Page 14 of Midnight & Memories

She raised hers in response.

“Here’s to our budding friendship, and may it grow into something unforgettable.”

She clicked her glass with his and smiled again before taking a sip. Her hand settled on his knee.

Ridge’s gaze dropped to his lap. He watched her thumb stroke his leg, and the motion made his dick twitch. His eyes met hers briefly before they lowered to her lips. He placed a hand on the back of her neck and guided her towards him. Once his lips met hers, he quickly opened them with his tongue, needing to claim her as his own.

Mine! Always.

He scooted off his chair and raised her out of her own, never leaving her lips. Ridge pulled her body close to his and trailed kisses from her jawline to the shell of her ear.

“Dance with me, Poppy, please?” He whispered as he slinked an arm around her waist and swayed to the jazz music playing in the background.

“Of course.” She said in a matching whisper.

Her hands glided up his chest until they were resting on the lapels of his jacket. She then placed her head on his shoulder. They stood in that swaying state for several songs until she looked up at him.

“Let’s sit for a bit and finish the bourbon. My feet aren’t happy with me in these shoes at the moment.” She chuckled.

Ridge slid into his chair after Poppy was seated and brushed her knee with his. He placed his palm just above her knee. Poppy smiled, and his eyes were hooded as they flicked back to her lips. He pulled her close and kissed her softly. She cupped his cheek as she drew back slightly.

“You have the most gorgeous eyes. They are almost a coal-black color in this light. I’ve never seen anything quite like them.”

He cupped her cheek in response to the compliment and stroked her lower lip with his thumb.

“Thank you. I appreciate the kind compliment from such a beautiful woman.”

He traced a line from her cheek down her neck before capturing her lips once more. His body awakened into heightened arousal for her.

All of his senses realized that he could not contain the monster within himself if he didn’t stop kissing her now. It had been so long since he had held the love of his life. So long since he tasted her, his lips might betray him and ask her to spend the night with him, all under their own volition.

Her lips edged towards his right lobe, and it had always been an erogenous spot she had teased him about during her past life as Chelsea.

Could her heart and body remember what her head clearly has not?

Ridge shuttered and grew stringent, causing Poppy to pull back.

“Ridge, I’m sorry. Oh my God! I didn’t mean to—” Her voice trailed, and her cheeks grew beet red. “I just, I don’t know what came over me.” She continued before trying to pull back to a safer distance from him.

Ridge put his hands on her shoulders, keeping her in place.

“Poppy, it’s okay! I liked it, but I was trying to contain myself before I said something inappropriate to you.”

Her brows narrowed.

“Poppy, I want to be completely honest with you. Just so there is no misunderstanding between us. I almost asked you to come home with me—as in you spending the night. I realize that’s not something my brain should say out loud, and I reacted to it poorly. Please forgive me.”

“Oh! I guess I read that wrong.” She said with a giggle that was louder than it needed to be. “Well, for what it’s worth, I’m glad I’m not the only one with a mind headed more South than I care to admit.”

Ridge kissed her forehead and her cheek before patting her shoulder.

“Let me take you back to the office.”

“Okay, that sounds good.”

Ridge motioned to Cherry to bring the barely touched bottle of bourbon back to Aden and handed her a hundred-dollar bill.

“Thanks, Cherry! Have a good night!” Ridge said as he slinked an arm around Poppy.

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