wasn’t mad with you. I was just. . .nervous. . .worried. . .pissed that you would put yourself in danger like that.”
Gazing at me, Yoshiro rolled the bullet between his fingers. “I would do anything for you, no matter what—”
“I don’t want you to.”
“Too bad.”
“Don’t do it again.”
“Or what?”
I was at a loss for words.
He fisted his hand around the bullet and placed it by the side. “Wyatt comes for you and what do you think is going to happen? You think I’m going to stand back and let him?”
“No. . .but this is my fight.”
Yoshiro closed the distance between us. “Not anymore.”
My breathing increased. Slowly, I was getting used to him being near. My body was not only comfortable with his closeness, it was starting to crave his hardness pressed against mine.
Still, I stirred unsure of what to do. I didn’t want to run away, and I wasn’t sure if I should do more.
I lowered my gaze to his hand holding the bullet. “Is that lucky for you?”
He lifted the hand, opened it, and exposed the small metal object. “This bullet?”
“Yes. You keep me playing with it.”
“I didn’t realize I was.” Yoshiro scooped the bullet into his palm again and tossed it. “I’m probably messing with it because I’m nervous.”
I looked at him. “Why are you nervous?”
“Because I want to kiss you. The need is burning inside of me. But I know I should take my time. It’s just that you’re here. . .in my bedroom.”
I whispered, “Should I leave?”
“You know I don’t want you to.” Yoshiro handed the bullet to me.
I took it. The metal warmed against my palm.
And then Yoshiro tenderly took my chin and lifted my view to him. “Will you keep the bullet for me?”
Yoshiro traced my jawline with his thumb. His gaze heated, piercing through every inch of me. His touch raised my body’s temperature. My breath caught in my lungs.
I swallowed. “Yes, I’ll keep it.”
He caressed my bottom lip with his finger. “Thank you for worrying about me. It’s been a long time, since someone’s cared.”
Within his touch, I could barely say the words. “I’ll. . .always want you to be safe.”
“I feel the same way.”
My body hummed from those words.
Yoshiro’s pupils expanded. Lust deepened within the color. His voice grew deepened into a sexy rasp delivered sensual shivers down my spine. “You’re so beautiful.”
“Thank you.” I cleared my throat. “You’re also. . .”
He gave me a playful smile. “Beautiful?”
“Handsome. Gorgeous. . .sexy.” With his touch, his closeness, all the stress of the past years drained out of me.
Yoshiro licked his lips. He stroked my cheek with his thumb. My insides melted. My pulse thundered. His exotic scent swarmed around me. He placed his hands on each side of my face and looked deeply into my eyes. “Are you flirting with me, Ebony?”
“I’m telling the truth.”
“Hmmm,” Yoshiro whispered. “Then, tell me when to stop.”
“What do you mean?”
And then he kissed me, covering my mouth with his. Deep and hard. His mouth claimed mine. It shocked me. Like I was plugged to a million watts of energy. I came alive. All of me. Every cell in my body, sparked and ignited with passion. His tongue thrust into my mouth, tasting me. My body exploded. How long had it been? Perhaps, I’d never been kissed this way in my life. So tender. So gentle. So loving. Like he’d been waiting to kiss a woman in many years.
Still holding the bullet, I raised both of my hands and grabbed his face. Hungry. Starving. Needing more. Not thinking about the consequences or if this was good or bad. My knees wobbled a little as if I was close to losing my balance.
Hadn’t I been on the couch all night full of anxiety? Didn’t I fear that I might not see him again, that Wyatt might have hurt him?
I met his tongue with mine. And our kissing switched to frantic. Feverish.
So desperate for more. So addicted, I got on my toes, wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him back with an aggressiveness I didn’t know I possessed. Our mouths tangled together. Hot. Fast. Wild. Raw hunger fused our bodies together. Pleasure rippled through me. Desire blazed through my veins.
I twisted my hands in his hair, drawing him closer, craving him even more.
Groaning, he moved his hands to my hips and then slipped them to my ass, cupping my bottom and luring a moan from my lips.
He lifted me up and walked us over to the bed.
I leaned back. “Wait. . .No.”
He put me down.
My heart boomed in my ears. I blinked and stepped back, breaking away from him. “I’m sorry. . .I don’t want to have sex.”