Page 28 of Bayside Heat
By the time they reached Undercover, she was nibbling on her lower lip, and that sexy innocence nearly made him detonate.
The lot was packed. He parked at the far end, beneath an umbrella of trees, and turned toward Serena. She was still staring straight ahead, her face a mask of apprehension, which tore at his gut. Was it him, or was it her leaving that was causing her distress?
He took her small hand in his and brushed his thumb over her warm skin, memorizing it to hold him over when she was gone. The gold chain sparkled against her sun-kissed skin. “Talk to me, Serena.”
She turned to face him with worry in her eyes. He gently pulled her across the seat, close enough that he could almost feel her racing pulse between them.
“Aw, sweetheart, what’s wrong? Are you nervous about leaving?”
“Yes,” she said softly. “And about this.” Her gaze fell to the bracelet. “It’s gorgeous and sweet, but it’s also confusing. What does it mean, Drake? On one hand I feel like you’re sending mixed messages by avoiding me all day and then giving me this…” She ran her finger over the chain on her hand. “But on the other hand, you don’t owe me an explanation about what you’re up to at work, and you’ve given me presents before. This should be no different. But knowing how you feel about me makes it different.”
He touched his forehead to hers and slid his hand to the nape of her neck, holding her there as he said, “I’m sorry. I told you I was fucked up right now. I did avoid you today, but only because I can’t stop thinking about”—making you mine, kissing you, sweeping you naked beneath me and loving you until you can’t remember why you wanted to leave in the first place—“things I shouldn’t.”
“Join the club,” she whispered.
His insides flamed at the secret between them. He brushed his lips over her cheek, and she inhaled a ragged breath. It was so sexy, he did it again, earning another seductive inhalation. He drew back so he could see her face, still holding the back of her neck, and she clutched his forearm. Her breasts rose with each heavy breath, and her tongue slicked over her lips, making his mouth water. There was no denying the calculated, seductive move. Nicely played. Their eyes locked, and hers narrowed ever so slightly, suddenly brimming with confidence, and if he was reading her right, which he was damn sure he was, also ripe with challenge.
“You’re going to make a liar of me if you keep looking at me like that.”
“Sometimes a lie isn’t a lie,” she said breathily.
He couldn’t resist pressing his lips to her cheek in a series of light kisses, telling himself her cheek was safe. If he could just have this little taste, he could get through the night and figure out how to lock his desires away again.
Her skin was warm and temptingly soft. She closed her eyes, barely breathing as he kissed her cheek again and again, so trusting and sweet. Her fingers pressed into his skin with every touch of his lips, fueling the battle raging in his head. Just one more. He kissed the tender dip just below her ear, and she sighed dreamily. Fuuuck.
“Then what is it,” he asked, “if not a lie?”
“It’s a…” she whispered.
She turned her face, and their lips brushed like a breeze passing over too quickly. The tease ignited sparks beneath his skin. He ran his hand along her thigh, aching to make her his, though knowing he shouldn’t even be tempting himself with the kisses he’d already taken.
“A…?” he said as he began kissing her neck.
She arched toward him, holding his head, keeping his mouth on her neck. Oh yeah. That’s it, baby. Show me you want me. He opened his mouth and sealed his teeth over her tender skin, sucking hard enough for her to gasp. He threaded his fingers into her hair, tugging her head to the side so he could take more of her. Her hand fisted in his hair, pulling hard—but not pulling away—causing a deliciously erotic sting and making his cock throb even harder. He needed to break their connection or he wasn’t going to stop. He’d fought to remain on the right side of the invisible line between them for years, and he was fucking that up. Sending her mixed messages only scratched the surface of why he should break their connection.
