Read Online You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This by Karenna Colcroft - Free Book Online
Authors: Karenna Colcroft
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I really piss you off.”
“Wait.” She caught his arm. “I’m sorry.” Tears flooded to her eyes, and a sob escaped from her throat. “I’m—I’m a fucking mess tonight.”
He pulled her into his arms. “Don’t apologize. You’re not a mess. Let it out.”
“I don’t want to.” She sniffled. She’d cried enough already.
“Let’s go sit on the couch,” he suggested.
Erin’s trembling legs told her that would be a good idea. She pulled away from him and picked up her mug, then followed him to the couch and curled up against one of the cushions. “I’m sorry,” she said again.
“Did I not just tell you not to apologize?” Stefan gave her a reassuring smile and sat beside her. “You’re fine. You had a lot bottled up, and I’m glad I’m here for you to let it out on.”
“Sometimes I think I should just let go,” she mumbled. “Of Scott, I mean. I started competing because of him. He isn’t really why I stopped, but…” She trailed off. Of course she’d stopped competing because of Scott, and Stefan already knew that.
“In a way he is.” Stefan rested his hand on her thigh. “You stopped because you didn’t have him any more and you didn’t feel right about finding another partner.”
“He taught me to dance.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “We were only friends, except that makes our relationship sound like less than it was. When I lost him, I lost all of that.”
“You didn’t, not really.” He put his arm around her, and she shifted herself to lean against him. Warmth and caring wrapped around her, soothing her. “You have friends, yeah? Me, and your roommate, and I’m sure others. People care about you. I know that for a fact, because I’m one of them. And you’re still dancing.”
“I couldn’t stop dancing for long.”
“I’m glad of that.” He rubbed her shoulder. “What would I do without the greatest assistant ever? I’m so sorry you lost someone who meant that much to you, Erin. You didn’t lose yourself. You’re still here. Don’t you think he’d want you to move on?”
She pulled away from him. “I don’t know any more. I can’t just forget him.”
“No, and I wouldn’t think you ever will. I won’t ever forget Emma. Anyone who thinks moving on means forgetting either hasn’t lost anyone or is delusional.” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees and one hand on Erin’s knee. “I’m saying live the way he’d want you to, and do it in his honor. You came back to dance, yeah?”
She nodded. “I stayed away for a little while, then Merit, my roommate, brought me to the studio. Seeing everyone else dancing, I couldn’t keep still. When you asked if I wanted to help you instruct, I thought teaching might help me get over losing Scott.” She swallowed the large lump in her throat. “I’m glad I took your offer. Dancing and teaching with you has helped.”
“And kissing me, and making love to me.” He grinned. “I like you a lot, Erin, you know that?”
“I think I noticed that the other night,” she teased.
“Good.” He ran his hand up her leg. She shivered and swatted his arm. She’d let out so much, and now desire began to fill the space inside her left by the pain and sorrow she’d stopped holding in. “I know, you said tonight would be just for talking, and I agreed.” He kissed her shoulder. “I just thought I’d let you know how much I want you right now. And how much it means that you trust me.”
She gave him a watery smile. His warmth, so close to her, spread through her. Touch. Comfort.
Living.
She turned to him and touched her lips to his with just the tiniest flick of her tongue. His eyes filled with surprise and confusion, until she stood and took his hand. “I changed my mind. Love me, Stefan. Give me something good to feel.”
You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This
Chapter Seven
He kissed her softly, then in one movement rose from the couch and lifted
“Wait.” She caught his arm. “I’m sorry.” Tears flooded to her eyes, and a sob escaped from her throat. “I’m—I’m a fucking mess tonight.”
He pulled her into his arms. “Don’t apologize. You’re not a mess. Let it out.”
“I don’t want to.” She sniffled. She’d cried enough already.
“Let’s go sit on the couch,” he suggested.
Erin’s trembling legs told her that would be a good idea. She pulled away from him and picked up her mug, then followed him to the couch and curled up against one of the cushions. “I’m sorry,” she said again.
“Did I not just tell you not to apologize?” Stefan gave her a reassuring smile and sat beside her. “You’re fine. You had a lot bottled up, and I’m glad I’m here for you to let it out on.”
“Sometimes I think I should just let go,” she mumbled. “Of Scott, I mean. I started competing because of him. He isn’t really why I stopped, but…” She trailed off. Of course she’d stopped competing because of Scott, and Stefan already knew that.
“In a way he is.” Stefan rested his hand on her thigh. “You stopped because you didn’t have him any more and you didn’t feel right about finding another partner.”
“He taught me to dance.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “We were only friends, except that makes our relationship sound like less than it was. When I lost him, I lost all of that.”
“You didn’t, not really.” He put his arm around her, and she shifted herself to lean against him. Warmth and caring wrapped around her, soothing her. “You have friends, yeah? Me, and your roommate, and I’m sure others. People care about you. I know that for a fact, because I’m one of them. And you’re still dancing.”
“I couldn’t stop dancing for long.”
“I’m glad of that.” He rubbed her shoulder. “What would I do without the greatest assistant ever? I’m so sorry you lost someone who meant that much to you, Erin. You didn’t lose yourself. You’re still here. Don’t you think he’d want you to move on?”
She pulled away from him. “I don’t know any more. I can’t just forget him.”
“No, and I wouldn’t think you ever will. I won’t ever forget Emma. Anyone who thinks moving on means forgetting either hasn’t lost anyone or is delusional.” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees and one hand on Erin’s knee. “I’m saying live the way he’d want you to, and do it in his honor. You came back to dance, yeah?”
She nodded. “I stayed away for a little while, then Merit, my roommate, brought me to the studio. Seeing everyone else dancing, I couldn’t keep still. When you asked if I wanted to help you instruct, I thought teaching might help me get over losing Scott.” She swallowed the large lump in her throat. “I’m glad I took your offer. Dancing and teaching with you has helped.”
“And kissing me, and making love to me.” He grinned. “I like you a lot, Erin, you know that?”
“I think I noticed that the other night,” she teased.
“Good.” He ran his hand up her leg. She shivered and swatted his arm. She’d let out so much, and now desire began to fill the space inside her left by the pain and sorrow she’d stopped holding in. “I know, you said tonight would be just for talking, and I agreed.” He kissed her shoulder. “I just thought I’d let you know how much I want you right now. And how much it means that you trust me.”
She gave him a watery smile. His warmth, so close to her, spread through her. Touch. Comfort.
Living.
She turned to him and touched her lips to his with just the tiniest flick of her tongue. His eyes filled with surprise and confusion, until she stood and took his hand. “I changed my mind. Love me, Stefan. Give me something good to feel.”
You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This
Chapter Seven
He kissed her softly, then in one movement rose from the couch and lifted
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