Wet

“You could do it, you know. You could touch them.” She bites her lip and looks up at me.

That doesn’t help—at all.

“That would be really difficult and complicated for me,” I stutter. She’s pregnant and hormonal for God’s sake. My physical desire for her is so far past my craving to get off with a hot woman. I’m desperate to make love to her, but every choice I make now, no matter how tortured, has to be what’s best for her and the baby.

She takes my hand in hers and slides it over her chest. “It’s really not that complicated. Pretend I’m a ma

“Right, a really chatty ma

As her movements continue her expression softens, almost melting. She looks positively blissful and it keeps me from doing the right thing and pulling my hand away. I realize that there’s heat emanating from my hand, like one of those creepy faith healers I’ve heard about. The question is, am I healing her or is she healing me?

A moment later I feel flesh against flesh and I look down to see that she’s opened her shirt completely and my hand is resting just above her cleavage while she unhooks the front of her bra.

Oh good God.

“Elle,” I groan.

“Please, Paul. Just a minute or two. Please?”

When our eyes meet she looks hopeful yet full of fear that I’ll turn her down. I know she needs this but how dangerous is it for me to be the one to give it to her? The thing that makes up my mind is wondering if not me, who? That’s unfathomable to even think about.

As I slide my fingertips down between her luscious breasts and circle her torso I take in her perfection. She is completely vulnerable and exposed, and her trust in me takes my breath away.

“You’re so beautiful,” I whisper.

Her breath catches as my right hand moves up to cup her breast, so full and perfect. When my left hand cups the other breast her back arches up to meet my grasp. I am gentle and slow as I touch her, and her tears are still flowing but I know it’s different now. She’s smiling like I’ve never seen her smile before.

I love her breasts. They’re my new favorite part of her as I palm and squeeze them and she sighs with contentment below me. Her skin is exquisitely soft and her nipples a ruby rose. I avoid touching them, even though I ache to. It’s just more than I can handle.

The next time I look up at her I can no longer remember tired, defeated Elle that sat on my top step waiting for me. This angel is luminous, her eyes softly shine and it’s taking everything I have not to run my lips along all her curves, marking her with my trail of kisses.

I press my lips against her ear.

“I’m going to need to stop,” I say with some urgency. I’m starting to lose my composure. I fear I’ll be pulling her panties off any moment if this doesn’t end.

She nods with understanding. She takes the edges of the bra in each hand and as I start to pull my hands away so she can close the clasp she gazes up at me.

“Can you just touch my nipples once?”

I can’t say no. With each hand still cupping a breast I run the pads of my thumbs over their peaks, and she shudders with such a moan that I feel like I’m going to lose it without even being touched.

I regretfully pull my hands away and she slowly fastens her bra shut and then fastens her shirt back up.

“Oh wow,” she says with a smile.

“Is that a good wow?”

“An all caps, bold font with several exclamation points, kind of wow.”

“I’m glad to be of service.”

“You have no idea how much I needed that. Can we do that on a regular basis?”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“Really? I think it’s the best idea ever.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to make you happy but this is a lot for me to handle.”

She gestures to her open shirt. “I warned you they were bigger now.”

“It’s not that. Well, you know . . . I’m a man, Elle.”

She nods with a very serious expression. “And you have needs?”

“Yes, I do.”

“I could help with that,” she replies with an arched brow.

“That’s not what I’m asking for. I just want you to understand that touching you is . . . exciting. And when I get excited, all bets are off. You don’t know what I can be like.”

“I wish I could see you like that.”

I shake my head at her.

“You know what? I’m going to give you something that I’m pretty sure isn’t what you want but I think you need.”

“Oh yeah? What do you think I need?

“Affection.”

The idea of expressing affection isn’t high on my radar. I imagine her patting my head and giving me a teddy bear. “Is that so?

“It is. And I want to give it to you. Here, close your eyes and relax.”

This woman.

“Can you tell me what the difference between affection and sex is?” I ask. I’m really not sure.

“Seriously?”

“Yes. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want to know.”

“But, you don’t know?”

“I guess I don’t.”

“Affection is from the heart.”

“So what are you going to give me?”

“Close your eyes.”

Teddy bears be damned . . . my mind goes all kinds of wild places, happy places, Elle touching me in ways she hasn’t before.

She taps me on the chest and I realize that not only are my eyes not closed, they are wide in anticipation.

“Eyes closed, please.”

“I like when you ask nicely.”

She takes her fingers and gently brushes them down my eyelids until my eyes are shut. I feel her fingertips skim down my cheek and along my jaw.

“See, that’s nicely,” I say.

“Mmm, hmm.”

I’m acutely aware of every sensation: the way her body is leaning into mine, her subtle fragrance, and the tickle of the ends of her hair brushing along my forearm.

“What are you going to do?” I ask impatiently.

“Shhhhh.”

I feel pressure on my torso as she leans in closer to me and my heart starts thundering. I also feel pressure in my chest like I can’t catch my breath I’m so wound up to see what she’s thinking.

When I feel her soft lips brush against mine, it takes everything I have not to open my eyes. She pulls away as quickly as she arrived leaving me aching for more. I hold still as a statue. This can’t be it. There has to be more. I’m not even sure I’m breathing as I wait to see what happens next.

My reserve either inspires or challenges her, and she hikes herself up higher and her leg folds across my thigh. I grasp my hand in the bend of her leg to secure her against me.

Everything is different when her lips press against mine and seem to melt. She’s kissing me gently and slow, but the emotion I sense behind it feels like it’s important to her and I kiss her back with the same intensity. My arm slides around her to pull her close and her breasts press against my chest. Every second of this is unbelievably great, and I never want it to end.

Kissing Elle is unlike any kiss I’ve ever had. I’ve never felt so much . . . not just in the obvious places, but inside my chest. It’s fucking unreal. I run my fingers through her hair and kiss her back from the heart. I can sense what it’s doing to her and I like it.

Just when I think more has to happen she pulls away and snuggles into me.

Damn.

“How was that?” she whispers.

Words can’t define how I feel so I respond simply. “I liked it.”

“Me too.”

We lie silently for a few minutes while I trace my fingers over her back and try to figure out what to make of what just happened.

“Can we do that affection thing on a regular basis?” I ask.

She smiles and for a brilliant moment the room lights up.

“Maybe.”

I think of the look on her face when I told her I couldn’t handle touching her regularly. “Payback?”

“Maybe.” But then she reaches up and kisses me on the cheek.

What the hell are we doing? This is the weirdest relationship I’ve ever been in. What’s even worse is that I don’t just like it, I’m starting to need it. I need her and I’ve never been in this situation and it scares the fuck out of me. She’s pregnant with another man’s baby. I’m on the sidelines, hoping I’ll get called into the game to be quarterback before the fourth quarter. What if I don’t?