Page 59 of Good as Gold
She smiles, then looks away.
“Leila, girl,” her father says. “Could you help out in here so I can take a break?”
“S-sure,” she stammers. “In a second!”
“And Matteo—change the Goldenrod tap?”
“Will do!” I call. I duck behind the trailer and drop the box to the ground, then reach into my back pocket for my pocketknife.
“Matteo?” Leila has followed me around to the back of the wagon. “Can I speak with you a sec?”
“Of course.” I slice open the box. “What’s on your mind?”
If she’s about to call off our plans for later, I might just fall to my knees and weep.
CHAPTER22
LEILA
Staring up at Matteo, I try to figure out what to say. I’ve spent the last few days imagining how tonight might unfold, and it’s left me both jittery and turned on.
It doesn’t help that Matteo’s jeans fit his ass like a bumper sticker, and his tanned arms flex as he opens the box.
“Okay, look. If you think I’m wrecking everything, would you tell me?” I blurt. “We’ve known each other for over twenty years. That’s a really long time. Two decades of, you, know, not doing it.Itmeaning…” I gulp.
He stands up tall, his expressive eyebrows lifting. “Sex?”
“Well, yeah. I’ve just spent the last few days wondering if it would beveryawkward. I don’t want to torpedo our friendship.”
“Torpedo. Interesting word choice.”
I die inside.
He smirks, which shouldn’t look sexy on a man, and yet somehow does on him. “Is that the only thing you’re worried about?”
“Of course. Aren’t you?”
“Fuck no.”
“You’re not? But what if it’s awkward?”
“It won’t be.”
“Really? How do you know?”
He stares at me with knowing brown eyes while I wait for him to explain.
And he does—just not the way I’m expecting. Instead of using words, he puts his hands on my waist. My back hits the wagon, and his hot, bossy mouth takes mine in a sudden kiss.
Oh, I think as his hand strokes down my jaw, landing possessively at my neck. Then he changes his angle of attack and kisses me again as an urgent, hungry sound comes from his chest.
That sound vibrates wildly through all the cells of my body, and I feel myself soften everywhere that matters.
He kisses me again, with so much urgency that I forget myself and grip his hard body with both hands. Matteo’s tongue strokes into my mouth. If heat had a taste, it would taste like Matteo’s kiss. I feel seared from the inside.
Then, abruptly, it ends. He steps back, giving me a hot look. “That’s how I know.”
At that, he grabs two sleeves of cups from the box and disappears around the side of the wagon.
