Nice & Naughty by Tawny Weber

and yeah, maybe a little smug, he prepared to fill her in on how he wanted this town-liaison role to work out.
    Before he could say anything, she closed that distance between them again. He froze.
    “I made you uncomfortable, didn’t I?” Her smile pure mischief, she reached out to give his upper arm a sympathetic pat.
    “Don’t be ridiculous.” Nerves he hadn’t realized he had exploded. Unfrozen, he took three steps back. Then another one just for good measure.
    “You are uncomfortable. Nervous even.” Her smile widened, delight dancing in her eyes. “It’s not like I licked you or anything.”
    What the hell? Was she reading his mind and delighting in trying to blow all his preconceived perceptions to pieces? Diego could only shake his head. “You are one hell of a confusing woman. Did you know that?”
    “Me?” She batted her lashes.
    “It’s not a good thing,” he groused.
    “Oh, but it is. You’re so by-the-book, I’ll bet you categorize, organize and file every single thing and person away in your mind. I like the idea of not fitting into a tidy little slot somewhere.”
    Diego frowned. “I’m not uptight.”
    “I didn’t say you were.”
    “That description sounded pretty damn uptight to me.”
    “Was it wrong, though?” she teased.
    Not sure if it was frustration over the unquenched thirst she inspired, or if it was ego demanding he show her just how un-uptight he was, Diego lost it. He actually heard his control snap like an overstretched rubber band.
    He reached out and grabbed her by both arms, easily lifting her off her feet to pull her close again. She gasped. But she didn’t look scared. She looked intrigued.
    That was good enough for him.
    “How uptight is this?” he growled just before his mouth took hers.
    Jade’s body melted against him, so slight, so soft. Her arms rested on his shoulders for balance, her fingers lax. Her lips, sweet and yielding, didn’t move.
    Okay. So maybe he’d read her wrong. Or maybe this was how good girls kissed. Since she was his first, he didn’t know.
    She tasted delicious. Like warm honey with just a hint of something dangerously addictive. Needing one more sip before he let go of the fantasy, he ran the tip of his tongue slowly over her lower lip. Then he gave a gentle suck.
    As if he’d turned a magical key, she went wild. Her fingers spasmed, then dug tight into his shoulders before sliding behind his neck to tangle in his hair and grip his head.
    Her mouth opened, welcoming and eager. Diego dived into the deliciously warm depths, wanting to eat her up in fast, greedy gulps. Her tongue met his in an erotic dance. His breath sped up, his pulse raced. And his body hardened like steel. He needed more. Wanted it all.
    His hands were still gripping her arms, though. His fingers ached to touch her. To feel her soft curves, to slide down the length of those gorgeous legs. To explore every hot, sexy inch of her body.
    But he’d have to put her down to do that. And he wasn’t sure he could force his fingers to release her. He’d never wanted anything, anyone, the way he wanted Jade right now. It was as if he’d suddenly discovered the most important, powerful elixir of life. Kissing Jade made him feel as though he could actually have happiness. Real, lasting happiness.
    A bell rang out, faint but insistent.
    Diego surfaced fast. As if someone had grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and yanked him out of the pool of magical elixir. He shifted, softening the kiss and tuning in to their surroundings again. Or, as Jade’s tongue enticed his back into her mouth, trying to.
    Why had he thought he should slow it down? He couldn’t remember as the taste of her filled his senses again.
    The phone chimed again, accompanied by a buzzing this time. Loud, grating and way too insistent.
    “Shit.”
    Furious for losing control, and for being interrupted before he could lose more of it, Diego set Jade down with a thud. Ignoring her shell-shocked look, he