Page 103 of The Broken Heart Playlist
My pulse thuds in my ears. “I’m ready.”
He turns to face me, letting go of my hand to slowly tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. His eyes don’t leave mine as his fingers slide through my hair to cup the back of my head.
The way he’s looking at me... I forget how to breathe.
I am sonot readyfor the full impact of Gideon’s focused intensity.
The only parts of him touching me are his fingers tangled in my hair, but that indecent look in his eyes has his hands all over me, his lips coaxing open mine, his strong, hard body caging me against the car. I feel a heavy ache spread through my limbs at the thought of what his imagination is doing to me right now.
The moment is so charged I fear if we make one tiny move we will combust.
Desire spirals to every part of my body, a deep, drugging pleasure that’s making it difficult for my legs to keep me upright.
As if sensing how affected I am, Gideon’s arm loops around my back, pulling me against him, anchoring me in place. He lowers his head so his lips are inches from mine. Suddenly, I’m desperate for him to kiss me. I know what we agreed, but I’m losing all sense of reason with him leaning in so close.
He doesn’t kiss me. Instead, he trails his lips along my neck and presses a featherlight kiss to the hollow of my throat. I lose myself in the sharp hit of pure want. A moan slips out of me and Gideon’s arms tighten around my body.
“Kate.” His voice is a low rasp, as if he’s hanging on by a thread.
I’m thrilled at the power I have over him right now.
I also realize my sister won’t buy our performance if Gideon does all the work. It’s all pretend, anyway, so I let myself go.
I press even closer to him, running my fingers through his hair, marveling at how thick and soft it feels. One hand moves to his chest and I fan my fingers out, tracing the contours of his muscles there.
His eyes darken and his breath comes faster.
“Should I stop?” I ask. A test.
“No.” That one word is a plea.
I trail my fingers from his hair to his jaw, getting used to the feel of his beard under my palm. I feel his jaw clench slightly.
“That feels so good,” he murmurs.
When I finally trust myself to speak, I whisper, “Do you think she’s falling for it?”
Even as I form the question, I realize I’m the one who seems to be falling here. Somewhere in all this, I’ve forgotten it’s just for show, that we’re only doing this to mess with Tess.
Gideon blinks. “I’m not sure.”
Almost by mutual agreement, we pull apart. We’re both breathing heavily, staring at one another.
“You’re a pretty good actor,” I say at last, dismayed to hear a faint shake in my voice.
His gaze holds mine. “I wasn’t acting.”
There’s a strange, lurching sensation in my chest. “What?”
“I’ve got a thing for you, Kate Miller. For your haunted eyes and your fierce love for your daughter. For the beautiful, gentle heart you hide beneath your abruptness. For your vulnerability underneath the veneer of having it all together.”
My throat is suddenly too tight for me to speak. For some inexplicable reason, I feel like I’m about to cry.
“Yeah, I’ve got a thing for you,” Gideon says again, his voice quiet and his eyes dark. “Deal with it.”
The moment Gideon leaves, my front door opens and Tess stands in the entryway, making no effort to hide the fact she was spying on us.
“Looks like your date went really well,” she remarks, eyes twinkling.
