Page 44 of Man Seeking Woman

I was frozen in place, these feelings of desire swept up and down my body, giving me permission to let the kiss happen. My hand fell against the firm muscle of his chest, touching him delicately. His large palm pressed the small of my back, moving us closer together.

His tongue slipped past my lips, gently swirling around mine. Closing my eyes, I fell under his spell, getting lost in his lips and touch and strength.

The way he cradled my body, I felt safe. The way his mouth worked mine, I felt every vein surge with heat. The way his fingertips softly pinned my back still, holding me so close, I felt like I was home. . .

And as quickly as the feelings flooded my body, my brain screamed to slow down, to get him off me, to put some space between us.

"Why don't you kiss me like that?" I heard Kayla ask Justin, his response a weak grunt and shrug.

Pushing my hands against his chest, I pulled back and took a big breath of air. "Woo," I said, exhaling loudly. Glancing at Kayla, she had a giddy smirk on her face.

"Welcome home," August said, biting on his bottom lip and tugging it in.

"Yeah, welcome home, Ella." Kayla pushed my thigh, moving slightly so she could finally climb out of the car. "Nice place, really, I'm slightly jealous."

Dragging my fingers through my hair, I fanned my face. "August, this is—"

"Kayla Stone," he said instantly. "How are you? How's the family?" August spoke smooth and clear, giving her a big smile. There wasn't one hitch or fumble, he held his command perfectly. "I was lucky enough to see your father recently. How's your mother?"

"She's good, same as usual." Kayla had this awkward pitch to her voice, like a nervous school girl. "I heard about your father, I'm so sorry."

His father? What happened to his father?

Maybe I should have done some research first.

Thinning his lips, August nodded. "Thank you, I appreciate that."

"I'm Justin, Kayla's boyfriend." Stepping between Kay and August, Justin puffed up his chest. He looked a little insecure, and that was a side I hadn't ever seen in Justin.

But it made me smile, watching him feel smaller than he normally held himself, to see him need reassurance from Kayla, grabbing her hand and braiding their fingers together. It was refreshing to know he wasn't a guy who always saw himself as being better than everyone else.

Holding out his hand, August waited for Justin to take it. "I've known Kayla for a long time, her father has been a big part of my father's life."

"Mm, she's never mentioned you before."

August's back snapped square as he sensed the testosterone cloud building between them. The air thickened, growing so dense you could cut it with a knife. It was as if both men felt the need to protect their pride, but neither one knew what they were doing.

The male hormone that fed their brains suddenly seemed to open wide. I felt like I was watching two lions as they circled each other, weighing the danger and trying to figure out the other one's motives. It was all going to boil down to who was the alpha.

Standing taller, August looked down on Justin, giving him a half smile. "And her father's never mentioned you." Twisting to face me, August ran his thumb across the curve of my jaw. "Come on, let's head up stairs, see what the rest of your life looks like." Pinching my chin, he leaned in and kissed my forehead.

Oh my God! I'm melting everywhere!

August slipped his hand down my arm, curling his fingers around mine and leading me inside. Kayla and Justin followed behind us, and I could hear both of them whispering, their tones arguing. Justin wasn't happy and I didn't care. He deserved to feel a little humility, there was no way he would learn otherwise.

Call me cruel, but I liked that he was uncomfortable, I liked that he felt a twinge of discomfort and maybe a little uneasiness with August. Justin was being challenged by another man, a real man.

And that man wasn't even vying for his girlfriend's attention. But it didn't matter, August was competition in Justin's eyes, and that was enough to turn his face a light shade of red, and make his muscles flex for no reason.

Riding up in the elevator, August never let go of my hand. "We're on the top floor, it's an incredible view. You can see all the way out to the Hudson and everywhere in between. I really hope you like it."

The elevator doors slid open and my jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me?" I asked, stepping out into a giant entryway, with marble tiles and a chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling.

There was exposed wood beams that framed the ceiling, with long dangling lights throughout the open floor plan. The windows were crystal clear and ran from floor to ceiling, with a perfect arch across the top.

The marble transformed into elegant wood perfectly, taking you from the kitchen into the living room. A deep blue couch was the centerpiece of the space, with its sleek angles and soft curves.

"Wow," Kayla said, her eyes huge as she walked around the pent house. "No wonder my father wanted me to get a place here."

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