Page 80 of So Much More
“And that would be …?”
“I think we should kiss. On the lips.”
He breathes in deeply through his nose, and his grip tightens on the pen in his hand. “Now?”
I nod. “I know you wanted to wait, and I understand why, but I think we can handle it and not let it turn into more until we’re ready for that. And don’t take this the wrong way, but I want to get it over with. I want to see if we can kiss without the Tammy thing ruining it. I keep worrying that I’ll never be able to kiss you without thinking about you kissing her, and I need to find out if that’s true before we take this any further. So will you kiss me?”
His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows and nods. “I can do that.”
I take a shaky breath. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. I’ve been dying for this moment to come. Come around here.”
I round the desk, and he takes my hands and pulls me so I’m standing between his legs. Due to our height difference, his face is only a few inches lower than mine in this position.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asks.
“Yes.” I place a hand on his jawline. “And you’re not saying yes because it’s what I want?”
He covers my hand with his own, sending a tremor through my body. “No,” he says. “I’m ready for this step. I’ve been ready, but I wanted it to be your decision. You’re positive you want to do this now, here at work?”
I nod. “We won’t see each other all weekend, and I can’t wonder about this any longer. Doing it here will ensure we don’t do anything more. If we don’t meet Leslie in the lobby in ten minutes, she’ll come looking for us.”
Since neither Leslie nor I own a car, Ash offered us his for the weekend. When we get off work at noon, Randall will drive the two of us home to change and get our bags, and then we’ll head to their apartment to pick up the car.
“We’d better get on with it, then,” Randall says, “because this won’t be a quick peck on the lips.”
“I would hope not.”
I give him a trembling smile, my nerves on high alert. What if I’m right, and all I can think about is Tammy? What if all these feelings I have for him go away if that happens? What if I don’t enjoy it? What ifhedoesn’t enjoy it?
He tugs me down so I’m sitting on his lap. Then he wraps one hand around the nape of my neck and slides his fingers up into my hair, but instead of pressing his lips to mine, he trails light kisses along my jawline from my ear to my chin. Just when I think he’s going to finally kiss my mouth, he repeats the process on the other side of my face. My heart is pounding, and I want to beg him to stop teasing me, but I don’t.
He finally makes his way to my mouth, and I sigh. The moment our lips touch, I forget about everything but the sensations coursing through my body. I wrap my arms around his neck and press closer against him, and he deepens the kiss while using his other hand to anchor me to him. After much too short a time, his mouth pulls away, but he continues to hold me close as he presses his forehead against mine and we catch our breaths.
“Well?” His eyes are closed, and his voice is tinged with anxiety.
Instead of answering, I capture his lips with mine again. He growls into me, and he lets himself go in a way he didn’t before. His hands roam over me, and mine grip the front of his shirt.
This time I’m the one who pulls away, because he doesn’t seem to be thinking about stopping. I press a last quick kiss to the corner of his mouth and slightly lean away from him, my chest heaving and heart hammering.
He groans and throws his head back. “Are we really going to have to waitdaysto do that again?”
“Yeah, I didn’t think that part through, did I?”
“I think I can forgive you for the lack of foresight.” He lightly tickles my side, and I giggle as I swat his hand away.
Then he sets me back on my feet and straightens his shirt as I smooth my hair down and make sure all my clothing is in its proper place, while mentally ordering my heart to settle down.
“That’s my favorite skirt,” he says.
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yep. It’s the slit that does it for me.” He gaze dips down to the sliver of exposed thigh and his pupils dilate.
My heart rate picks up again. “Hmm. Good to know.”
“Care to share anything that does it for you?”
