Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

Val

T he words he's just said cause my heart to flutter faster, and a sweat to break out across my forehead. No one has ever offered to burn anything down for me, and I'd wanted that desperately with my previous life. I'd begged for help from people who should've tripped over themselves to help me. "I don't know how to respond." I answer, honestly.

"You don't have to. I'm good with speaking my mind, and not expecting others to respond. I've had a couple of drinks today too."

His face is sunburnt and it's easy for me to imagine what he looked like as a teenager out on the lake. I wish I had known him back then. "You're a little red."

Dipping his head into his chest before he lifts it, he runs his tongue over his lips. "Yeah, I should've moved halfway through the day, but I didn't realize I'd gotten so red until I went in to use the bathroom."

"You're day-glow." I give him a smile.

Laughing hard, he rocks back on his heels. "Oh stop. What movie are we going to watch?"

I have no doubt that whichever movie I tell him I'd like to watch is one he's seen a bunch of times, but I haven't had the opportunity to do what others have done. "Twister? Is that bad for a lineman?"

He chuckles. "No, I love that movie. It's actually one of the reasons I wanted to become a lineman. I saw it, and knew I wanted to do something to help people who were in those situations. It was either that or a weatherman. Can you imagine me being a weatherman?"

I throw my head back laughing as I think of him working with a suit and predicting weather. I've thought of him as a few things before; hot, serious, and just a good man. However, I've never thought of him deciding on if we're going to have a snow storm or a sunny day. "No, you're most definitely the type of man who needs to be outside. I can't see you sitting at a desk and being happy about it."

"I tried it once." He admits, walking over to the couch, and having a seat. "When I was in high school, I co-oped. Do you know what that is?"

"No." I'm thankful for him thinking about what I've been able to experience, and what I have. I never have to pretend with him, and he's one of the only people. "Care to explain?"

"It's when you sign up for a class that allows you to get real-life work experience. You even get paid, so for half the school day I would go to my job and get school credit for it. I had a job in the mailroom of one of the attorney's offices downtown. I had to dress in button-downs and khakis. One year of that, filing, and delivering their inner office documents, and I was done." He rakes a hand through his hair. "I'm not the type of man who can do the same thing day in and day out. I need variety."

Carefully I have a seat next to him. "I do too, although Gabby and I do a lot of the same stuff every day, we aren't sure what it's going to bring. We get to change the menu whenever we feel like it, and sometimes Gabby lets me decide what I'm going to make." He's so big that our thighs touch.

"Is this okay?" He indicates our clothes-covered skin where it meets.

My heart pounds a little harder, and I'm breathing heavier than I should be. "Yeah, it is." My eyes glance up to his and there's a heat in them I've seen before, but this time it's even more intense.

"I shouldn't be here with you." He starts, pulling his pink bottom lip in between his teeth. It leaves a sheen of moisture, and I'm mesmerized by the way it shines. "I've been out all day, probably stink, I've had a few drinks, and I'm feeling good. If you kiss me you're gonna be able to taste it."

"Who says I'm going to kiss you?"

"Who says you aren't?" He fires back.

Vaughn can see parts of me I've wanted to keep hidden without having to dig past the surface. I've been so careful during my whole life not to show vulnerabilities, but instead of capitalizing on them, he takes care of them. "I've never taken charge to kiss someone on my own." I admit, swallowing hard.

He rubs his palms against the denim covering his thighs. "You can trust me, Val. I'm not the type of man who's going to do something you don't want me to do. I don't get my jollies off from making a woman do something she's not interested in."

"I know that about you." I speak carefully and softly.

"I understand that you may need me to prove it to you, Val, and I'll do that if you need me to." He swallows so rough his Adam's apple moves up and down. "What do you want me to do?"

I don't know. I've never been in this sort of situation before, and I'm not sure what's expected of me. I shake my head. "I don't know."

He reaches over, grabbing hold of my waist. "Come over here and have a seat."

Pulling me on top of him, I spread my knees and straddle his waist as if I'm astride a horse. "Is this okay?" I ask, putting my hands on my thighs.

"It's perfect." He lays his head back against the couch. "You can touch me, and I'll touch you. Do what you're comfortable with, and you tell me if I do something you aren't. We just need to get used to touching each other. This goes as fast or as slow as you want it to, Val. Understand?"

Closing my eyes I take a deep breath and center myself. This is still scary for me after what I've been through, but I want to know what's so exciting about a man touching me. Why do some people risk it all to be with another person? What is this passion that everyone speaks of? I long to know what it is that starts wars and ruins marriages. Digging my fingers into my thighs, I allow myself to get used to the pain, before I lift my arms, and place my hands on his shoulders. "I do."

He holds my wrists, pressing my palms into his shirt-covered flesh. "Don't be scared. Go for it. We need to be completely comfortable with one another. I need to know what you like."

"I don't know what that is." I argue.

"Then we'll find out together. Touch me, Val."

My fingers shake as I dig them into his t-shirt, and bunch up the fabric so that it shows the skin above his jeans. Rolling my lips together, I lean in. "I want to kiss you, Vaughn."

"Then do it, babe. I'm not gonna stop you."