arms loosened around me without entirely letting go. Still, it was enough room to move my arms between us. I dashed at my cheeks with shaking hands, feeling like the biggest idiot. I knew I needed to keep my distance from him. From the moment I’d spotted him, he threatened my careful control. And now look at me. I was crying .
“What? What do you want from me?” I whispered feverishly. “Why are you here . . . why are you doing this to me?”
Why couldn’t he just leave me alone?
He loomed over me. So close. Too close. Looking down at me, he shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Mortified that I was actually crying in front of him, I shoved free with a choked little sound and spun around again, sniffing back tears.
“Emerson.” He said my name on a breath that I felt right at my nape. My skin turned to goose flesh. Part of me wanted to turn around but I held myself still.
His large hands fell on my shoulders and rotated me around. Standing face-to-face again, his hands dropped. He dragged one hand through his dark hair, sending the strands flying briefly before settling back into place. We just stared at each other in a silent communion. It was strange. There were no words, but something was happening, something passing between us. It sounds like a cliché, but I’d never felt anything like it before. Not with any other guy.
His hands lifted and slid over my tear-soaked cheeks, holding me almost tenderly. He looked troubled. There was no other word for it. “I don’t know what it is you do to me.”
I do something to him?
His voice continued, a dark little whisper rushing over my lips. “But I’m not going to fight it anymore.”
As his warm mouth came down on mine, a jolt that felt like electricity shot through me. Along with that, a thousand thoughts chased through me as his lips pressed to mine, softer and more persuasive than I would have imagined possible from this hard-looking guy.
I could just step back. I could say one word. No . I could turn and walk back into the bar. He wouldn’t stop me. Not this time. I knew that.
All of these options presented themselves to me in a single flash, but I took the only option I could. The only one there was.
I kissed him back.
UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE
HarperCollins Publishers
....................................
Chapter 7
T he instant I softened against him, everything changed. His lips went from soft and tender to hard and demanding. From gentle and seeking to needy and desperate.
And I was right there with him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood up on my tiptoes, plastering myself against his chest. I felt a growl rumble up from his chest. He dipped for a second, wrapping his arms around me and lifting me up off my feet.
I gasped and he took advantage. His tongue swept inside my mouth, tasting me everywhere, stroking my tongue, tracing over my teeth. With every lick of his tongue he pushed me closer to the edge.
My world jarred with motion and I knew he was walking me somewhere, carrying me like I weighed nothing at all. I didn’t look up. I didn’t care. I buried my hands in his hair and devoured his mouth, his lips, his tongue. I broke away and nibbled down his throat. I caught his ear lobe between my teeth and his gasping hiss was my reward.
He staggered and bumped a vehicle. The sudden peal of a car alarm had us jumping apart. I slid down his hard length, releasing a shaky laugh. I ran a trembling hand down my face, my fingers lingering on my lips.
His hand joined mine on my face, his eyes glittering at me in the dark. His chest lifted with heavy breaths. He was just as affected as I was and this made me melt even hotter inside.
What was happening to me? I’d kissed my fair share of boys but I’d never felt anything like this before.
His husky voice fanned my lips. “I love the sound of your laugh.”
“You do?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “You should do it more.” He took my hand and pulled me after
“What? What do you want from me?” I whispered feverishly. “Why are you here . . . why are you doing this to me?”
Why couldn’t he just leave me alone?
He loomed over me. So close. Too close. Looking down at me, he shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Mortified that I was actually crying in front of him, I shoved free with a choked little sound and spun around again, sniffing back tears.
“Emerson.” He said my name on a breath that I felt right at my nape. My skin turned to goose flesh. Part of me wanted to turn around but I held myself still.
His large hands fell on my shoulders and rotated me around. Standing face-to-face again, his hands dropped. He dragged one hand through his dark hair, sending the strands flying briefly before settling back into place. We just stared at each other in a silent communion. It was strange. There were no words, but something was happening, something passing between us. It sounds like a cliché, but I’d never felt anything like it before. Not with any other guy.
His hands lifted and slid over my tear-soaked cheeks, holding me almost tenderly. He looked troubled. There was no other word for it. “I don’t know what it is you do to me.”
I do something to him?
His voice continued, a dark little whisper rushing over my lips. “But I’m not going to fight it anymore.”
As his warm mouth came down on mine, a jolt that felt like electricity shot through me. Along with that, a thousand thoughts chased through me as his lips pressed to mine, softer and more persuasive than I would have imagined possible from this hard-looking guy.
I could just step back. I could say one word. No . I could turn and walk back into the bar. He wouldn’t stop me. Not this time. I knew that.
All of these options presented themselves to me in a single flash, but I took the only option I could. The only one there was.
I kissed him back.
UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE
HarperCollins Publishers
....................................
Chapter 7
T he instant I softened against him, everything changed. His lips went from soft and tender to hard and demanding. From gentle and seeking to needy and desperate.
And I was right there with him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood up on my tiptoes, plastering myself against his chest. I felt a growl rumble up from his chest. He dipped for a second, wrapping his arms around me and lifting me up off my feet.
I gasped and he took advantage. His tongue swept inside my mouth, tasting me everywhere, stroking my tongue, tracing over my teeth. With every lick of his tongue he pushed me closer to the edge.
My world jarred with motion and I knew he was walking me somewhere, carrying me like I weighed nothing at all. I didn’t look up. I didn’t care. I buried my hands in his hair and devoured his mouth, his lips, his tongue. I broke away and nibbled down his throat. I caught his ear lobe between my teeth and his gasping hiss was my reward.
He staggered and bumped a vehicle. The sudden peal of a car alarm had us jumping apart. I slid down his hard length, releasing a shaky laugh. I ran a trembling hand down my face, my fingers lingering on my lips.
His hand joined mine on my face, his eyes glittering at me in the dark. His chest lifted with heavy breaths. He was just as affected as I was and this made me melt even hotter inside.
What was happening to me? I’d kissed my fair share of boys but I’d never felt anything like this before.
His husky voice fanned my lips. “I love the sound of your laugh.”
“You do?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “You should do it more.” He took my hand and pulled me after
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