Page 66 of Firecracker

“I’m fine. I was just a little nervous…it’s still new here, and the storm was wild, so…”

“I get it.”

He’d run into her apartment to rescue her. Admittedly it hadn’t been on fire, but his intent had been the same. She shivered, her nipples tightening.

“Cold?”

“Um, a little.”

Tyler set his mug down on her coffee table and reached for the throw blanket draped over the back of the couch. He shook it out and shifted closer to her to drape it around her. His hands lingered on her shoulders, and she looked up at him, his face so close. She breathed in that intoxicating scent again, studying his strong jaw and long eyelashes and…his mouth…his perfectly shaped lips…

Her breath caught in her throat and heat built between them as his lips parted and his fingers tightened on her shoulders. “Arden…”

She dragged her bottom lip between her teeth, her heart racing. White-hot desire tore through her, an undeniable, overwhelming need to feel his mouth on hers, to feel his body against hers, his arms around her. To just…give into the lust heating her insides.

Her eyelids lowered. His mouth moved closer. Only a breath apart, he paused. The silence of the room vibrated around them.

She closed her eyes and tipped her chin up so their mouths met.

A low groan rumbled in his chest and his mouth opened against hers in a long, clinging kiss. And another kiss. Slow liquid heat pooled inside her, her breasts growing heavy. Heat radiated from his bare skin and she lifted a hand to lay it over one firm pectoral. The muscle jumped at her touch and with another groan, he tilted his head, opened his mouth wider and deepened the kiss.

Oh holy hell. Rational thought fled as heat flooded her body. She made a noise of need in her throat as he devoured her mouth with long, deep kisses. His tongue slid into her mouth and met hers in a dizzying, panty-melting caress.

Tyler knew how to kiss. Wow, did he know how to kiss. He tasted amazing, faintly of the chamomile and sexy male. His stubble grazed her jaw, so male and a little rough, and she loved it.

Lightning flashed and thunder crashed, and she was almost oblivious to it, dazed and breathless, the storm inside her more powerful than the one outside. Her head whirled, her body pulsed and ached.

“Fuck.” He leaned his forehead against hers, and it thrilled her that he was panting and trembling just like she was. “Christ, Arden, your mouth…” He brushed another kiss over her lips, and she parted instinctively for him. “Never imagined you would taste so goddamn good.”

She moaned. “You taste good too. Kiss me again.”

This time, he hauled her right up against him, crushing her aching breasts to his chest, and it felt amazing. The blanket dropped away and his hands came up to cup her face, holding it while his mouth took hers. She kissed him back, and they both slid a little lower on the couch, one of her knees lifting up over his legs. She wanted to be closer still.

His hands slid into her hair, now holding the back of her head, his thumbs caressing her jawline, and she melted even more at the tenderness of his touch. She let her hands roam, exploring hard muscles and hot skin, smooth in some places, hair-roughened in others.

“Oh God.” She let out a soft sigh as he used his thumbs to tip her head back and stroked his tongue along her throat. His lips latched onto her skin and sucked so gently. She was on fire everywhere, her nipples tingling, her inner muscles squeezing.

He kissed her mouth again and one of his hands slid over her shoulder, brushed one taut nipple straining at the thin cotton of her nightie, then swept along her waist and hip and around to her bottom. The short nightie had ridden up and, with only cheeky panties beneath it, he found bare skin and squeezed.

Her breath left her all at once, making her head swim. Tyler’s big hand on her butt cheek felt amazing, a sensual wicked promise of more. He palmed her flesh, pulling her closer still until she was pressed against his muscular thigh, just where she needed it. A moan climbed up her throat as throbbing sensation built there, spreading through her body.

“You have the sweetest ass.”

“Th-thank you.”

His mouth teased over the side of her neck, her jaw, her cheek. He kissed each eyelid, the tip of her nose then her mouth again, his tongue licking inside in a deep, wet kiss that had every nerve ending in her body burning.

His hands moved over her, one fisting in her hair, pulling her head back, his other caressing her throat and jaw. She opened her eyes and met his, almost gasping at the desire blazing there. His fingertips brushed over her cheek and she swallowed at the intensity of the moment, their gazes locked, his hand on her vulnerable throat. Heat shimmered through her.

“You’re beautiful, Arden.” His voice was a rasp. “So goddamn beautiful.”

Her heart swelled in her chest and she could only stare, mesmerized.

“I want to do such bad, dirty things to you. You, the perfect prom queen.”

“I thought we already established that I’m not perfect.”

“So you’re saying you’re okay with that?”

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