Page 30 of Lessons in Love
Another eye roll hits. “Who’d you tell?”
“Me?” he asks all innocently. “Only Clive.”
Closing my eyes, I shake my head. “Fuck, now everyone will know.”
“He said he’d keep it on the down low. About down lows, does she?”
I send him a harsh glare. When I don’t respond, he keeps chattering, and I wonder if he’d keep going even if I wasn’t here. Eddie’s the most personable bartender here. The ladies love him because he charms them with stories, keeping them entertained and laughing. He rakes in the tips and I rake in the money. Laughter is like an aphrodisiac. The guy scores almost as much as Romeo.
“The floor behind the bar needs mopping. Keep rattling on like that and you’ll have yourself a new job.”
He’s still laughing as he starts cutting limes. I head to the office to pass time until Virginia shows up, annoyed with these guys.
***
Not sure how long I’m in the back balancing the books, but when I hear a knock, I look up surprised by the sound. “Come in.”
I’m greeted with green eyes and long hair, jeans and sneakers under a navy blue puffy coat that hides her figure. I decide to greet her a little differently, taking full advantage of our arrangement. Meeting her just inside the door, I shut it and lean over. Lifting her chin, I kiss her without reservation, just the way I’ve wanted to kiss her since that first night.
When I pull back, her eyes are closed, her hands on my chest, and she leans her forehead against me. “What was that for?”“Lesson two.” I lie, something I’m becoming too good at when I’m around her.
Leaning against the door, she smiles. “I think I’m going to like lesson two.”
“I’ve got thirty minutes.”
Her arms go around my neck. “Let’s not waste a second.” She lifts up and presses her lips to mine.
Angling my head, I capture her lips more fully with mine, parting them just enough to get a taste of her forbidden heaven. After she told me she had a crush on that asshole, I didn’t think I’d get this chance again. It’s crazy that I do, so like she said, I’m not going to waste a second. Weaving my hands into her hair, I hold her to me as our mouths part, need and instinct trumping slow and steady.
My body presses against hers and she moves against mine. Hands find my middle and tighten. A soft, kitten like moan isswallowed when it transfers from her to me. I tilt her head to the side and my mouth trails over her cheek, jaw, and then lower to her neck. But the hood of her coat blocks the access I need. Pulling away, my breath comes hard, hers matching mine as we stare into each other’s eyes. I say, “I want your coat off.”
Snaps fly open before I finish my demand. I take the zipper pull under her chin and drag it slowly down over her chest, letting my knuckles graze her chest. Her T-shirt is soft and no barrier is felt. Shit. I look down quickly, holding her coat open at the top. “Are you wearing a bra?”
Her tongue slips out, wetting her lips. Holy fuck. Kissing. Lesson two is kissing. Only kissing. “Nope.”
That damn pop of thePdrives me wild. I cup her face and am about to devour her delicious lips, but stop just when ours meet. “You’re a damn temptress, but so damn innocent at the same time. How are you so perfect?” Unicorn.
Giggling, her body shakes, her eyes are alight, all the stars in the night sky caught inside. “I think I could argue that perfect part.” When I have a hold of my hormones, I release her and stand back, giving her room to breathe. Her mouth twists and then she says, “I think a few past boyfriends could argue that as well.”
With her coat open, she lets it slide down her arms. I hang it on the coat rack and watch as she sits on the loveseat. I’d follow her but I need Big Richard to calm down a bit.
Kissing.Only kissing.
Moving to my desk, I sit in the chair in front of it, keeping a safe distance from her tempting nips. I mean lips. “This is gonna be harder than I thought.”
“I think it already is,” she replies, glancing to my lap.
“Just ignore him.”
“Him?” She sits up excitedly, leaning closer. “Tell me about him. Does he have a name?”
Fuck.“Stop staring. He loves the attention. He’ll never calm down if you keep looking at him with your lips parted like that.”
When her gaze lifts to mine, she smirks.Smirks.Stolen right from my playbook kind of smirk. She has some nerve throwing it back at me. She’s a quick learner. I need to remember that. Sexpot.
Dragging her finger over her bottom lip, it pouts out just a little before she asks, “Like this? Does he like lips parted like this?” Sucking the tip of her finger into her mouth, she pulls it out. “Or like that? Which does he prefer?”
I stand abruptly and walk to the door. Opening the door, I say, “I’ll be right back.” The door is shut behind me, my back against it as I settle my racing heart and hard-on. I need a drink. “Enchantress with her tempting kisses and eager eyes,” I mumble as I walk. Whiskey. My target is in sight. I grab a glass, flip it on the bar and it lands bottom side down. I reach for the Jack Daniels and flip the bottle in the air, catching it by the neck and turning it down to fill my glass.
