Free Irresistible Magic by Deanna Chase Page B

is cool with me.”
    He lifted his eyes to mine and then his gaze slowly traveled the length of my body. When our eyes met again, I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I meant food.”
    A slow smile spread over his handsome, tanned face. “Yeah. I know.”
    My pulse quickened and I shook my head. “Just order something.”
    He kept his eyes locked on mine as he pulled out his phone and tapped a button. A few moments later, he ordered a couple of blackened redfish dinners. “Thirty minutes,” he said to me as he placed his phone on the counter.
    “Sounds good.” I broke my gaze from his and took up residence on his brown leather couch.
    He watched me tuck my feet under myself. His light footsteps echoed in the room as he walked over to stand in front of me. He kneeled, taking my hand. “I don’t want to move too fast, but dammit, Willow, I don’t think I’m going to be able to keep my hands off you.”
    I opened my mouth, closed it, and then swallowed hard. I didn’t really want him to keep his hands off me. But I also knew once we went there, we couldn’t go back, and the thought terrified me. What if he decided we weren’t right together?
    He brought his hand up and caressed my cheek.
    I closed my eyes and shivered.
    “Why do you look so scared?” His voice was low, barely a whisper.
    Forcing my eyes open, I met his intense stare. “I don’t want things to change.”
    His hand tightened on mine. “I think it might be too late for that.”
    And wasn’t that the problem. We couldn’t move backward. This emotional intensity wasn’t going to go away. If I stopped it now, we’d forever be left in limbo where we could never be totally honest with each other. And if we moved forward, there was potential for the heartbreak of a lifetime. “I know.”
    He shifted to sit next to me on the couch and wrapped both arms around me, pulling me to him.
    I couldn’t resist and leaned into his embrace, burying my face in his chest. “I’m sorry. I feel like an idiot. It’s just that we…you’re…this is important. I don’t want to mess it up.”
    He brushed a gentle kiss over the top of my head. “You’re not an idiot. This is intense and you’re right, it is important. We’ll take it slow. There isn’t any rush here.”
    “No?” I knew he’d never pressure me to do anything I wasn’t ready for, but the way he’d been looking at me all night, I knew exactly what he wanted. And if I was honest, it was exactly what I wanted, too.
    “Of course not, Wil. I’m in this for the long haul. I’m not going anywhere. You have to know that.”
    The problem was I didn’t believe him. It wasn’t fair, but it was the truth. Tal had never been in a steady relationship longer than a few months before. Deep inside, I was afraid our relationship would suffer the same fate. I wouldn’t survive losing him. It wasn’t the romantic relationship I feared, though I’d wanted one with him for as long as I could remember. Wanted him so badly my fingers ached to touch him. I feared the emotional one we already shared. If anything came between us, I’d be a wreck. Tal was my oldest friend. The person who knew me best and the one I counted on above all others.
    “Look at me. Hear me when I say this.” He pulled away and lifted my chin with a finger. “No matter what happens, I will always be here for you. Always. Never doubt that.”
    A single tear ran down my cheek. He was everything I’d ever wanted. Everything I’d hoped he’d be. His words only proved he understood me all too well.
    “Ah, don’t cry.” He brushed a gentle hand over my cheek.
    “Goddess,” I breathed. “I’m sorry, Tal. It’s been one hell of a day. I think I’m just overwhelmed with everything that happened. The attack, seeing Mom, Allcot’s directive saddling me with that Harrison guy. I don’t like any of it.” I placed a kiss on his cheek and ran a hand over his jaw. “All I wanted was a really good date with you, and instead I