4. Hector

CHAPTER 4

HECTOR

I paced back and forth with one thing bombarding me, playing on a loop in my head.

She was a virgin.

She'd been kissed one other time, and she'd told me it hadn't been good.

My girl was as innocent as innocent could be.

This thing inside me that grew with every breath I took was dark and sinister. Fucking obsessed with claiming and possessing her in a way that would mark her and make her mine. Only mine.

I'd known she was innocent.

I could have guessed she was a virgin with the way she blushed and shied away from me these last couple of weeks. But I hadn't dared think about just how innocent she was. One awkward kiss is the extent of her experience! Fuck me, what was wrong with the guys at her school? She was so fucking gorgeous, inside and out.

But their loss was my gain. Big time.

If I had thought I was capable of keeping my distance, building up our friendship and keeping my hands to myself before, I was completely screwed now.

After one kiss, the hottest most erotic thing I had experienced to date, there was no way I'd be strong enough not to claim her. Watching her from a distance, invading her space without her knowing it had taken a little bit off the edge. But now? Now there was no turning back.

My eyes were glued to the hardwood floor in front of my bedroom door. Dylan and the guys had already left, and I knew we were alone in my place. My hands clenched at my sides, fisted together. I dug my nails into the inside of my palm, hoping the bit of pain would chill me the fuck out and help me breathe.

Just as I was reining it in, my door squeaked like it usually did. Suddenly, her pretty, tiny feet appeared. My eyes dragged their way up slowly. Soaking in and taking in every inch and detail of her.

She is barefoot.

Her toes were painted a pretty, soft pink. I had no idea why that surprised me. Part of me had expected them to be without polish. Yeah, I'd thought about every inch of Libby, and that included if she did or didn't paint her toes.

Then it was her legs. Long and willowy yet toned. Fair skin on display until just below her kneecaps, where my shirt brushed against her skin. I breathed in, and my fists tightened at my sides. What the fuck had I been thinking giving her my shirt? The thing was huge on her, swallowing her up, covering her up exactly like I wanted to. Mine.

"My shirt looks good on you," I rumbled. Her soft laugh tickled my ears as I kept taking her in. Her breasts rested high, and even from where I stood, I could make out the way her nipples tightened beneath the cotton fabric.

"Thanks. I, umm, I put your shorts back. They were too big, but, uh, I think this is long enough." My brain tried to short-circuit, slowly processing what she had said. I watched Libby pull the hem of my shirt, and I nodded.

I didn't know what to say. Me. The guy who always had some kind of joke to crack or smartass quip or fact was fucking speechless. Instead, I turned and reached for the two glasses of ice water I'd poured for us.

"I have water," I shared like a fucking idiot.

"Thanks." She smiled shyly, but neither of us moved.

I couldn't stop looking at her. She was fucking perfection where she stood. She had taken her hair out of the usual bun she wore. Her long stands had a slight wave and hit down her back, making it a lot longer than I realized it was. All I wanted to do was stroke it between my fingers to see if it was a soft as it hinted to be.

"Well, umm…" I cleared my throat. The reality of the situation hit me like a fucking ton of bricks.

Libby was in my place. We were home alone, and she was wearing my shirt. My name stamped on her back, marking her as mine to anyone who laid eyes on her. She turned around and stepped into my bedroom. I waited for a moment, trying to calm myself down and not chase after her.

I couldn't fuck this up. I didn't want to scare her away. I needed her to feel safe with me. I'd already done one too many things to put things between us in jeopardy.

She is mine . I just didn't know how I was going to make that happen, but I had to come up with a plan, and quick. I stepped in and shut the door behind us because when my roommates came back, they could be noisy assholes.

"Go lie down, babe. I'm gonna grab some clothes and shower."

"Oh." Her eyes widened, and I found myself meeting her on the side she had chosen. I set her glass down and pulled the sheet back.

"Here you go. Fan?" I asked, trying to act like there was nothing out of the ordinary going on. I acted like it was no big deal that we would be sharing a bed to get some shuteye instead of it being a first for me. I wasn't a choir boy or as innocent as her. Not even close. I'd had my fun. There was never a shortage of sorority girls who liked to party. But I had never had a girl in my bed, much less one who made me want to take care of her.

