Page 20 of Cherish

“That is what you do with a beer.”

“But you just drank out of it. It’s a bit familiar, don’t you think?”

“That didn’t seem to be a problem for you when you ate from my fork?”

I arch my eyebrows at her as I wait for her next move. She holds my gaze as she finally lifts the bottle to her lips. While she sips, putting her mouth where mine just was, I take a step closer to her until her back is against the refrigerator door.

“You have no idea howfamiliarI want to be with you, angel.”

I expect to see her cheeks turn pink at my implication, but they don’t. She removes the bottle from her lips, her eyes never leaving mine.

“I think I do,” she says, taking a small step to the side, away from my awakened body.

I pull the bottle out of her hand and take another pull. “Like I said, these aren’t for the guests?”

“Are you calling me a bad guest?”

“I am,” I say, sipping again. “Very bad.”

“I’m so sorry, Dr. Dupree,” she says with a fake pout. She takes the bottle from me, her fingers grazing over my hand.

“I don’t think you’re sorry at all.”

“So smart. I see why you’re a doctor. You’re very astute.”

“Not the half-wit you thought I was, huh?” I smile at her before snatching the bottle from her again. Her eyes find mine, and she inhales loudly. I take a step closer to her and hand her back the bottle.

“I saw you invited Dr. Doyle,” she says. Remembering my words to Jake, I grab her wrist and pull her back to the front of the fridge. Before she can react, I take another step forward, invading her space completely as I press my body on hers.

“Who?”

“Do you know that he and I went out on two dates?” She swallows nervously as she sips the beer. I’m so close to her, I know she can feel the hardness in my pants. I’m so close that every time she exhales, I feel her hardened nipples against my chest.

“I didn’t know that, no,” I say, sounding bored. “And I don’t care either.”

“We kissed,” she adds as if she didn’t hear the last words I spoke.

“Did you now?” This time her breasts are against my chest, my cock is granite in my pants, and her pink lips are only a breath away. As much as I don’t want to think about John Doyle, I can’t help but think about what a complete idiot he is for letting this angel walk away, and right into my path.

“Yes,” she says, breathless.

CHAPTER 11

ALEX

“So,” Jason says as he has me pinned against the fridge, “how was it?” His voice is tight as I feel my breasts press against his brick-like chest. Already, I know the kiss was nowhere near as good as what I’m feeling now, and our lips haven’t even touched. “I heard that you think he’s your soul mate. That’s a huge deal, Alex. Meeting one’s soul mate. Tell me, did your souls actually mate? Did your toes curl when he kissed you? Did you feel your pulse accelerate? Did he make you lose your breath? Make you forget your name, who you are and where you were?”

He drops his voice when he asks the last question. He drops his gaze too. He went from looking into my eyes to staring at my lips.

“Don’t be silly,” I say, breathless. “It wasn’t a movie or a romance novel. You don’t think those things actually happen, do you?”

I wait for him to take a step back, but he doesn’t. He stands there, in my space, our bodies teasing each other with just a bare touch.

“So, it was like kissing your grandpa? How disappointing,” he says, his eyes never leaving my mouth. He takes the bottle from me again, finishing our shared drink with one last swallow.

“I don’t have a grandpa,” is what spews out of my mouth.

“He’s been here for a while now. I haven’t seen you look his way once, but every time I’ve looked at you, you were looking at me. Even when he was standing right next to me, your eyes never left my body.”

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