The Librarian Principle by Helena Hunting Page A

to wake up.” As she rolled onto her back, the sheets twisted around her calf to expose her torso.
    She looked at him, and what she saw made her fear this would be her only chance to be with him this way. His contemplative frown unsettled her. The consequences of their actions seemed too big a burden to carry.
    Ryder’s index finger traced the valley between her breasts, drifting over the swell to circle a nipple. “Yes, it certainly was.”
    He bent to kiss her, sucking her breast into his mouth, and his tongue swirled around the taut peak. He released it and blew on the tip, watching it tighten.
    He shifted and straddled her, rendering her secure beneath him. He looked past her to the night table where the clock glared its unwanted beacon. Their time had come to an end. “I need to get ready for work. I’m already running behind.”
    Liese was slow to process the electronic glow of the alarm clock. “Oh, God! We’re going to be late!” She pushed on his chest and struggled to sit up with Ryder still poised on top of her. “I have to go home and change.” She inhaled and blushed. “And shower. I smell like sex.”
    Ryder’s eyes narrowed as he bore down on her. Gathering her wrists in his hands, he kept her from leaving the bed.
    “ What are you doing?” Panic and lust surged through her. She wanted to stay but needed to go.
    “ I like the way you smell.” He breathed her in, his mouth hovering above the swell of her breast, his hair tickling her chin.
    “ Ryder, we’re going to be late.”
    “ No, we’re not.”
    “ Yes, we—”
    Ryder raised his head, his lips at the corner of her mouth, and she pursed hers together. Like hell she was going to kiss him before she brushed her teeth.
    “ Open,” he whispered.
    Liese shook her head.
    He shifted, his knee coming between her own. As he pressed his hips into hers she felt what seemed to be an erection but clearly couldn’t be since they’d finished having sex just minutes ago. As she began to state that fact, Ryder took the advantage and kissed her fiercely. Her hesitation dissipated as desperation took over. When he finally broke the kiss, she was breathless and hot all over again.
    “ I really don’t want to leave this bed.” He released her hands and buried his face in the pillow beside her, his cheek pressed against hers.
    In a consoling gesture, she ran her hand down his back, feeling the flex of muscles. “We could call in sick.” Liese hated the hopefulness in her voice.
    He shook his head, and although she knew playing hooky wouldn’t be an option, she felt a pang of hurt.
    He rolled off of her, shifting to sit on the edge of the bed, facing away. “I took the liberty of enrolling you in a professional development session that runs until noon today. Of course, you’re not expected to attend, but you’ll need to be at FAHL by twelve-thirty.” He scrubbed his face with his palm. “You can go back to sleep for a while, if you’d like. I’ll be in the shower.”
    He pushed off the mattress, head dropping as he paused, then spun to face her with an expression that bordered on terror, his hand covering his semi-erect cock. “Fuck. What the hell was I thinking?”
    “ Pardon?”
    At her confusion he continued, “No condom.”
    “ Oh. I get the shot.”
    His shoulders relaxed a little. “Regardless, that was incredibly irresponsible of me.”
    “ I trust you. I would have stopped you if I was concerned,” she said, fingering the edge of the sheets. She’d been so preoccupied with how good it felt, she hadn’t clued in to the why of it.
    He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. “Still, I apologize. I’m not so sure your trust was well earned, considering my lack of judgment.”
    He withdrew without deepening the kiss and turned away.
    Liese took in the sinewy expanse of his back, which led to his perfect ass, as Ryder moved across the room. The bathroom door closed behind him, cutting off her spectacular view, and the