Page 21 of XOXO, Valentina

“I don’t know.”

Her brown eyes hadn’t darted away quickly enough. I’d seen a gleam in them that said screamed everything she wasn’t saying.

She’d watched me getting a blowjob. And she’d been turned on. Gabriella Salinger definitely wasn’t the buttoned-up prude her conservative appearance led everyone to believe. She read porno books, and she watched other people having sex. Beneath her iron exterior, she was soft as silk and hot as black sand in the sun.

I decided to take a risk. I eased out of the booth and slipped in beside Gabriella. Her eyes widened and her lips pursed. Electricity sizzled between us. She’d definitely watched. I could see it in her every movement.

I shifted closer, pressing my advantage shamelessly. “How much did you see?”

Her eyes fluttered closed, and the pink tip of her tongue peeked out to wet her lips. I slid my arm along the back of the booth and toyed with her long ponytail.

“Tell me.”

She sucked in a sharp breath and looked away. She didn’t have to say anything. I knew she’d watched. It was why she hadn’t fired me, because she didn’t want to admit that she’d watched an intimate moment and worse—she’d liked it.

I wrapped my hand around her silky hair and tugged until her eyes opened and met mine. “Tell me, Gabriella,” I said, brushing my lips against her cheek. “Did you watch all of it? Did you watch me come?”

She gasped, and the sound went straight to my dick. The Iron Lady was making me as hard as steel. I pressed my thigh against hers and watched her nipples harden under her T-shirt.

So far, my risks had paid off. If I kissed her, would she push me away? I had to find out. Curling my hand around her neck, I moved in slowly, giving her plenty of time to slap me or tell me to go to hell with my bold intentions.

I brushed my lips against hers, and she went completely still. Her lips were cool, but her breath was warm, puffing against my lips in a sudden exhale. I backed away as slowly as I’d approached, watching the flutter of her long lashes against her cheeks. Before I could put more than an inch between us, her hand fisted my shirt, and she crushed her lips to mine.

10

Chapter 9

Gabi

Oh, good grief. His lips were paradise.

His mouth was as perfect as I’d always suspected. His lips were firm against mine with the right amount of pressure. He held me close, his fingers pressing against the nape of my neck to keep me from backing away. As if I would be so stupid. This might be my only chance to kiss him. We’d never get another opportunity like this. I wasn’t stopping this kiss until I’d satisfied every craving I’d ever had for Joey Morales.

Easier said than done, considering I couldn’t get enough of his mouth on mine. I clutched his shirt and pulled him closer. I threw my leg over his. I think I may have climbed him a little.

The vibration of his moan hummed against my mouth. The little noise made every cell in my body zing to life. A hot burst of desire swept through me, and I couldn’t stop my hands from roaming his chest.

He groaned, and the sweet sound awakened a hunger deep inside me. Scorching heat blazed between us. I’d thought one kiss would satisfy me, but all it did was fill me with need. When I slid my tongue past his lips, he rewarded my boldness and touched his tongue to mine.

My heart sighed, and stars burst inside my chest. All those times I’d watched Joey from afar, wondering what his mouth would taste like, how his tongue would feel… It couldn’t have prepared me for the real thing.

I climbed closer, pawing at his shirt, spreading my hands against his hard chest. The scruff of his beard rubbed my cheeks, softer than I’d imagined. Warm lips, full and pillow-soft, claimed mine in a sensual kiss. His spicy taste filled my mouth, making me hunger for more.

A soft mewling noise penetrated my ears. After a moment, I realized it came from me. I was whimpering like a kitten. Two more seconds of Joey’s talented mouth on mine and the kitten inside would have turned into a lion.

I scrambled back in the booth, tearing my mouth from his. My hands got the message last and released their clutch on his shirt.

The server appeared at the end of the table. “Ready to order?” he asked, getting his pen and pad ready.

I grabbed my purse and climbed over Joey to get out of the booth. I slipped past the server and hurried to the exit. Outside, the cold air shocked my heated skin. I’d forgotten my coat, but there was no way I was going back in there. I couldn’t seem to stop making a fool out of myself in front of Joey.

I heard footsteps behind me and hurried through the parking lot toward my car.

“Gabriella.” Joey stepped in front of me, blocking the path. His eyes blazed with anger. “You can’t kiss me like that and then run off.”

A hot spear of embarrassment pierced my chest. I’d gone off like a firework with one brush of his lips.

He dropped my coat over my shoulders and pulled the sides closed around my chest. My arms were held straight against my sides, and I felt vulnerable yet protected at the same time. He used my coat to tug me forward against his chest. My head tipped back, and my belly flipped.

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