Page 80 of Falling into Place
“It’s perfect.” Her poor heart couldn’t handle it.
Andthen.
The man got dressed.
She looked up from her phone just as he came out of his closet in gray slacks and a crisp white dress shirt, open at the collar (which was crooked: even hotter), revealing a sliver of skin lightly dusted with hair. He held one arm extended, fiddling with the sleeve button with the other hand.
She scooted to the edge of the bed. “Come here. I’ll help you.”
He arched a brow at her tone, which yes, was more than a touch bossy, but came willingly.
Instead of buttoning the cuff she rolled the sleeve up, just below his elbow, and asked him to move back.
He took one step away from her, looking slightly confused but mostly amused. “Here?”
She nodded. “Do the other one.”
“Roll up my sleeve?”
She bit her lip and nodded again. She may never have this opportunity again, and this wasn’t one she’d pass up.
He rolled the fabric up in phases, moving slow for her benefit probably, the muscles in his forearms flexing.
His eyes never left hers, enjoying this as much as she was.
Her voice came out breathy. “Now cross your arms.”
“Like this?”
She released a slow exhale. “Yeah.” That image would be burned into her brain for all time, perfect for calling upon when she was old and bedridden and looking for memories from when she was young and full of life.
He seemed to revel in her studying him for a few moments, the corners of his mouth tipping up. Then his gaze darted to the side and back to her. “Okay, now I feel weird.”
“Tie, next.”
“I really do think you have a fetish.”
“With a sexy doctor getting dressed up while I watch? Yes, I absolutely do.”
He grinned, neck flushing pink, and grabbed the tie. He flipped up the collar and turned to face the mirror above the dresser, sliding the tie around his throat. It was tempting to get up and help—stand in front of him or maybe sit on the dresser and pull him between her legs while she folded a perfect half Windsor. But she couldn’t move just now with this view.
The slacks fit remarkably well and looked great on his ass as he leaned forward just a little, tucking his full bottom lip between his teeth with focus. The fabric made a slight brushing sound every so often when it slid across his shirt or as he pulled the silk through the knot. She was momentarily distracted by his hair, too, which he hadn’t done yet. Would he let her watch him fix it, too? Or maybe ... maybe she could rub the product through the thick strands herself?
“I haven’t worn a tie since my last job interview.” He turned to face her and held his hands out. “Well?”
“I’m impressed,” she managed to get out. Her whole body was on fire. She stood on wobbly legs and approached him. “It’s just a touch uneven ... There.” She let her hands rest on his hard chest after she straightened it. The fresh, spicy scent of his soap surrounding her was just delicious, and his body so warm. She leaned in, just a little.
His breath hitched, and he didn’t move for a few seconds. She should move back, now. Walk away. Abort mission.
Heart in her throat, she couldn’t seem to make herself go.
“Look at me,” he rasped as he covered her hands with his, pressing them harder into his body. His chest rose and fell as his fingers slowly moved down her arms and curved around her shoulders, one hand cupping her neck as his thumb brushed her earlobe.
She shivered and tilted her face up to find his heated gaze on her eyes, then drop to her mouth. His heart raced beneath her palm, and the silent tension in the moment was thick with barely restrained energy. Her stomach clenched when his thumb took another sweep, this timealong the sensitive skin behind her ear, and she went up on her toes, the need to touch her lips to his a million times stronger than her desire to preserve her makeup.
It was one of those kisses that wasn’t demanding on the surface but carried expectation in its promise of what it could become. The way his fingers curled into her hair and her stranglehold on his tie that turned her knuckles white communicated what they both wanted.
The pull between them was intoxicating.
