More Than You Know by Jennifer Gracen

them back from her face. He tucked the wavy lock behind her ear with deliberate slowness, a feather’s touch. A feather’s touch that ignited a surge of desire throughout her whole body.
    Up close, he was only better looking—the incredibly blue eyes, the Roman nose, the high cheekbones and square jaw. For once, it wasn’t covered in day-old scruff, he was clean-shaven. She wanted to lick and nibble her way along that strong jaw, straight to those full, pouty lips of his. God, what she would do to him. . . .
    She licked her suddenly dry lips and watched his eyes shoot to her mouth, glued. The pull between them was electric, a tangible thing. Unable to stop herself, she smirked as she purred, “You’re thinking about kissing me, aren’t you.”
    â€œHell yes I am.” His voice was husky, pitched low.
    â€œDon’t,” she said, even as her stomach filled with butterflies and her heart thumped.
    â€œI won’t.” He edged even closer. She could feel the heat from his body, he stood so close. The corner of his full, sensual mouth curved up again as he stared her down and added, “You want me to, though.”
    He wanted to flirt, to play? Oh, game on. She was still wired, on an adrenaline high from performing and the whole incredible night. After a good gig, she felt invincible. She sure did tonight. And she loved to flirt. And she sure knew how to play. She lifted her face to his, let her warm breath tickle his lips for a drawn out second, and murmured, “What makes you so sure?”
    â€œI’m sure,” he said. He lifted a finger to her neck, let it trail down the side of her throat with slow heat, and found her traitorous pulse, pounding away. He pressed his fingertip there for a few seconds before grinning victoriously. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure you want me to kiss you.”
    She moved in closer, letting her breasts brush against his chest as she leaned against him ever so lightly. His intake of breath was soft, but she caught it. Tipping up her chin, she whispered in his ear, “When— if —I want you to kiss me again, you’ll know it.” And she moved away, taking two steps back. If she didn’t, she would’ve pounced on him right there on the sidewalk. “Anything else, Boss?”
    His eyes blazed, that searing blue capturing her and sending heat straight down her spine. A muscle jumped in his jaw. She’d gotten to him. But he was cool and collected as always, damn him, reining it in and flashing that killer grin. “One other thing.” He slanted a look at her. “You finish up pretty late here when you work. I know you have to go all the way back to Long Island, by yourself. And Kelvin lives in Astoria, right?”
    â€œYes. So?”
    â€œSo he’s a six-foot-tall man who can obviously fend for himself. He goes home alone on the subway at two in the morning, I don’t have to worry about him. You, it’s a little different.”
    She quirked a brow at him. “Do you worry about all your female employees this way?”
    â€œNo. You’re special,” he said, then added, “I’ve got a lot riding on you.”
    Julia tried to ignore the flutter of disappointment. He wasn’t worried about her, he was worried about his new hot commodity. She said nothing. She’d learned a long time ago that in business—hell, life in general—whoever speaks first, loses. She’d gotten quite good at letting her stony silence do the hard work. Not knowing what to say, she kept quiet.
    Dane gazed at her, then seemed to realize she wasn’t giving him an inch. He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I wanted to offer you something. An employee perk, if you will.”
    She still said nothing, just waited, meeting his gaze directly.
    He shifted from one foot to the other. “On nights that go late, if there’s bad weather, if you’re too tired, if you just