Read Online Love In Alaska (The Love In 50 States Series Book 2) by Shelby Gates - Free Book Online

gently sucked it. I drew a sharp breath and tried to deepen the kiss but he kept me at bay, his kiss like a sweet and heady drug.
    Finally, he pulled away and I tried not to whimper.
    “Wow,” he breathed, his forehead resting against mine.
    “Yeah,” I said. “Wow.”
    His hand slid from my cheek to just behind my ear and his lips found mine again. He kissed me the same way – soft and light, like he wanted it to last forever.
    One of my questions was answered.
    Evan kissed like a world champion.
    He pulled back again and let out a long, ragged breath. “Whoa.”
    I was having a hard time catching my breath, too. “Uh huh.”
    He dropped his hand and shifted away from me.“We need to stop,” he said, rubbing his hands on his thighs.
    “Why?” I couldn't hide my disappointment.
    “Because if we don't, then I look like a total weasel.”
    “What if I don't want you to stop?” I said, raising an eyebrow.
    He leaned back, like I'd caught him by surprise. His eyes stayed on me, his expression unreadable. He blinked and shook his head.
    “No way,” he said.
    “Now I think I'm offended.” I pressed my lips together. “You're turning me down.”
    “No. But I promised you that this wasn't a trip to get you out here and put the moves on you,” he said. “Remember? We laughed at that.”
    “I remember.”
    “And if...something were to happen tonight,” he explained. “You'd always be second-guessing me. Don't say you wouldn't.,” he said when I started to object. “Look, I'm no angel. And, right now, I feel like maybe the stupidest guy on the planet for putting on the brakes.” He took another deep breath. “But I really like you and I can't believe we're in a tent in the middle of nowhere and I don't know what's going to happen and you're heading to Arizona in a few days and I really, really don't wanna screw this up and I feel like if we...push the issue...tonight, you'll look at me a little differently in the aftermath. And I don't want that.”
    Everything he said was dead on right. I'd absolutely be second-guessing if we had sex right at that moment. I knew myself well enough to realize that I would be hyper-focused on whether or not his invitation had all been a ruse to get me alone and naked on his terms. It was how my brain worked. I didn't think for a second that he was playing me, but I'd convince myself that he was. And it would ruin everything. I didn't know what was going to happen either, but I didn't want it to go up in smoke because I'd struck a proverbial mental match to it.
    “I guess you could overpower me and just take me,” he suggested, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement. “Absolve me of any guilt. I think I'd be okay with that.”
    I felt a stab of desire. “Just pin you to the sleeping bag and have my way with you?”
    “I'm not sure anyone's ever just had their way with me, but yeah.”
    I tried to fight off a smile, but failed. “Fine. I will not push the issue.”
    “Crap,” he said, his shoulders sagging. “That's what I was afraid you were going to say.”
    “Your fault,” I said. “Totally your fault.”
    “I know, I know,” he said, holding his hands up. “I'll be thinking about it all night.”
    “Good.” I crawled into my sleeping bag, pleased that it might keep him awake for awhile.
    He checked the zipper on the tent, tugging on it before climbing into his own bag.
    “Hey, Evan?” I said into the near-darkness.
    “Yeah?”
    “I'll be thinking about it, too.”

NINE
     
     
    The rain got worse.
    Several times over the course of the night, thunderclaps startled me awake and I listened to torrents of rain pouring down on us. By the time the sun came up, it sounded like we'd been transported to the middle of the river. I glanced down at the floor of the tent, expecting to be half under water. But everything was dry.
    Evan sat up and scratched at his head, yawning. He glanced at me and smiled. “You sleep?”
    “A little.” I yawned, too.