Page 873 of One More Kiss
His thumb caught her under the chin, turning her face to look at him. “Tell me.”
Her body shook at his light touch. “Not now. Not tonight. You should go.”
“Not until I get what I came for. If you’re willing.”
She wrinkled her forehead at him.
“I was serious, Lu. I can’t stop thinking about your lips. And I think you feel the same, at least a little.”
His words were truth, though to admit it to him would give him more power than she was comfortable with. Would take away power from her.
“Max, no. That’s not a good idea.”
One corner of his mouth turned up. “Afraid?”
“Honestly?”
“Honestly.”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t it time we faced our fears? Got over them. Got this…” he waved his hand between them. “…out of our systems. Make things normal again.”
Lu laughed, but it came out more strangled and nervous than mirthful. “After you kiss me, things will never be normal again.”
“Did you issue me a dare, Lucinda Danvers?”
She swallowed hard as he moved closer to her. She put up her hands to push him away, but found them resting on his chest, slowly tracing the outlines of his flesh beneath the crisp white shirt.
“No, Max Fischer. Not a dare.” She looked up at him, licked her lips, and gave in. “That’s a promise.”
He made a sound resembling a growl, and his arms wrapped around her, smothering her in his embrace. She lifted her face to him, moving in, pressing her lips against his. They both stilled for a moment.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Pulling back as the heat between them built from a spark to raging fire.
And then his lips crashed into hers, firm and demanding and devastating. He licked at the seam of her lips. He craved entry, and she would give it to him.
Soon.
She pulled her mouth from his and trailed kisses along his strong, stubbled jaw, the scent of spice and woods making her want to do sinful things.
He kissed her again, and this time she opened her mouth and gave him what he wanted. Tongues and lips and teeth, nibbling and licking and sucking, his hands in her hair, her hands on his back, pulling him closer, pulling him down on top of her, onto the bed…
“Max, stop. Please. No.”
He stilled.
She wanted more, but had to push him away.
She couldn’t do this. In her home, practically at her job.
Lu had vowed to never become involved with a colleague, but here she was, in her robe, in her bedroom, with a hard, handsome, desirable man making her feel things she shouldn’t.
“I’ll go. Do you want me to go?” He panted, his voice strained with passion.
She shook her head, but mumbled, “Yes. Yes, please. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He stood, turned away from her, pulled at his clothes, and faced her once more. “You kept your promise.”
Then he was out the window, gone in the same fashion in which he’d arrived.
She had kept her promise, not only to him, but also to herself.
Things would never be normal between them again.
