5. Genevieve

FIVE

GENEVIEVE

“Stay,” Amos says, lifting his body from mine. I’ve given myself orgasms and had that one horrible experience, but nothing, and I mean nothing, could have ever prepared me for the way Amos took care of me. He waited till I came, and only then did he worry about himself, unlike that one experience.

“I need to clean up,” I say, suddenly feeling exposed and wet.

“Know that, sweetheart. I’d clean you up myself, but I figure that might be too soon. The least I can do is start the water for you and figure out what we’ll do for breakfast.” Amos’ hand stays steady on my lower abdomen. My shirt is pushed up, and my breasts may not be completely naked to his gaze, yet I can feel the air condition flow across, causing me to shiver. The view of him has me mesmerized, in a state of shock and awe all wrapped in one. Amos Ellison wants me. How is that even possible? Self-doubt tries to rear its ugly head, thinking about the potential of me screwing this up with my idiosyncrasies. My father’s words, not mine, or what the doctor diagnosed me with years ago.

“I can do that. I promise I’m not some feeble little girl who expects you to wine and dine me.” I come off a bit snarkier than I wanted to. Blame it on my independence or using it as a defense mechanism when I’m in a vulnerable situation. It’s either that, or he’s pulled all these crazy and wild emotions to the surface. I’ve yet to be taken care of by anyone other than my dad or closest friend, who just so happens be Amos’ sister.

“See we’re going to talk now, Genevieve. Which is fine with me, except we’re gonna do it while you’re in my lap.” He’s a man of action. I’m up and upright, sitting astride his lap while his back is to the headboard. It’s then I notice how much of a mess we both are, and I’m not just talking about what’s currently going on beneath our combined pajama bottoms.

“I’m sorry. God, I’m such a bitch.” I place my hands over my eyes, trying to suck back the tears that have somehow managed to come without my permission.

“Genevieve, sweetheart. You aren’t.” Amos’ hands lock around my wrists, pulling my hands away from my face. I take a deep breath and try to calm my racing heart as well as my need to run into the bathroom to lock myself away from being overstimulated.

“I am. You’re trying to be so nice to me, and I immediately blocked it when all you were doing was trying to be nice and take care of me. All that after everything we’ve done this morning. I’m just, well, it’s a lot,” I admit. My shoulders slouch, taking all my energy with them, and I lay it out for him. Amos Ellison is a lot. He’s everything I’m not. A girl like me has more wrong with her than not. I’m a smorgasbord of issues, and who knows if he’ll ever want all the pieces of me?

“Genny.” His voice is stern, jaw rigid, and I can see he’s holding himself back with how he wants to talk to me. I look down, unable to hold his gaze any longer. Instead, I look down at where he keeps our hands. Without me realizing it, Amos has our finger entwined and is playing with the plain gold band I wear on my thumb. It was once my dad’s wedding band. He took it off a long time ago, saying it’s mine since it was his dad’s before him. My mom is a whole other topic of conversation. She couldn’t deal with a daughter like me and a husband who loved his child unconditionally, hence the reason she took off.

“Look at me, sweetheart.” Amos waits a beat, and when I look up, I’m flooded with a different kind of emotion. One I’m not going to decipher. I can overthink and overanalyze life when we’re on the road heading to Texas. “There they are. Your pretty blue eyes should never be hidden away.” He takes a breath as another thought rolls through my head. We kissed. Soft and sweet. His tongue snuck along the seam of my lips, and now I’m worried about the dragon breath I’m more than likely sporting. “Genevieve, I can see the steam coming out of your head. Not sure what you’re thinking, but I do know how to turn it off. Though, we still haven’t talked yet, and how I want to take your mind off things doesn’t involve clothes.” My hips shift as I squirm on his lap and feel him lengthen beneath me.

“Again?” I ask, changing the subject. I’m well aware given my limited experience that this could be normal, but it could also be abnormal.

“You on my lap, your pretty body on display, knowing how hot you run for me? Babe, it’s a permanent state whenever I so much as think about you,” he admits like he’s saying good morning to the neighbor.

“Is that normal?” I tilt my head to the side, watching as a small smile tugs at his lips. It’s then I notice he didn’t shave last night before coming to bed. Maybe that’s why he kept our kiss so light. It’s easy to tell my skin is sensitive by the way I blush alone.

“I can’t say that my buddies and I sit back and enjoy a beer while talking about our dicks.” I scrunch my nose up at his statement. “That being said, where you’re concerned, it’s a permanent state. ”

“Oh.” My lips form an O, and Amos’ eyes darken.

“Yeah. Now, if we’re ever going to clean up, grab a bite to eat, and get this show on the road, we best get this conversation going, alright?” I nod, pulling my hands away from his to pull the comforter up and over my bare shoulders. The air conditioner is really freaking cold, and it’s not like the weather is hot out. It’s probably colder in the hotel room than it is outside.

“Come here. We can do this where you’re not shivering. I’d get out of bed to kick the thermostat up, except then I’d lose you, and that’s not happening.” He scooches his body down the bed, pulling me down with him before turning onto his side while keeping his arms wrapped around me. We both have our heads on our pillows, and he is not letting me go.

“It’s freezing in here. I’m beginning to think you’re half grizzly bear, half human.” My nose is literally cold, and I do what he probably would never expect of me. I burrow into the crook of his neck, so he can see just how arctic it is in here.

“Jesus, gonna have to keep the air conditioning up a notch higher or add a few blankets to the bed,” he mutters against the crown of my head.

I perk up immediately. Amos is talking like there’s going to be more of this, more of us, and more of, well, a lot.

“Please and thank you. Either that, or I’m going to have to invest in long johns to wear to bed,” I reply with a teasing tone in my voice, lifting my head so our eyes are back to being locked on each other.

“Fuck no. Like these, a whole damn lot. I like knowing you’re bare beneath them, and when we get to the point, you’re secure in us, I will be waking you up with a whole lot more than you rubbing up against me.”

“Yes, please.” My thighs clench together, and it seems he’s not the only one affected.

“Next time that six-letter word spills from your mouth, it’s going to be because I’ve got my head buried between your pretty thighs, Genevieve.” Amos takes a moment, his nostrils flaring, and I swear he can smell my desire. It’s probably permeating the air with how needy he makes me feel. “You and me, we’re done pussy-footing around the fact we feel something for each other. I’ll be the first tell you, I have no idea what exactly it is. What I do know is that I go to sleep thinking about you and wake up doing much the same. Being near you isn’t enough. I want all your soft smiles, your sweet voice, and I want to be able to put my hands on you every damn time you’re near.” I go to interrupt him, worried that Amos is only talking about a physical connection, when he lowers his lips to mine, pecking me softly at first until I reach for more.

A girl could really become addicted to a man like Amos Ellison .

Amos ends our kiss before I’m ready, only to drop another atom bomb on my heart. “Me and you, we’re happening. And it’s not just a tussle in the sheets. This lasts between you and me, which, sweetheart, it absolutely will, I see it all: my ring on your finger, my last name attached to yours, my babies in your belly, and you and me growing old together.”

“Amos.” I barely get his name out before I’m flat on my back with his hands cupping my cheeks, my legs spreading, and he’s kissing me like I’ve never been kissed before.