Page 67 of Let It Breathe
Reese blinked. “What?”
“The floor. You’re kneeling in a puddle.”
She looked down, her face warming. “Right. I was already wet. I mean, I was out there in the rain and?—”
She stopped talking, her cheeks flaming despite the chill in the room. She looked up in time to see Clay close his eyes for just an instant. When he reopened them, they locked on hers. He moved his hand and Reese felt a pang of disappointment at the loss of his warmth.
Then he reached up and grazed her cheek with his fingertips. He pushed a few strands of damp hair from her face, his gaze holding hers. Reese held her breath as her pulse pounded in her ears.
Before she could register what was happening, Clay leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers, tentative at first, testing.
Reese clutched the front of his shirt and pulled him to her. He kissed her harder then, his palms cupping her face as his mouth explored hers. He tasted cool, like he’d been nibbling the rain-soaked mint leaves beside the barn.
The heavy spatter of droplets on the roof and the soft rush of their breath filled Reese’s ears, fighting for space with the pounding of blood in her head.
Clay deepened the kiss, his lips warm and soft and so very, very good at what they were doing. Reese gasped at the delicious scrape of his stubbled cheek against her chilled one.
She wanted to devour him, to explore every inch of his mouth, of his body. Clay kissed her harder, responding to her need or maybe his own. His hand cupped her face, holding her against him while his other hand slid up her side. She felt his fingertips graze the side of her breast and she pressed into him, craving more. He slid his thumb over her nipple as the rest of the fingers cupped her breast, testing the weight. His lips moved from hers and down her jaw, planting a trail of kisses in the hollow of her throat. His thumb stroked her nipple again and Reese cried out, wanting all of him at once.
At the sound of her whimper, Clay drew back. His eyes flashed from desire to alarm, like she’d bitten him.
He dropped his hands to his sides and pulled away. “Reese, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”
She blinked at him, her breath still coming fast. “It’s okay. Really?—”
“No, it’s not okay. God, my best friend’s wife?—”
“Ex-wife.”
“And my employer?—”
“I haven’t actually paid you.”
“And right before you’re going out on a date?—”
“Date?” Reese sat back on her heels, breathless, as reality slithered into her consciousness like a drizzle of rainwater down her neck. “Right. A date.”
She dropped her hands from Clay’s chest and looked down at her watch. It was almost five. She took a breath. “Dammit.”
He jumped to his feet and reached down to help her up. Reese took his hand, dizzy for reasons that had nothing to do with standing up too fast.
Clay wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Here, let me find you a towel or something. You must be freezing.”
“Clay, really—it’s fine.” She took another breath. “These things happen. Lord knows we’ve both learned that.”
He nodded and stepped back, still holding her hand. He took a breath and let go. “Have a good date, okay?”
He stood there for two more pulse beats. Then he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there with a puddle of rainwater at her feet and her heart lodged firmly in her throat.
Chapter 9
Clay wasn’t surprised when his sponsor called that evening to check in. He was only surprised it had taken so long.
“Hey, Patrick,” Clay said when he grabbed his cell phone off the nightstand in his hotel room. “Thanks again for sending the vet out. I owe you for that.”
“No problem. Everything’s okay with the camel?”
“Alpaca. He’s doing great. Dr. Wally’s a great guy, really helpful.”
