Prince of a Guy by Jill Shalvis Page A

taste good.”
    “Sean—” She planted a hand on his chest and pushed, because she couldn’t think with his mouth on her. “You’re supposed to be out there socializing.”
    “I know.” His hands were very busy, molding her hips, her spine, her bottom. “Oh, yeah,” he murmured. “This is helping, believe me. Now tell me why you were hiding.”
    Capturing his hands, she let out a nervous laugh. “Somehow I lost my touch with this socializing thing. I’m no help to you here tonight. I’m sorry.”
    “It’s easy, remember?” Sean’s mouth followed the curve of her jaw. “Just carry a drink and smile.”
    He was mocking her. And kissing the corner of her mouth. His hands broke free from hers. One big, warm one skimmed up her cheek, and his fingers gripped the earpiece of her glasses.
    He was going to take them off. Putting her hand over his, she waited until he lifted his head. “Sean…” The way he was looking at her was intoxicating, with all the dazed heat. “Not here.”
    “You feel it, too.”
    “I always have.”
    He went very still, then skimmed a slow hand up and down her spine. “I’m not sure what to do with all this wanting, Carly.”
    For the first time, the name Carly wasn’t a heart stopper. It didn’t make her sad, because suddenly she no longer yearned to hear him call her Carlyne. She liked Carly.
    She wanted to be her.
    Maybe, after she told him the truth tonight, she could find a way to make that happen, could find a way to meld both her lives together into one she could live with. In his embrace, she could almost imagine everything would be okay.
    He bent his head and kissed her again, softly. “I can feel you,” he whispered. “Your skin, your curves, your heat. Why are you hiding all that from me? Don’t you know how beautiful you are?”
    Tears stung her eyes. Had a man ever been so attracted to her? Never. And it wasnow, when she was looking about as bad as she could look, that it really hit home.
    He wanted her no matter what she looked like. He was attracted to what she was on the inside. That simple. “Sean, we…need to talk.”
    “Hmm.” He occupied himself with kissing her neck, then tugged away the sweater to expose more skin.
    “Really. Talk first.” But her voice was weak.
    He found her collarbone, and she let out a helpless hum. He had one hand at the small of her back, urging her closer, his other slipping down, down, cupping her bottom while he slowly rocked his erection against her.
    A hungry, desperate groan escaped each of them, interrupted by a knock at the door.
    Slowly, very slowly, Sean lifted his head, his breathing rough and ragged. “Coming,” he called, his voice a bit hoarse. “Let’s go home,” he whispered to Carly. “Now.”
    “To talk.”
    “To everything.”

9
    S EAN OPENED the bathroom door and stared into the startled faces of Sam and his wife, Helena. His hosts.
    “Sean,” Sam said with amusement.
    Helena looked Carly over with interest and lifted a brow. She’d been trying to set Sean up with one girlfriend after another for the better part of a year. “Well, hello.”
    “Having fun, are we?” Sam asked with a wide grin.
    “Sorry for the holdup. We…need to go.”
    “I see.” Helena kissed his cheek. “Nice seeing you.”
    “Thanks.” Sean took Carly’s hand and led her through the crowded house toward the door.
    They were stopped time after time by clients, friends of clients, would-be clients. Frustrated, he abruptly changed tactics and took them through the living room, which had been cleared to allow dancing. There, heheaded toward the sliding glass door, which led to the open yard.
    “Slow down,” Carly whispered breathlessly.
    On the patio, he turned, reached for her. Their bodies brushed together, then again, deliberately. He ran a hand down her back, urging her even closer. “I can’t get you out of my head, Carly. How you taste, how you feel. The sounds you make when I touch you.”
    He was gratified