11. Gianna

CHAPTER 11

All I can do is stare at him in surprise. "Really?"

He brings his hand up my arm and rests it on my shoulder. "Yeah." He takes a deep breath and lets it out. "There's a thousand reasons why I shouldn't want you, shouldn't touch you, but I can't help it."

I'm breathless. "Why? What are the reasons?"

He seems to think about it and chuckles. "Right now, I can't think of a single one."

It's not like me to be so forward, but like him, I can't help it. I bring my hands up and put them at his waist. He sucks in a breath, and I raise my hands up his bare chest. "I feel the same way, Dalton."

He stares at me, and I can tell he's contemplating what he's going to do. I'm praying that he goes with his gut on this. When I think he's about to move away, he wraps his hands around my waist and pulls me flush against his body. I land against him with a thud, and he groans. "Fuck, you feel good, Gia."

Before I can say the same, he's pressing his lips to mine, and the kiss starts soft and sweet. He kisses the edge of my mouth. "Open your mouth, Gia. Let me inside."

I do as he asks, and as soon as I allow him entry, his tongue sweeps across mine, and I feel as if I've lost all control. My body starts to tremble, my insides turn to jelly, and it feels like tiny shocks travel from my head to my toes. Dalton is relentless as he seals his lips to mine, devouring my mouth.

I press my body flush against his, but it's not enough. His hands slide down my back, and he palms my ass, squeezing the cheeks and pulling me against his hard erection. A groan escapes me, and I dig my fingernails into his back, dragging them across his skin. I groan, titling my head back for air, but that doesn't stop him. His lips travel down my neck, and when he nips at my skin, pulling it between his teeth, I'm a goner.

He brings one hand up, cups my breast, and is mere inches from bringing his mouth to me, and at that instant, Ethan hollers down the stairs, "Dad, Evan won't get out of the bathroom."

Dalton pulls back, staring at me in shock. He yells up the stairs while looking at me, "Use mine." He takes a deep breath and holds it. "Gia…"

His hands have dropped to his sides, and he's staring at me as if he can't believe I'm standing in his house. His eyes are almost black, his lips are swollen, and there's a tent in his shorts between his thighs. He's panting as if he's been running a race, and he shakes his head side to side. I know before he says anything that he regrets the kiss. He regrets what just happened between us. "We can't. I can't. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have." He rams his hands through his hair. "Fuck, I'm sorry. I got carried away, and I shouldn't have touched you."

I take a step back, praying that my shaky legs don't give out on me now. My body in its heightened sensations is a traitor. My nipples are hard, pressing obviously to the top of my bathing suit. My pussy is wet, and just standing here, I can feel the slickness of my desire. "Right. Yeah, I'm going to go get dressed."

I get to two steps when he grabs on to my arm, stopping me. "Gia, wait."

I stop without looking at him. "Forget it, Dalton. I understand. I shouldn't have… we shouldn't have kissed—"

He looks completely wrecked. "That was more than a kiss, and you know it."

I throw my hands up in the air. Yeah, I know it was more than a kiss. Hell, I've never felt like that after a kiss or after a man touched me. I've only read about feeling like that. "Yeah. It was more than a kiss, but you're right. We shouldn't have done it. I'm going to go change clothes and fix the boys their lunch."

Before he can stop me, I run from the room, down the hallway, and into the bedroom. The door slams behind me, and I lean against it. I'm in shock, that's the only explanation, but I don't have any time to work it out or examine it.

I start to move without thinking. I take off the bathing suit and get dressed. I can hear the boys running down the stairs, and I know I have to go out there or they will fill up on junk food. I don't want to face Dalton, but the best thing I can do is not let him know this bothered me. Without even looking in the mirror, I walk out of the bedroom and down the hall, holding my breath as I walk into the kitchen.

Dalton is standing by the back door, and he won't even look at me. He stuffs his hat on his head and announces to the room, "I'll be back later, boys."

The boys both holler bye to him and then surround me at the refrigerator. I try to keep the emotion out of my voice. "Okay, so what do you think about grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, some chips, and some fruit?"

"I'm starving. I could eat a cow right now," Ethan says, and Evan busts out laughing at his joke.

I get to work making lunch, and I don't let myself think about that kiss, or the way that Dalton touched me and held me. I'm definitely not thinking about the way it felt like we fit together perfectly. Nope, I might as well forget it because it won't happen again. No way will I make that mistake.

Ethan pulls the chair over to the counter and stands on it. "Can I help?"

I nod and put the slices of bread in front of him with a butter knife and a tub of butter. "Yep, can you put butter on those?"

He does his best, his tongue hanging out of his mouth while he works. "Good job."

Evan comes to watch. "Gia, I like having you here."

Ethan nods while concentrating on his task. "Me too."

I stand behind them and put my hands on their shoulders and give them a squeeze. I don't say it, but I think it. I like being here too.