Page 8 of The Forbidden Texan
“It really might help if we could go by your Dallas home and I can see what style of furniture you like. Would that be possible?” she asked, aware of inviting herself to his Dallas home.
“Sure, we can. I have a condo. I think we might as well go back to Dallas now. I don’t want to work in this dirt and dust. You get that cleaning crew out here and some furniture bought and delivered, and we’ll come back. We can make plans on the plane.”
“Before we go, I need to get the measurements of where I’m putting furniture so I’ll have an idea about how much room I’ll have.”
“Sure. I’ll help.”
All the time she walked with him down the wide hall, she couldn’t stop the intense awareness of him so close beside her.
“This may be a big job,” she said, trying to focus on the job instead of the man. While she thought about the amount of work this house might demand, she couldn’t keep from worrying about working side by side with Jake. She was already too aware of him walking close beside her. Would they continue to have that chemistry bubbling between them?
They walked into the first bedroom and she got out her metal tape measure. Jake intended to have bedroom suites built upstairs, but for the time being they’d be staying in these first-floor rooms.
He held out his hand. “Give me the end of the tape.” She did and he walked to the corner while she wrote down the measurement.
She pressed the button for the tape to roll up and then Jake took it from her to measure the next wall. Within minutes they had two bedrooms done and moved on to measure the library and the study. As they worked together, their hands brushed lightly, just feathery touches, yet she was intensely aware of each contact. How could she not be, when each of them fanned the flames of desire burning inside her? More than anything she wanted to finish and head home. She snapped shut her measuring tape. “There. It’s done—” She turned and bumped into him. He caught her upper arms to steady her but didn’t let her go. They stood there, looking into each other’s eyes, and she couldn’t move.
While longing intensified, her gaze lowered to his mouth. Seconds passed and then she looked up at him again.
He was going to kiss her.
She knew that with every fiber of her being. Just as she knew she should stop him. But her breath wouldn’t come and her heart thudded violently as he slipped his arm around her waist and leaned down. Closer. And closer.
And with his lips a breath away, caution was the last thing on her mind.
Three
His mouth settled on hers, opening hers, his tongue going deep. His kiss was electrifying, intoxicating, addicting, making her want him to do nothing but kiss her the rest of the day and never stop. He pulled her more tightly against him, crushing her against his rock-hard muscled chest as he wrapped both arms around her, and she was lost, spiraling down into need and desire, wanting him desperately.
His tongue stroked hers, tantalizing and melting her, yet making her tremble, respond and want him. Without even being aware of it, she wrapped her arm around his neck and thrust her hips against him, feeling his arousal as he held her tightly and they continued to kiss.
His kiss consumed her, ignited desire and made her world spin away to a place where logic no longer existed. Only Jake and his hard body and hot lips. She wanted nothing but his kiss, his touch, and she wanted him to never stop. She clung to him and kissed him in return, holding him and knowing her world had shifted and changed.
Her pleasure was so intense, she thought she would faint, yet she couldn’t allow it. She wanted every second of his kiss, every sensation. She tingled all over, consumed with desire—all because of his mouth on hers. She had never been kissed like this, never reacted to a kiss with so much desperate hunger, a longing for more of him. But Jake’s kiss made her want his hands, his mouth all over her. Made her want to join their bodies together, right there and now in this dusty house.
From somewhere in the depths of longing came the voice of caution and reason, but she ignored it as she ran her hand over his broad shoulder, down his back to his waist. She held him tightly and kissed him in return, pouring herself into a kiss that she dimly realized she would never forget.
He caressed her nape and she moaned softly with pleasure, never wanting to step out of the haven of his arms. How could he do this to her with a kiss?
A Ralston man, at that.
Her boss.
The reality of who this man was slowly crept past the ecstasy induced by his kiss. The two factions warred in her head as Jake’s hand drifted down her back and over her bottom, pulling her impossibly closer. Oh, what she wouldn’t give to shed her clothes and feel his skin against hers, let him do all the things his kiss was promising. Let him—
As reality won the war, the insanity of what she was doing slammed into her. She wiggled away and gasped for breath as if she had run a marathon, opening her eyes and looking up at him.
He was breathing as heavily as she was, looking at her with hooded eyes, his mouth red from their kiss.
“That kiss never happened,” she somehow managed to whisper. “We—we have to go back to where we were so we can work together.”
He placed his hand so lightly on her neck, slipping his hand around to caress her nape and sending a thrill sizzling in the wake of his touch. “Darlin’, there is no way in this lifetime I can forget that kiss and say it never happened.” His voice was husky, his eyes intense, as if he had never seen her before the past ten minutes.
“You have to forget our kiss if you want us—” she paused to get her breath; she was still gasping for air, still tingling all over, still wanting to wrap her arms around him, place her mouth on his and kiss him the rest of the day and night “—if you want us to be able to work together for the next few weeks. I don’t want to give back Thane’s check or turn down this job, but kisses and sex can’t go with working together.”
He reached out for her and opened his mouth as if he were going to argue the point, but she drew a shaky breath and continued, “We have to back off or I can’t take this job.” She ran a hand over her lips and down her throat, as if trying to wipe away a kiss she knew she’d never forget. “I know I wanted that kiss as much as you, but I’m trying to do what I know is sensible.”
He stood staring at her and then he rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. I know you’re right. We’ve got tasks to do and I don’t want to let Thane down. Even though he’s gone, I made promises and I intend to keep them to the best of my ability. And I don’t want to hurt you in any way. I want you to know I’ve never done this before. Never crossed the line with an employee. Never dated one, flirted with one or kissed one...until you.”
