Page 110 of Hoax and Kisses
His eyes darken, and the next thing I know, his mouth crashes into mine.
This isn’t just a kiss—it never is with him. It’s all the hunger we’ve been holding back, all the words we’ve been afraid to say.
Every sweep of his tongue is laced with desperation and urgency, as though we’ve both been holding our breath for too long. Every kiss is a spark, every touch a blaze, kindling a fire deep within me that I can’t ignore anymore.
With his hands on my waist, he pulls me flush against him. The world narrows until there’s nothing left but the heat of him, the taste of him, the way he fits against me like we were always meant to be this close.
I melt like wax on a flame.
Head tipped farther, I open more. How can I not want more of him at every turn? How can I resist when his mouth moves with a need that matches my own—wild, untamed, as though he’s been starving for this, for us?
Heat rushes through me as my fingers entangle in his hair of their own accord. I can’t think, can’t breathe. There’s only him, the pressure of his mouth on mine, the weight of his body, desperate and hungry.
When we finally break apart, our chests heaving, Matt rests his forehead against mine, a steady, teasing smile on his lips. “What do you say we skip dinner and jump straight to dessert?”
I laugh. “That’s my favorite part anyway.”
“Mine too.” His hands flex on my waist. “Come on.”
He bends down and picks up the bouquet, then drags me upstairs. In his bedroom, he releases me and fumbles with a small pile of clothing lying on the edge of his bed.
“Sorry about the mess.” He throws them onto the chair in one corner.
“I told you already—it’s fine.” I survey his otherwise very neat room. “Plus, I always expect worse when I date younger boys,” I say with a smirk.
“Oh, younger boys, huh? You’re two years older, Zoé.” He’s in front of me in two strides, loose strands of hair framing his beautiful face. His eyes drop to my mouth. “Let’s see if you still call me that after you’ve screamed my name all night.”
He presses a thumb to my lips, parting them, his attention locked there. He lingers, not moving an inch, not even taking a breath. He just stares.
“Matt?”
With a jolt, he pulls away. He scrubs a hand down his beard. “I need a minute.”
My chest tightens. “What’s wrong?”
When he meets my gaze again, his eyes are full of undiluted want. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought about you with me.” He nods toward his bed. “It’s been a while since I brought a woman up here, and I can’t tell you the last time it was a woman I—” He stops short, his features tense.
What was he going to say?A woman I what?
“It’s a bit overwhelming.” He exhales, the sound raw and pained. “I don’t know where to start.” He takes me in from head to toe. “I always want it all when it comes to you.”
I swallow roughly, blood racing in my veins. “We’ve done this before.”
Matt shakes his head. “Not like this. Not with—” He lets out a shuddering breath.
Not with all these feelings that shouldn’t exist.I know this one. Because it doesn’t make any sense to me either.
“It’s okay.” I take a step closer, pressing my palm to his torso.
He covers my hand with his, threading our fingers together, before bringing my arm to rest around his neck. “This was never supposed to happen,” he murmurs. “You were never supposed to be more than a one-time thing. A business arrangement and then back to our separate lives.” He cups my cheek with a tenderness that makes my chest pull tight. “Why did you have to become so damn important to me?”
I rise onto my tiptoes. “Why did you have to be everything I never knew I needed?”
Without another second’s hesitation, I kiss him.
And in the instant it takes me to knot my fingers around his neck, his hands are on me, exactly where they should have been all along.
“Get me out of these clothes.”
