Page 12 of Solitary Man

He made another rough, definitely angry, sound.

Now my belly was in knots again. “Did I…did I do something to upset you?”

“No,” he said quickly. “Christ, no. Not angry at you, Riley…at me.”

“Why?” Now my heart was racing as well.

“I didn’t want to walk away, I ah…wanted to give you…” He cleared his throat. “What you needed, but I…I…”

“Cash?”

“Don’t know how,” he finished roughly.

“You don’t know how?” I had to be hearing him wrong.

“I don’t know…what to do.”

He what? No. How could that be? “Are you saying, you’ve never had sex before?” His hold was a vise around me now.

“Lived out here all my life. Don’t go to the city. Make runs to the general store. Do my deliveries. Come home.” He was quiet for several long seconds. “I’ve never been with a woman, Riley, at all. At the general store, that was the first time I’d kissed anyone.”

I didn’t know what to say. I mean, I was shocked, and I hated that he’d been alone all this time, but I was also relieved. “That’s why you left?”

“Yep.”

“And you are…attracted to me?”

He made a low, growly sound. “Yep.”

I relaxed, relief washing over me hard and fast. “Well, that’s good, because I am most definitely attracted to you.”

A pause. “You are?”

I wriggled, and Cash loosened his hold on me enough that I could lift my head and look into his eyes, eyes that showed me more than he knew. I smiled. “Yes.” I touched his face, his soft beard. His eyelids drifted closed for a moment, then opened again. Moonlight from the window streamed in, showing me his pale blue irises that almost glowed in the dark. “You don’t ever need to be embarrassed with me. We’ll work it out, learn what we…um, like, together.”

“Yeah?” he rumbled.

“Yeah.” I brushed my thumb over his lips, they were firm yet soft, and caught his gaze again. “I really like your eyes.”

His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “I like your mouth and your…your…everything,” he said roughly.

His cheeks darkened. I could tell even with only the light of the moon. This was hard for him. I ran my fingers over his heavy brow. “I was so worried. I felt close to you after our emails, then today everything was…strained. I’m glad we talked.”

His eyes bore into me like I was the most exquisite creature he’d ever seen. Like I was some new discovery. I guess I kind of was, in more ways than one.

“Can I kiss you again?” he rasped.

I grinned and nodded.

Those big fingers slid into my hair, and he tugged me down, his lips taking mine. There was no finesse, no thought, just pure feeling, and like the last time, electricity shot through my veins. I was lit up, on fire, ravenously hungry, and unable to get enough.

Cash’s beard tickling my skin as his lips opened under mine, his tongue exploring every inch of my mouth. His hand moved over my back, then down to my butt, squeezing restlessly like he had in the kitchen. His other arm was around my upper back, holding me tight, pulling me closer.

I kissed him back just as fiercely, lost to sensation.

Sparks of pleasure shot through me, arrowing down between my legs, and I squeezed them together.

“Is this good?” he asked roughly.