“Stop it! Just stop it! I can’t think.”
She whirled away from him and went to stare out the window, clasping her arms around herself, trying to keep herself together.
Then he was there, behind her. “Shhhh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to come on so strong.” His breath tickled her hair. “I’m worried.” He eased himself between her body and the window and crouched down so that they were at eye level. She looked into those deep brown eyes, so full of concern.
She shook her head, her hair flying everywhere. It stuck in her mouth. “There’s nothing you can do for me. I’m behaving like an absolute idiot,” she gulped. As soon as she took that deep breath, she shuddered, and her eyes began to well up.
“Ahhhh, Daisy.” He stood up straight and pulled her into his arms. She stiffened, but Leo wasn’t having any of that. One of his hands was rubbing her back and began to soothe her, while his other hand held her head in such a delicate grip as he guided her cheek against his chest.
Daisy knew she shouldn’t be allowing this; she should handle this on her own like everything else. But God, it felt so good.
“Baby, you’re trembling, can you talk to me?”
She shook her head.
“Okay. Okay. I’ve got you.” He held her closer.
What was best? The warmth of his body that was helping to stop her chills? The feel of his strong arms enveloping her body, so that she felt nobody could get to her? Or was it that smell of sunshine and man that was uniquely Leo?
She snuggled closer and listened to his steady heartbeat, and decided that was the best thing, having another human being to share the storm.
How long did they stand like that in front of the window? Until it got hot.
Daisy felt the soft brush of Leo’s lips against the top of her hair. In her adult life, she had never met a man who made her feel so cared for. How was that possible? She’d only known him for seventy-two hours.
She moved her hands to push away from him, but instead, her fingers dug into his white T-shirt.
What am I doing?
God, she didn’t want to push him away, she wanted him even closer. She needed him closer.
She threw back her head so she could look up into his eyes.
“Are you ready to talk about it?” he asked soothingly.
“Kiss me.”
His eyes widened just a bit. “Daisy—”
“I know what I want. I know what I need. I know who I need. I need you, Leo. Inside me. Now. But I’ll settle for a kiss to start.”
His hand stroked her hair back from her forehead. “I think you’re emotional and you need to talk.”
Emotional was something Daisy tried never to be. “We’ll talk,” she promised him. “After.” Then she frowned. “Unless you don’t want me.”
“Fuck, Daisy, you’re kidding, right? Of course I want you. I’ve practically had a hard-on for three days just thinking about you. But this doesn’t feel right when you’re upset.”
“This is exactly what I need. It’ll make things better for a while, and then we can talk, but I can’t right now. I can’t talk. Okay?” She heard the trembling in her voice, and she wished she could stop it, but she couldn’t.
Really, was sex too much to ask for? He tipped up her chin and she looked into his assessing gaze. Fine, let him see for himself that she was serious. That this was exactly what needed to happen.
“You promised me a kiss. Let’s see where it leads.”
His thumb brushed against her bottom lip and that one touch zinged to every nerve throughout her body.
10
Daisy was shattered and Leo didn’t want to take advantage. At the same time, he knew what it was like when the only thing that would push the darkness away was sex. But he didn’t want to be some meaningless fuck in Daisy’s life.
Then you better make this a damn good kiss, Perez.
He looked into her glistening gray eyes. He bent at the knees just a little because Daisy was so damned petite, then he kissed the corner of her mouth. She moved her face, trying to capture his mouth for something deeper. He chuckled.
He brushed his lips against her jaw.
“No, I want a kiss.”
“I am kissing you,” he breathed against her ear.
“A real kiss.”
According to his dick, this was a real kiss. He slid his mouth down her cheek, inhaling the scent that was uniquely Daisy. And salt.
Shit, she’s been crying.
She reached up and grabbed his hair, angling his head so that their lips met. She thrust her tongue into his mouth. He stepped sideways so that he could keep his footing. God, she was going to be the death of him.
Her taste exploded in his mouth, through his head, his body, and settled in his heart.
Daisy.
He caressed her dainty tongue with his, savoring the velvet texture and how every stroke took him higher and hotter than he’d ever been. Daisy stepped forward, her stomach pushed against his erection, and he knew damn well it wasn’t an accident.
He felt her nails dig into the back of his neck; the little girl was seriously serious. Which was fine by him, but every so often he tasted tears. So, he was going to take control and do things his way.
He bent his knees even more and caught her up in his arms.
She wrenched her mouth away from his. “What?” she stuttered.
“We’re doing this right.” He looked over at the bed that looked
