“Us?” Echo breathes hard, too. “No. Is it weird to you?”
Not as much as I wish it was. I shake my head. “Tell me things you want from a lover.”
“Sex.”
“More specific.”
She hesitates. “What do you like?”
“It’s not about what I like. This is about you.”
“But…” She frowns. “Shouldn’t it be about us together?”
I nearly disagree before I dial it back. Maybe she’s right. Being with her won’t be like getting naked with Jayci, Lindsay, or any other woman. Coming at Echo with my knowledge of them won’t help. Using my familiarity of her will.
“If you’re here to learn, I can safely say you’ve got kissing down.”
“Yeah?” She smiles, flashing me that adorable dimple like she’s proud of herself.
“Not that we won’t do a lot more of it,” I add hastily, because if we abandon that and move on…I’m not sure where I’ll stop.
To prove my point, I brush my mouth over hers again. Then again. Then once more, lingering even longer. I taste that something tempting on her lips that lures me into taking more of her. I can’t resist parting them and drinking her in once more. Her flavor surrounds me, pulls me deeper, and drowns me.
Echo’s breath catches, then she groans into my kiss, leaning closer and gripping my shoulders like she’s unsteady without me. I’m hungry to pull her tighter, until there’s no space or air between us. I wrap her long braid around my hand and tug until I have her mouth exactly where I want it.
I devour her again.
Jesus, I want our clothes off.
Back down. Or the minute we’re naked, you’ll be inside her.
Exactly! the devil in me points out.
He needs to shut the hell up.
Ending this kiss is harder than stopping the last one. I’m breathing even choppier.
“Yeah, you’re definitely good on the kissing part. Who taught you?”
“Mostly Jimmy Corelli.”
The swim team captain? “He had a girlfriend. What was her name?”
Her rosy cheeks turn downright red. “Simone. They’re married now. But they split up for a while. He wanted her back, though, and asked me if I’d help make her jealous. He seemed so miserable that I did. We made out in the parking lot after school once or twice.”
That sounds like Echo’s well-meaning heart. “Did you like him?”
“Not really.”
“Was he your first kiss?”
She shakes her head. “One of Eryn’s friends, Kiersten, had a twin brother, Kaden.”
“I remember him.” Quarterback. Popular guy. Player. I frown. “He hit on you?”
Echo shakes her head. “I went with Eryn to their birthday party. Everyone played Seven Minutes in Heaven. Kaden and I got thrown together. Is this really important right now?”
Probably not, but that asshole was three years older than her. If he pressured her for more than a peck… It’s old news, but I still want to throttle him. “Is kissing you all he did?”
“That time. It happened again the next year. Then he tried to put his hands down my shirt since I’d grown boobs. I kneed him in the balls.”
I smile. “Good. Anything else? I should know your experience level so I can figure out how much I need to teach you.”
“Not much. So many girls in high school had boyfriend drama. They were always miserable. It never seemed worth it. Besides, no guys ever seemed interested in me.”
They were…but I’d put out the word in junior high that anyone who liked Echo had to come through me. That scared most off. The few with enough balls to challenge me? Well, I was an angry teenager without a father figure or parental boundaries, so I was always happy for a fight. That shut up the rest.
“Thanks for letting me know. It’s definitely a good thing we agreed to go slow.”
She frowns. “But we’re going to do it tonight, right?”
“We have all week, shortcake.”
“Shouldn’t we be spending it in bed? I mean, that’s how I’ll learn.”
“It’s going to come natural. So why don’t you let me give you the slow seduction you deserve?”
Echo worries her lip. “That’s sweet of you, but I don’t see the point.”
“You don’t now, but…” Shit, I need to think of something—fast. “You will later.”
She lifts her face and shocks the hell out of me by skimming her lips up my neck, leaving me shuddering, as she kisses her way across my jaw and makes me weak-kneed. Before I can recover, she nips at my lobe and settles against my ear. “I’d rather have you inside me.”
Desire flattens me. Huge. Suffocating. Inexorable. How the hell am I supposed to say no to that?
“Shortcake…”
I’m still grappling for an excuse when someone suddenly starts pounding on the door.
Echo jumps, and I’m half expecting someone on the other side to tell me they’re from housekeeping. Instead, the banging again resumes.
Both relieved and pissed, I stride to the door and wrench it open to find Xavian standing there, gripping his phone and looking stunned.
“What’s wrong?” I scowl.
He swallows, then looks past me to Echo. She’s already halfway across the room, and the second she sees his expression, she holds open her arms.
“What is it?” she asks softly.
He tucks her body against his and wraps his arms around her tightly. I don’t like it—at all. Then the reason hits me. I’m not just feeling protective. Holy shit, I’m jealous.
X breathes her in and grips her tighter for another moment before finally letting go to face us both. “I have some news.”
Chapter Five
Xavian doesn’t look devastated, like he lost his job or his best friend. But whatever he’s going to say, it’s big.
Both relieved and frustrated at his timing, I gesture to the sofa. “Sit down, man. What’s going on?”
Slowly, he sinks onto the nearest cushion. “I just got a call. The blood results are back. The PI is right. These people, whoever they are… We’re related. They’re my family.” He sighs. “It’s weird to say that.”
After not really having any, I’m sure.
“That’s amazing.” Echo sits and takes his hand. “You have people who care enough to find you so they can include you.”
“Maybe.” He doesn’t sound convinced. “Since they’re being so secretive, it’s more likely they’re not thrilled I exist and they intend to silence me so I won’t blab and tarnish dear old dad’s reputation.”
“Don’t assume the worst. Once they get to know you, they’ll welcome you with open arms.”
There’s Echo’s optimism again, but Xavian and I are cut from the same cynical cloth. I know exactly why he’s convinced this isn’t good news.
“Did the PI tell you anything when he called back?” I ask.
“Almost nothing, except the family knows. Sakamoto said he’ll be in touch with more from them soon.”
Meaning he’ll outline what the family wants from Xavian and how much pressure they’re planning to apply to shut him up. That could be anything from a bribe to a threat.