"Yes, please," she answered quietly. I flicked the switch for the ceiling fan in my room. The only thing I could hear above the roaring of the blood rushing through my body and ears were the soft whirring of the fan and her breathing.

"Rest. I'll be back," I ordered.

"Okay," she agreed, and I had to force myself to grab my shit instead of heading right to bed with her. I started walking to the door when she called out my name. And fuck me, I loved it when she did.

"Hector?" I glanced over my shoulder and saw her in my bed, the sheet over her legs covering her up. In my bed, she looked so damn tiny.

There was an overwhelming need to make sure she was always taken care of. The need to make sure she smiled and found joy in her life cut through me and settled in my chest. I knew no matter what happened, I'd do that. For her. I'd never wanted to make anyone happy outside of my family.

Only Libby.

Mine.

My delicate, beautiful princess who had already been through so much yet still looked at me like she couldn't believe I was real. I knew because I looked at her the same way.

"Yeah?" My voice sounded rough in my ears. She opened and shut her mouth before pointing to the remote control on the nightstand next to her.

"Do you mind if I turn on some TV while you're in the shower?" Whatever she had wanted to say hadn't been that. I knew it in my gut, but I also knew I wasn't going to push her on it.

"Not at all. Switch on whatever you want, babe. I'll be fast." And with that, I hurried the hell put of there. I'd have to be fast and jerk off as quietly as I could.

Less than fifteen minutes later, I stepped back into my bedroom, and there in my bed was my girl. Sound asleep. I leaned against the doorway, unable to keep my eyes off her. I breathed in. Over the scent of the cologne I liked to wear, I could smell her. Libby's scent, that light fruity slightly floral smell clung to the air, and fuck me, I wanted it to stay there for as long as I lived here.

Without a sound, I closed the door behind me then walked toward my bed. I'd planned on sleeping with her, resting next to her. But when I reached the edge of the bed, I kneeled in front of her.

I had only seen glimpses of Libby without her glasses on when she took them off and cleaned them or rubbed her eyes. She looked like an angelic princess while she slept. Her eyelashes were darker than her hair, fanned over her cheeks. My hands itched to touch her, and before I could stop myself, I found myself doing just that. I stroked her cheek. Her skin was softer than I could have ever imagined. She didn't stir. My girl was too exhausted for that. But she did lean into my touch while she dreamt of whatever cast a peaceful look on her face.

I glanced behind her to the empty spot on the bed. Libby was different. Everything was different when it came to her. The bed was more than big enough for the two of us. When my gaze returned to her face, my eyes widened when I realized she was awake, silently watching me.

"Libby." My voice sounded rough in my own ears.

"You okay?" she asked, not questioning why my hand was caressing her face or why I was semi-looming over her.

"Yeah, I, umm––" I cleared my throat. "I was just checking on you." Her lips quirked up into the softest, sweetest smile. One I knew would be engraved into my brain for the rest of my days.

"You coming to bed?" she asked, and I wanted a lifetime of that.

"Lib—" I started to say but stopped myself. Hadn't this been the plan all along? To rest with her? Snuggle together until I found the right moment to kiss her again? Yet I couldn't get myself to do that.

"Umm…" I started to say, trying to figure out what to do.

"Please?" The moment she whispered that word, I knew I was in trouble. There was no way I could deny her. Not when her soft gaze bore into me. I nodded. Before I knew it, she scooted over to the empty side, and I got in bed with her. Lying over the sheets because going under them with her tiny delectable body beneath wearing my shirt would be way too much of a temptation to resist.

"You won't get cold?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

"Na." I shook my head. "I run hot."

"Oh, okay." She smiled.

Then, because I couldn't help myself, I took her in my arms, tucking her body to my side. She stiffened for a slight moment before she relaxed. Not a minute later, mi vida was asleep in my arms. I stayed awake, listening to her steady breathing. My head dipped down so I could sniff the top of her head while my fingers played with the silky-soft ends of her hair.

I didn't want to fall asleep. I wanted to remember every second of that moment. But before I knew it, my eyes grew heavy and I drifted right off, dreaming about the girl in my arms while sleeping next to someone for the first time.