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Oh, the way he says you feels almost like a caress. With my eyes still trapped by his, I reach for the bag, and when I open it, I’m finally able to pull my gaze from his. I feel him watching me as I look into the bag to see a muffin from the coffee shop. The same muffin I had this morning. My face splits in a wide grin as I look back at him. Without a word, I open the drawer beside me and pull out my own white pastry bag with a muffin inside.
I set it before him and then meet his humored gaze. “I saw it and thought of you too.”
CHAPTER 8
Ciaran
Her white pastry bag drops beside the one I brought her, and her eyes snap up to mine as her lips curve in a tentative smile.
“I saw it and thought of you too.”
She has part of her hair up in a bun, while the rest flows down over her shoulders and around her face. She has round eyes that shine in such an interesting color. With each beam of light coming through the windows, they go from brown to a dark blue to a moss green. So intriguing. Her cheeks are flushed pink, and her eyes are exploring mine in a devastating way. I wasn’t sure how I felt about getting her the muffin, but knowing she got me one has me hot in all the right places.
I grin back. “Well, that’s a surprise.”
Her lips twitch a bit at the sides, showing off deep dimples. “A surprise I got you a muffin, or a surprise that I’ve been thinking about you?”
“Thinking about me, huh?”
Her eyes darken a bit just as my stomach drops. I’ve never experienced this kind of pull to someone whom I know nothing about. Usually, I don’t even crave a woman until I’ve tasted them.
This is weird. It’s weird I brought her a muffin. What the hell am I doing? And why in the hell do I want to close the distance between us and kiss that grin right off her face?
She leans forward, parting the two pastry bags and leaning on her elbows before cradling her face in her palms. The motion makes her face appear fuller and her eyes darker. Her gaze is pure fire as it trails down to my lips, and I swear I feel her stare like an electric current. Everything is sizzling, and it’s hard to form thoughts when all I want to do is kiss her.
I don’t even know her.
Her eyes move to mine then, and I feel my breath catch. “I have. A lot.”
“Good thoughts?” I don’t even have control of myself at this point. Why am I still talking? Or more importantly, why is my voice all husky like that? As if I’m trying to seduce her or something. That wasn’t my intent. I wanted to give her a muffin and read to relax, but as I get lost in her kaleidoscope-of-colors gaze, I know there will be no relaxing. Nope, I’m wrapped tighter than tape on a stick shaft.
Her cheeks fill with color. “Mostly. But I am mortified you heard all that.”
“You don’t look mortified.”
The heat travels down her neck, and I desperately want to follow it with my tongue. “Oh, I’m masking right now, acting like I don’t want to hide under my desk and eat my muffin.”
My lips tip up, but I don’t look away. “Want me to join you?”
Her eyes flash with heat. “Would you like to?”
“Ah, answering a question with a question,” I tease as she stands back to her full height. “Fine. Yes, I’d enjoy eating a muffin with you under your desk.”
But neither of us moves, and we just stare at each other. I’m giving her the out. She doesn’t have to do what I suggested, and I wonder if she’s wondering what’s going to happen once we’re under that desk. Will we just eat? Or will there be more?
Because I really want to kiss her.
With a burst of confidence, she takes the bag I brought her and slowly pushes her chair out of the way. I take the bag she got me and start around the desk. She lowers herself, and I do the same before we lean against the back of the desk. I fit comfortably, which is surprising.
“This is a big desk,” I observe, and her lips twitch.
“The better to fit under, my dear,” she says, loosely quoting Little Red Riding Hood. I flash her a grin, and she looks away, almost shyly. “Actually, my peepaw made it for me. I wanted something that was massive but easy for people to lean against when they take pictures. It hides all my junk, and I love all the little compartments.”
“It’s nice, really sets the vibe for the place.”
“For sure,” she agrees, taking out her muffin. She holds it up to me. “Have you tried it?”
I hold her gaze. “Have you?”
