Free Salvation by Stephanie John Page A

reaching for my face.
    “ Don ’ t. ” I shook my head, pushing him away. I started off back to the house, needing the distance to clear my thoughts.
    “ You okay? ” he asked softly when he caught me up.
    “ Give me a minute. I ’ ll be fine. ” I smoothed both trembling hands over my neck, trying to ease the imaginary pressure. Even though I ’ d panicked, I longed for Nate ’ s touch on my skin. Gentle fingertips that could banish the last of my demons. There was no explanation for my body ’ s reaction to him. The more I tried fighting the attraction, the stronger it became.
    The stroll back was in silence. The rolling swell of the ocean was therapeutic, lulling repetitively back and forth, easing my mind. By the time we reached the path I ’ d regained my composure.
    Nate cautiously slipped his hand into mine to help me back up, and I accepted his silent reassurance without a fight. The rush I got from that tiny connection — our fingers entwining together — made me reluctant to let go as we crossed the lawn. He was taking control, luring me in, and my resolve was weakening.
    “ Look at this. ” Nate turned me to face the ocean. Dusk settled across the sky as the sun melted into the water, the lights of a plane taking off from LAX twinkling in the distance. Streaks of orange and gold blurred into the blue haze of the ocean in the most spectacular sunset.
    “ Wow, it ’ s so pretty. ” A shiver of excitement ran through me when I caught the darkness in Nate ’ s eyes. My hand gripped his harder as the effect of his command surged through me.
    “ Fuck, I can ’ t hold back any longer. ” Nate tugged me closer, cradling my face as he angled his, and pressed soft lips to mine. They were warm, burning me, pushing heat through my body and setting me on fire for him. I let out a small moan when he grazed his teeth over my lower lip. “ More, ” he rasped, exerting a little more pressure. “ Give me more. ”
    My hands went to his hips as I surrendered, unable to resist him any longer.
    He tasted divine, his mouth sweet, his tongue hot and tender as it licked into mine. One hand came to my lower back, pressing me into his solid frame until there was nothing between us. His heart raged against my chest, the same frantic rhythm as my own.
    This was what I unknowingly needed. What I ’ d been waiting for all afternoon.
    He kissed confidently, skilfully, and took his time not to rush, knowing there would be plenty more chances to discover me again. Lost in him, I found the hem of his shirt and without thinking, slipped my hands beneath it. The tensing of his torso and the small shudder and groan that moved through him had me wanting to explore more. With fingertips either side of his spine, I slid my hands up, feeling the defined muscles of his back, picturing it in my mind.
    Nate ’ s hand moved over the curve of my arse and gently squeezed, pushing me into him so I felt his erection.
    “ No! ” I jerked away, lowering my eyes to the ground.
    “ What ’ s wrong? ” he rasped, barely audible through rapid breaths.
    “ I can ’ t do this. ” I covered my face, mortified by my actions. Nate peeled my hands away, forcing my eyes up to meet his. My heart was pounding furiously as I took some steadying gasps of air. “ God, I ’ m sorry. ”
    “ For what? ” Nate anxiously ran a hand through his hair. “ Doing what you ’ ve tried denying you wanted from the moment we met? ”
    This had to stop now before we both got carried away in the heat of the moment. “ I ’ m not sleeping with you. ”
    The corners of those enticingly blue eyes creased as his smile reached them. “ Have I asked you to? ”
    “ No, but —” I felt stupid standing here in front of him, conscious of the mixed signals I was giving. Having my hands all over him and kissing him back so responsively — he must know I wanted him.
    “ I ’ d be lying if I said I didn ’ t want to. But if that ’ s all this was about, ”