Page 18 of A Lady's Heart
Oh boy.“No, I’m not a purist. I even read series out of order,” she confided.
What the heck. Mandy caught him by the fingers, tugging him down the path outside the apartment. She hadn’t had time to explore the entire place yet, but she’d seen this while looking out her window that morning.
A pretty park bench sat on the top of a rise overlooking the Yukon River. The trees and bushes arranged around the solid wooden structure formed a partially secluded oasis. They would still be in public, and people could see them from the walking path just below, but unless someone wanted to make their way up the hill, it was a lovely, isolated location.
She settled on the bench, eyes fixed forward as she pretended to admire the view.
Justin sat beside her, a soft chuckle rumbling up from his big bear-chest. “That was a contented sigh.”
Mandy blinked, glancing up in surprise. “Did I sigh? It wasn’t a bad thing—I’m very content. It’s been a good day, and your company has been wonderful.”
“I’m yours to command.”
It was said so seriously, but for some reason her brain jumped back to the kids’ movie from years earlier, and all she could think of was Justin as a big blue genie, offering to fulfill her every wish.
“About my list…”
Justin stretched an arm along the back of the bench, his biceps brushing her shoulder. “Yes?”
It was fun to know she could tease this big man. She felt completely safe around him, although building that trust was why it had taken until now for her to make a move. “You didn’t really think I wanted to do everything in exactly the order it was written?”
He shrugged. “You’re the boss, but no. I figured you kinda compartmentalized things and wrote them down as they came to you. All sorts of crafts, all sorts of sports…”
“…all sorts of sex.”
Justin grinned.
“It’s taken me a while to work up my courage.” Maybe this confession would help him understand. “I wasn’t just waiting for the divorce to go through. It’s taken two months to decide I deserved to find myself. And I have all sorts of big ideas, but even then I might have times where something seems like a good idea, but I’ll have to back off or slow down.” She laid a hand on his thigh, the thick muscles quivering under her fingers. “But I trust you,” she said softly. “I hope you know that means an awful lot.”
His expression changed as she spoke. His initial amusement and sexual interest turned, and what she witnessed on his face now was far more serious and solemn and completely filled with what she desperately needed to see—respect.
“I don’t ever want to break that trust,” he assured her.
So perfect, and so enticing, and suddenly she’d had enough talking.
Very clearly stated on her list was the desire to make out somewhere not completely private, and there was no better time than now. The arm he’d placed on the back of the bench curled around her cautiously as if he were cradling a priceless work of art. She lifted her chin and leaned toward him as he leaned toward her and their lips met.
A kiss. Their first.
As a first kiss it was pretty perfect—tender and sweet. His lips moved over hers slowly as she considered what he tasted like. What it felt like.
What it did to her insides…
For the record—surprisingly earth-shattering, considering they had less than two inches of body contact going on.
Inside, a mixer was churning on high speed. A red-hot brand heated in her belly, and lower. Her sex tingled and tightened as he took the kiss deeper, teasing her lips with his tongue until she opened to him and breathed a sigh.
He captured the sound, the arm around her body sliding downward until his hand rested on her hip. His grip tightened for a moment before relaxing, but she was the one who leaned into him farther, letting the heart-fluttering impact of his mouth do its job.
She moaned as he kissed her harder, not stopping as he lifted her into his lap in one swoop. Mandy was airborne for a second before settling against the heat of his body, his legs solid under hers. His erection a rock against her hip.
She lifted her hands to his chest and pressed back gently.
Justin instantly opened space between them, smiling down at her. “Oops. How did you get there?”
A laugh escaped. “I can’t imagine. Maybe kissing pixies live by this bench, and they magically lifted me.”
He tilted his head from side to side for a moment before agreeing. “Seems the only logical explanation to me.”
