Chef's Delight (Stories of Serendipity) by Anne Conley

closer to him.  She made a small squeaky noise, as he pulled her body against his.  He inhaled deeply of her scent, watching her face react to his nearness.  Her pupils had dilated, and a flush rose from her neck up to her cheeks, spreading to her hairline.  His fingers caressed her spine, and he could feel her tremble beneath his touch.  She breathed heavily, her breasts rising and falling against his chest, and he could feel her nipples, erect against his chest, as he knew she could feel him, hard against her hipbone.
    “Connor…”  Her voice was ragged, and husky, sending desire racing through his bloodstream, straight to his groin.
    He lowered his lips to hers, just to taste, gently.  As soon as his lips touched hers, though, his need made him want more.  Her lips were soft, warm, and sweet.  They were pliable beneath his, and they opened for him eagerly.  Jessie moaned into his mouth, almost setting him off completely.  He thrust his tongue inside her mouth, savoring the experience, as her tongue met his willingly.  Their tongues and lips twisted together, sucking, biting, exploring.
    Connor had never wanted a woman as much as he wanted Jessie, right now.  Sparks were flying, threatening to ignite a fire Connor didn’t want to extinguish.  He had been too long without a woman, and his need overwhelmed him. 
    His hands went in opposing directions, one up into her hair, as silky as it looked, to pull her head back so he could have better access to her neck.  The other hand traveled down to her backside, so he could press her closer to his rigid cock, straining painfully against his zipper.
    His lips traveled down her neck, nibbling delicately, tasting her musky sweetness.  Images of summertime again filled his mind, only now the images involved Jessie’s lithe body, entwined with his.
    Jessie had submerged her fingers in his hair, pressing his head down onto her skin, and moans escaped from her mouth between ragged gasps.  Her lips found his earlobe, and nibbled on it delicately, driving a growl from the back of his throat to his lips.  Her breath in his ear clouded his vision, sending him over the edge into oblivion.  If he didn’t stop now, he realized, he would take her right here, on her countertop.
    With every ounce of restraint he had left, he propelled himself backwards, away from her eager hands, which had been traveling down, lower, to the point of no return.  He knew he had to stop this.
    Gasping for breath, he distanced himself from her.  Jessie was looking at him, through eyes glazed with lust, a question on her lips.
    “I-I…I can’t do this.  I’m sorry, I’ve got to go.”  He ran his hands through his hair, as he turned to leave.
    “Wait.  Connor?”
    He didn’t stop.  He knew if he turned to look at her, he would be lost.  So he kept going, right out the door.
     
     

 

    Chapter 8
     
    Jessie felt Connor’s rejection deep in her gut.  He had been sending her mixed signals from the beginning.  He had come to her in the bar.  He had kissed her wrist.  That had been an experience.  He had kept coming back, even when he didn’t have to. He had just assaulted her with the hottest kiss she had ever experienced.  His physical reactions hadn’t been her imagination either.  But his words kept telling her no.
    She didn’t understand.
    And she didn’t know what to do about her own reactions to him.
    Connor did something to Jessie she couldn’t explain to herself.  He was drop dead gorgeous.  That part was a no-brainer.  He was smoking hot.  She could understand that.  But the way he smiled at her.  The way he watched her, so intensely.  His smell.  God, the man smelled good.  He always smelled like citrus, and some sort of herb or spice, she couldn’t quite put her finger on.  The way his fingers, and their tantalizing sensuality, stroked things, relishing textures.  The way he seemed to care about how she did with her business, as if he wanted her