Page 21 of Climb Me Maybe
The taste of him lingers on my lips, the memory of his hands in my hair making my entire body tingle.
But the look in his eyes when he pulled away—panic, regret, shame—that's what I can't shake.
I should be focused on preparing for my interview, getting a good night's sleep.
Instead, I'm obsessing over a man who just ran away from the best kiss of my life like his hair was on fire.
Professional boundaries.Right.Those things I used to have.
I laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.
But as I lie in bed staring at the ceiling, all I can think about is the way Brady said my name against my lips, like a prayer and a curse all at once.
And how badly I want to hear it again.
CHAPTER6
BRADY
Ispend half the night pacing my cabin like a caged animal, replaying that kiss over and over until I want to punch something.
I can still taste her, the memory of her legs wrapped around my waist making my cock throb with want.
What the hell was I thinking?
She's a professional.She came here to do a job, to interview for a position that could change her life, and I...I mauled her on her porch like some desperate teenager.
Sunrise finds me hacking at a fallen log with all the subtlety of a chainsaw murder.Graham wanders by with a coffee mug full of steaming judgment, telling me I look like something Rourke will probably cough up this morning, and I wince before telling him to get lost.
But two hours of chopping firewood hasn’t done much but give me something to do while I think about her sexy mouth and her breathy “do it anyway” as it snarls through my skull.
The rational thing to do is stay away, let her finish her week here without me complicating it.But the thought of leaving things like this—with her thinking I ran because I didn't want her—makes my chest ache.
I have to apologize.Again.Face to face.
The walk to Imogen’s cabin feels longer than my first solo climb.My knock cracks the silence like dropped kindling.
"Who is it?"she calls.
“Brady,” I answer, my palms sweating.
She opens the door, wearing pajama pants and aNamaste in BedT-shirt, pink hair sleep-mussed.She looksgorgeous.
"I wasn't sure you'd?—"
"I came to apologize," I interrupt, the words rushing out.
She opens the door wide and turns to walk back inside.
I close the door and follow her."Last night was completely out of line.I took advantage of the situation, of your kindness, and I'm sorry."
She tilts her head, studying me."Took advantage how?"
"You've been nothing but professional with me, and I..."I scrub my hands over my face."I shouldn't have kissed you.It was wrong."
"Was it?"She moves closer to me."Because I'm pretty sure I kissed you back."
"That's not the point?—"
