Page 49 of A Winter Wedding Adventure
One door led to the kitchen and another to an extra set of bathrooms, but there was one more door. With the creaking getting louder behind them, she grasped for the door-handle, expecting it to be locked. But the door swung open. Without thought, she dragged Mattia inside with her.
She vaguely registered a storage cupboard with a small window, dimly lit shelves and wooden crates. But before she could even gather her thoughts, her brain shut down and her body came to life.
Because Mattia’s palms had settled on her cheeks, his fingers in her hair, and his face was so close, his gaze on her mouth. And then he was kissing her.
Oh… boy. She hadn’t imagined it. The man could kiss. If yesterday’s had been a rehearsal, this one was the main performance. His mouth was hot and tasted of coffee, his lips drawing her out while the pressure built to an irresistible level.
The wanting, the adamant brush of his lips over hers, sent Kira reeling, her brain running after her in confusion. With a hitched groan, he deepened the kiss and all of her nerve endings stood at attention.
She felt his soft hair under her fingers, although she didn’t remember lifting her hands to his head. His arm curled around her waist, which she was grateful for, as she was struggling to remain upright. The shelf behind her dug into her back, but she ignored the slight pain, urging Mattia closer. He was leaned over her, his mouth hot and open and firm on hers, his chest heaving against her.
Breaking the kiss audibly, he dropped his mouth to her neck and she couldn’t hold in a breathy squeak of shock. Letting her head fall back, she lost her footing and shot out a hand, knocking over an empty crate with a thud.
The sound startled Mattia and he reared back, catching her on the chin with the top of his head. She yelped and fell against the shelf when his hold on her loosened. He fumbled to catch her.
‘Aaaccidenti!’
Kira shot out a hand to press over his mouth, glancing at the door with alarm. She heaved in several deep breaths, gathering her scattered wits.
‘What was that for?’
He peered down at her with adorable earnestness. ‘For?’
She licked her lips, still seeing stars. ‘Why did you kiss me?’
‘Why… Wasn’t that why…?’ He flushed, his cheeks turning bright pink and his neck bobbing as he swallowed. ‘That wasn’t why you brought me in here?’ he asked in a small voice.
Kira snorted as she swallowed a laugh. ‘No.’
‘Ah.’ Even that short syllable, his voice thrumming with embarrassment, had baritone intensity to it. ‘I didn’t quite mean for it to— I shouldn’t have assumed— Anyway, what did you need to talk about?’
His brow was pinched and she wished she could reassure him. Don’t apologise for one of the hottest kisses of my life. You had a much better idea for what to do in this cupboard.
But she had a job to do. ‘Actually, I needed to explain about yesterday – that it was a mistake. I shouldn’t be… We shouldn’t… I could get in trouble for kissing you. I’m here in a professional capacity. Your friend is my client. I know I’m not very good at this wedding stuff, but kissing a member of the wedding party is really against the rules.’
His expression sobered. ‘That makes sense.’
‘And besides,’ Kira continued, ‘we’re only here for another two days and you told me you don’t do casual, so…’
He nodded firmly. ‘Yes,’ he said with a nod for emphasis that seemed to be for his own benefit.
‘I was also hoping you maybe wouldn’t mention it to Alessandra?’
He laughed, loudly enough that she considered pressing her hand to his mouth again, except that he looked so inviting with that wry smile on his face, the feel of his mouth on her fingers wouldn’t have helped her focus on her job.
‘Don’t worry. Alessandra has enough on her mind right now. There is no way I’d add to her stress.’
‘Right,’ Kira responded, suddenly glum. ‘I should get going.’
‘Yes, right,’ he repeated, not meeting her gaze.
She wanted to kiss him goodbye, even if it was just on his cheek, but it had never been clearer that kissing was a bad idea. ‘I’ll go out first. You wait a few minutes in case someone sees us.’
His only answer was a nod and a pained grunt. He must have been imagining being caught with his tongue down her throat too.
Slipping out and closing the door quietly behind her, she was relieved to find no one in the hallway. Pausing for a few breaths to let the adrenaline and endorphins rushing through her system circulate a few times, she gave herself a shake and headed for the stairs.
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