The challenge was charged and unmistakable. And so damn welcome. He tossed the dead weed aside and wrapped his hands around her slight shoulders, pulling her flush to him. Unlike the night they’d spent in his truck, she was soft and pliable against him, and a thrill raced up his spine. Rising on tiptoe to meet him, she parted her lips.
He needed no other invitation.
Chapter 13
The Sea Witch
Embers of desire hadbeen crackling in Hailey’s bloodstream, threatening to spark to life with the slightest stirring of breath. And spark they did when Noah’s eyes moved across her body like he hadn’t eaten in weeks and she was his next meal. And shelikedit.
After watching him in his element for hours, lust licked through her veins. His easy, fluid movements and the way he took command intoxicated her, and she yearned to have him take command ofher. She was dangerously drunk on Noah Hunnicutt. So drunk that she was ready to lie down on a silver platter and offer herself up. Hell, she didn’t even need a platter. The floor or the wall or his desk would do just fine, thank you very much. She was like every other woman in the bar tonight drooling over him, except thatshewas the lucky one he was currently fixed on.
While his green-fire eyes held hers, strong fingers tunneled their way under the silly pigtails. A tussle seemed to take place in those orbs, as if desire battled restraint. It was time to tip the scales in her favor. Shecradled his square jaw and drew his mouth to hers, using the lightest of touches, giving him a chance to pull back, praying the entire way he wouldn’t. His lids closed, and she nearly let out a happy sigh. Letting her own drop, she narrowed her attention on the familiar spicy, woodsy-soap scent of his skin and his surprisingly gentle lips landing on hers. The first warm brushes were tentative, a little test and a little taste, leaving her eager for more. Her heart jumped for joy when his hands reached for her face, tilting her head to line it up the wayhewanted. His lips stroked hers with deliberate, sensual, savoring slides.
God, yes!
She’d been imagining what it would be like to have her lips collide with Noah’s from the time he’d taken charge on Coal Bank Pass, but the real deal blew away those expectations. Giving herself over, she became pliable putty in his rough hands.
He traced the seam of her lips, and she opened for him. A switch between them seemed to flip when his tongue touched hers. He tasted of smoky whiskey and spice and Noah. Her ability to form a logical thought fled. She let herself get carried along a current of sensation, vaguely aware of a door opening.
A gasp shocked her into awareness like a spill into cold water without a wet suit. Noah released her abruptly and spun toward the door, putting distance between them. Dazed, with no breath left in her lungs, Hailey stepped back, placed her hand to her mouth as though she could hide their nuclear kissing, and followed his gaze toward the noise.
Dixie stood in the doorway. “I’m so sorry.” A hint of a smile at the corner of the woman’s mouth contradicted the apology.
Chest heaving, Noah placed one hand on his hip and motioned between himself and Hailey with the other. “We were just, ah, um …”
“Checking on the dog!” Hailey spewed.
Dixie’s eyebrows rode up and disappeared under her hair-sprayed bangs. “In the office?” Her eyes took an obligatory tour of the space before shifting between the two of them. She seemed to wrestle with a smirk. “Yeah, that’s exactly what it looked like.” Lowering her head, she gave Noah alookfrom under those painted-on brows. “Boss, we need you back at the bar. The next wave has come in, and they are a thirsty bunch.”
“Yeah, okay. Be right there,” Noah rasped.
She turned to leave and sent him another look over her shoulder. “And you might want to put on an apron so customers don’t think you stashed your muddler in your jeans.” With a laugh, she exited and closed the door behind her.
Slowly, Noah turned to Hailey with a sheepish look. His hair, which had been neatly combed back, was in complete disarray, as though he’d walked through a wind tunnel—or someone had thrust her fingers through it. “I, ah, shouldn’t have …”
“No, I get it,” Hailey hurried to say. “I shouldn’t have started it.” She bobbed her head as if agreeing on his behalf while she willed her thudding heart back into its regular rhythm. She refrained from cursing Dixie’s terrible timing.
He raked his fingers through his strands, smoothing them into place, and ran his thumb languidly along his bottom lip. She fought the desire to lean in and suck on that lip, lifting an eyebrow and waiting for his next words instead, dying a little inside.Let me down easy, barkeep.
His mouth kicked up on one side, cocky as hell. “I’m not surewhostarted it, but I’m not complaining.” The predatory gleam in his deep green eyes made her tummy execute a few backflips.
Hailey wasn’t prone to shyness or hesitation around men she liked, but this one had her stammering. “I, um, guess we’d better get back to work before the boss docks our pay.”
“I’ll be out in a minute. I need to check on Cha—the dog and … make a few adjustments.” His halting speech told her his self-assurance was a flimsy facade hiding how much the kiss had affected him too. Self-satisfaction fluttered inside her. He flicked a finger toward the door. “Why don’t you collect more dog names from newcomers?”
“Yes, barkeep.” Letting herself out, she flew past the kitchen to the ladies’ room, tempted to grab one of the pitchers of ice water and dump it over her head. Safely locked in the restroom, she stared at her reflection and fanned herself with her hand before checking that her panties were intact and hadn’t been incinerated.
Wow! So much heated promise packed in one interrupted kiss.
Mind, blown.
Lips, exercised.
Body, blazing.
My. God.
What would anuninterrupted series of kisses lead to? The thought she might find out later left her jelly-kneed.
