I open my mouth to apologize to the both when I’m rendered mute by the gorgeous woman in purple scrubs rounding the corner.
“Oh. Spencer. Nellie. Hi!” Cortney pulls the two black and brown kittens in her arms closer to her chest. She looks at her assistant. “I thought we were on lunch.”
“I didn’t get a chance to flip the sign before these two walked in,” the receptionist grins.
“Flip it now, please,” Cortney replies.
The woman behind the desk gathers her purse. “I’ll be back in thirty.” On her way out the door, she turns the Open sign around and locks the entrance behind her.
“What are you two doing here?” Cortney gives me a radiant smile that stalls my heart mid-beat. I swear she’s going to put me into cardiac arrest.
“We were on our way for ice cream when Sutton’s girl here saw your animal posters on the window and thought you were a pet store.”
“I really wanted to pet a kitten.” She’s set her target on the two kittens in Cortney’s arms.
“Well, I think it’s your lucky day, Nellie. These two babies came in this morning and have just finished their exam. If you guys have a few minutes, I don’t mind if she gives them a little attention.”
“Really?” Nellie breathes, her eyes growing round at the prospect of her wish coming true.
“Of course. They could use some socializing.”
Cortney leads us around the corner to an exam room. I try not to stare at how good her ass looks in those tight scrub pants.
I might as well go ahead and change my name to failure.
She sets up Nellie on the floor and deposits the two small kittens in her lap. Nellie immediately gets to work petting one kitten with each hand.
“We’ll be right out here, honey. Just yell if you need anything.” Cortney shuts the door softly behind her.
“We can watch from the window,” she says, peering inside to make sure they’re still fine.
I give her ten seconds of watching my niece before my patience runs out.
“Cortney,” I rasp.
“Hmm?”
“Don’t make me ask you for a kiss.”
Amusement sparkles in her dark brown eyes. “Oh, I wouldn’t dare.” The tips of her sneakers nearly touch mine, and she flattens her palms against my chest.
At six-foot-one to her five-foot-nine, I only have about four inches of height on her, so her mouth isright there.One tiptoe lift from colliding with mine. An eternity stretches between us as she delivers a teasing grin and slowly rises.
The curves of her hips fit perfectly in my palms. I grip her tight and yank her flush as my need takes over. In the exhale before our lips touch, I decide then and there that I’ll never get sick of kissing Cortney Powell.
Not in this lifetime or the next one.
Raw desire consumes me as my mouth slams down on hers. The intensity pulses between us like a living, breathing thing. The air is thick, and my heartbeat thunders in my ears. We begin a game of push and pull, a tug-of-war that has no losers. We’re both winners here, gripping that rope tethering us together and pulling one another closer.
She gasps around a throaty moan, her head falling back as I trail kisses down her throat. The trip is short as I eagerly return to her succulent mouth. I walk her backward until her back presses against the wall beside the exam room door. Cocking my knee, I wedge my thigh between hers as we make out for long minutes like two hormonal teenagers beneath high school bleachers.
She loops her arms around my neck and plays with the hairs at the back of my head. Her touch is electric, sending a frisson down my spine. I find the edge of her scrubs and fiddle with the neat bow tied tightly at her waist.
“Careful there, Casanova. One slip and my pants will be around my ankles.”
“Maybe that’s what I’m going for.”
Her sneaky fingers find their way beneath my shirt and crawl across my abs. They jump beneath her touch. “Bridget’s lunch break isn’t long enough,” she murmurs against my lips.