The Last Groom on Earth by Kristin James

to hers, seizing it in a long, demanding kiss. His tongue delved into her mouth; his lips moved hungrily against hers.
    Angela trembled. Her whole body seemed to have burst into flames at his kiss, like dry tinder to a match. Bryce’s hands slid over her hips and around to the sides, then moved back up, stopping only when he reached the undercurve of her breasts. His fingers burned through the cloth of her blouse, creating a tender ache in her breasts and loins. Slowly, still kissing her, Bryce cupped her breasts and moved histhumbs in lazy circles around her nipples, the circles growing ever smaller until it was only the small buds themselves that he touched. He took her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, softly rolling and squeezing. Heat flooded between Angela’s legs, throbbing and damp. It occurred to her that she was still fully dressed, as was he, yet he had made her so hungry and aching for him that she yearned to take him inside her right now.
    “Oh, Angela!” Bryce pulled back, sucking in air. His face was flushed and heavy with sensuality, his lips slightly parted. His eyes were dark and hungry.
    Angela gazed back at him, unable to speak, surging with wild sensations and confused emotions.
    “This is insane,” he breathed.
    Angela nodded.
    “We’re in the office, and it’s the middle of the day.”
    “I know.” She smiled wryly, her sense of humor coming to her rescue, stiffening her trembling legs and allowing her to move away and sit down. “The door isn’t even locked.”
    Bryce mumbled a short expletive and stalked away to the window. He stood for several minutes, staring out. Angela put her elbows on her desk and leaned her head on her hands, trying to recover her breath. Their first kiss that night in his room had not been an aberration, she realized, no matter how she had tried to convince herself that it was. In another moment, unlocked door or not, she would have been ready to slide to the floor and make love with him.
    Thank God, she told herself, that Bryce had had enough presence of mind to stop. Her words echoed hollowly in her head. She knew, deep down, that they were a lie. She had not wanted him to stop at all.
    “I want you,” Bryce said baldly.
    Angela didn’t turn around. “But?”
    “But what?”
    “I don’t know. That’s what I’m asking—there was a ‘but’ in your voice.”
    “All right. But we can’t rush into it. I—you’re Marina’s daughter.”
    “What does that have to do with it?” Angela whipped around, her eyes flashing. “I am myself, not someone’s daughter, and it’s me you’re wanting to take to bed, so don’t start bringing other people into it.”
    “I can’t help it. Your parents are very special to me. I respect them.”
    “Oh, that’s great,” Angela retorted sarcastically. “Usually the issue is whether you’ll respect me in the morning, not my parents.”
    “I would respect both of you,” Bryce replied stiffly, frowning. “But you have to see that this complicates the issue.”
    “The issue?” Angela’s voice rose to a squeak. “Now I’m an issue?”
    “Dammit, Angela, stop trying to start an argument. Believe me, I would love to throw caution to the winds at the moment, but someone has to be sensible. We have to consider the consequences.”
    “You consider the consequences,” Angela said rudely and swung back around to face her desk. “And do it somewhere else. I have work to do.”
    “Angela…”
    “No. Go away.” Angela felt treacherous tears rising in her, and she had to swallow hard to keep control of her voice. “Don’t bother to tell me when you’ve resolved ‘the issue.’ I’m no longer interested.”
    She heard Bryce sigh. He came toward her and stopped behind her, but she refused to look up. Finally, with a low, inarticulate growl, Bryce walked around her and out the door.
    Angela kicked the back panel of her desk. It hurt her toes, but it made her feel so much better that she kicked it two