She was thinner now. Worn. Fear and fatigue seemed to surround her. Men weren’t attracted to timid little mice, were they? They at least wanted someone who was stable and not a complete head case who’d tried to kill herself and was sorry she hadn’t been able to.
Besides all that, how could she or he even entertain the thought of any sort of…well, anything!
Rio caressed the sides of her face. “I didn’t say all that to frighten you, Grace. Subtle and tactful are two things I’ve never been accused of. I’m blunt and I don’t like or play games. This is the only way I know how to be, so I’m sorry if that makes you uneasy.”
She didn’t even have a response for that. What could she possibly say anyway?
He feathered another kiss over her lips and then solved the issue of what the hell she was supposed to say back to him by turning her toward the path leading to the falls.
“We should get back. While it’s safe here, I still don’t want to leave you exposed for long periods of time. I want you to work on the things we talked about, though. Try meditation and the mental exercises I gave you. Keep working at reestablishing the path between you and your sister. It’ll come in time.”
She tugged on his hand to make him stop his progress around the back of the falls. When he turned with an inquisitive look on his face, she leaned up on tiptoe and initiated her own kiss.
It was shy, awkward and not nearly as toe curling as Rio’s had been. In fact, she couldn’t back up fast enough once she’d brushed her lips across his.
But he didn’t seem to mind her obvious inexperience at all. His expression went from surprise to utter satisfaction.
“Thank you,” she said in a grave tone.
He lifted a brow in question.
“For everything.” She swept her arm out toward the falls and the surrounding area. “For this. For understanding. For risking so much to save me. For wanting to help me and not believing the worst or judging me for the things I’ve done. I don’t even know how to express the gratitude I feel, but it’s more than that and I don’t have the words to explain to you what all I feel. I just want—need—you to know that.”
“Do you know what I need you to know?” Rio asked solemnly.
She wrinkled up her browy trill don and cocked her head to the side. “What?”
He touched her nose with the tip of his finger. “I need you to know how special you are, Grace Peterson. I think you haven’t believed that in a long time. Maybe you never believed it. But I see it, and now I want you to see it too.”
It was simply too much. How he could reach inside her and see what it was she needed the most? Someone to believe in her. Someone who wasn’t trying to use her. Someone who thought she was special, not because of her powers, but because…because she was simply Grace Peterson.
“I’m going to kiss you again,” she whispered.
His eyes darkened and he went still. He reached for her hand, twining his fingers with hers. “By all means, I’m at your mercy.”
Tentatively, she leaned into him until her br**sts brushed against his chest as she rose up on tiptoe. But then his hands closed around her waist, slipped down over the curve of her behind, and he leaned down to meet her.
She kissed him once, but was unsatisfied with the brief contact. She wanted more. She wanted to explore this time. Before, he’d done it all and she’d stood there, stunned and overwhelmed by the intensity.
This time she wanted it slow, lingering. She wanted to taste him. Take her time and enjoy the intimacy of being so close, his hands on her body.
She kissed him again, this time leaving her lips pressed to his. Nervously she ran the tip of her tongue over the seam of his mouth. His lips immediately parted, coaxing her inward.
He kept still, seemingly content to allow her to take the lead. He held her steady, his hands still resting possessively on her bottom, but he didn’t move. Not even a muscle as she continued her gentle exploration of his mouth.
Gaining confidence and feeling a little bolder, she reached up, wanting to run her fingers through his hair. It was loose today and not tied back in a ponytail at his nape.
It was long and silky, just brushing the tops of his shoulders. There was a slight wave to it, only enough to make it unruly, but it was far from being actually curly.
She let the strands slide through her fingers and then she finally got the courage to let her hands drop to his chest. The skin rippled beneath her fingers as his muscles flexed and rolled. His broad shoulders seemed to quiver, and his breathing changed from the even calm to a more sporadic, rapid staccato.
Slowly, she pulled away but he didn’t relinquish his hold on her. He kept his hands molded to her behind, and he reclaimed the step she’d taken back.
“I like when you take advantage of me,” he said with a slight grin. “Feel free to do it again anytime you get the urge.”
Her cheeks went instantly hot and she ducked her head.
He chuckled and released his hold, his fingers gliding over her hips before finally dropping to his sides. Then he lifted one hand again, tipping a finger under her chin and gently forcing her head upward again.
“You’re mine,” he repeated again. “We’re going to get there, Grace. Where ‘there’ is, I’m not altogether sure yet, but we’re going to get there together.”
Gathering every ounce of the courage she’d thought was long gone, she slowly nodded, feeling like she’d just taken on the world.