More Than a Mistress by Leanne Banks Page A

do for them. For example, my new lipstick…”
    She sifted her fingers through the hair on his nape until Daniel was sure every nerve ending in his body was standing at attention. Surprisingly enough, her new lipstick teased his imagination. “What about it?”
    â€œIt’s called…”
    He heard the hesitation in her voice and turned. “What?”
    She unfastened the top button of his shirt, her hazel eyes focused on his neck. “‘Sensual.’ The company promises that it will stay on my lips until I take it off. I can’t drink it off. I can’t eat it off. And you,” she said finally lifting her sultry, challenging gaze to his, “can’t kiss it off.”
    She put her thumb on his bottom lip, and Daniel felt his mouth go desert dry. Her scent wrapped around his senses. He noticed how the V-neck of the sweater she wore revealed just a hint of cleavage. Nestled on a long chain between her breasts, where he’d like to put his mouth, was a cluster of pearls. Punch. Punch. Punch. One more and he’d be down for the count. He cleared his throat.
    Sara dampened her lips with her tongue.
    Boom. That was it. He tumbled her into his lap. “I could dedicate myself to a whole night of disproving that kind of claim.”
    â€œIs that so?”
    He kissed the corner of her mouth, just to tease her as she’d been teasing him. Her swift intake of breath was gratifying. “You know how it is with the oldest son. A hardworking overachiever type like me won’t stop till the job is done.”
    He wrapped his hands around her waist, lowered his head and covered her mouth with his. He settled his lips first one way then another, the better to smudge her lipstick. Or was it because he wanted intimate knowledge of every centimeter of her lips?
    At her soft sigh he forgot the game and dipped his tongue past her teeth, savoring her flavor. He felt a rush of satisfaction when her hands crawled up and clung to his shoulders and her breasts rubbed enticingly against his chest. Her tongue coupled with his, thrusting, dancing, and Daniel thought he could spend the next hour just kissing her.
    He probably would have if she hadn’t pulled back. Swaying, Sara visibly caught her breath and ran her not-so-steady index finger around his mouth. “Not yet,” she said, looking a little stunned.
    Daniel swallowed. “Not yet what?”
    â€œYou haven’t kissed off my lipstick.”
    Daniel looked at her stall-tinted lips. “Well, hell, give me another minute or two—”
    Sara shook her head and stood on shaky legs. “Drink your beer while I serve dinner.”
    Daniel thought pouring the beer over his head would be more effective. “Dinner?” He caught her hand.
    She nodded slowly, her eyes still hazy. “Remember,” she said, gently prying his fingers off hers. “Getting there’s half the fun.”
    The meal passed in an ebb and flow of excruciating anticipation. Just when he relaxed, Sara would do something like lick her lips or fiddle with the necklace that lay between her breasts, and Daniel would start feeling crazy all over again.
    â€œDessert okay?” Sara asked.
    Daniel didn’t have to put much effort into appreciating the chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream and raspberries. “Delicious. Where’d you learn how to make it?”
    Sara’s gaze went shuttered. She set her spoon into her bowl. “I, uh, took cooking lessons a long time ago. Someone gave me the lessons as a present with the agreement that I prepare a meal for him when I completed the course.” She picked up her wine and took a deep drink. “I forgot most of the recipes, but I guess the chocolate mousse stuck.” She gave a wry, forced smile. “The way it sticks to the hips.”
    The joke was weak, and Daniel found himself wondering about the shadows that came and went in Sara’s eyes at odd moments.