More Than Neighbors by Isabel Keats

what?” he asked, holding her wrists above her head and moving his face closer to hers. Despite her precarious position, Cat laughed in her contagious way, and Leopold could not help but smile.
    “All right, you win,” she said, grinning, her eyes dancing with amusement.
    “And my reward?” Leopold gazed at her delicate features.
    “We never discussed a reward, Mr. Sinclair.”
    “In that case, I’ll choose my prize.” Burning with desire, he dipped his head even closer, until his lips were within an inch of her mouth. Cat wriggled under his weight, but her attempts to free herself were futile.
    “Don’t do it, Leo—remember the curse,” she whispered, and her warm breath excited him even more.
    “I told you, I’m a pragmatic businessman, Catalina. I don’t believe in curses.”
    Ever so gently, Leopold rested his lips on her cool mouth, and just like the previous two occasions when he’d kissed her, the fuses in his mind suddenly blew. Noticing how Catalina was clearly returning his feelings, he began to kiss her with longing. For a moment, he completely forgot where they were and how they’d gotten there; his only coherent thought was that he had to make her his that instant. He slid his hand under Catalina’s sweater to cup one of her firm breasts and was happy to feel it fit perfectly in his hand. She arched against him and his passion reached a boiling point. However, he soon sensed little gloved fists thumping his shoulders, and he realized that Cat wasn’t excited; she was fighting against him. Horrified, he immediately stopped kissing her and lifted his head.
    “Leo, stop, please,” she begged him with what seemed like an expression of genuine terror.
    “I’m sorry, Catalina, forgive me.” His voice was hoarse and he quickly climbed off her, helping her to her feet.
    Cat managed to stand despite her trembling legs. For God’s sake! She couldn’t understand how this man could excite her so much! It’d taken an almost superhuman effort to ask him to stop, and she was aware that she must not let her treacherous body be in control.
    “There’s nothing to be sorry about, Leo, but we mustn’t let it happen again. I’ve already said you’re not a bad kisser. In fact, you’re rather good, but I don’t want to get involved with a man who’s getting married.” Leopold tried to tell her that was not happening, but she stopped him. “There’s no point in denying it. I know you’re not yourself right now, but when you recover your senses, you’ll be glad I stopped you before you made a silly mistake. I consider you a good friend, Leo, and it’d be crazy to throw away something so rare for a meaningless roll in the hay.”
    Her prudent words rained like heavy blows on Leopold. Stunned, he looked at the lips that had just uttered them, flushed and slightly swollen, and he wanted to reach for them again and kiss them until she begged for mercy. He couldn’t understand what the devil was happening to him. He’d never lost control this way before; if Catalina hadn’t stopped him, he would’ve made love to her right there, on the freezing earth.
    He shook his head, trying to regain his composure. Cat still believed he was going to marry Alison. He had to put her right, but at the same time, he wondered why he should; after all, he didn’t intend to have a serious relationship with Catalina Stapleton, did he?
    The two of them were as different as night and day, and Cat didn’t even fit the curvy-blond stereotype that usually attracted him. What’s more, he knew that she’d never accept his endless work hours or his constant business trips, and he couldn’t risk introducing her to his colleagues—who knew what she might say to them?
    No, Catalina Stapleton was not the right woman for him. His reaction to her was unsurprising in a sense since he hadn’t slept with a woman for almost four months, and that built-up energy had to be released somehow. A little calmer, he regained his voice.