Page 46 of Naturally Naughty


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He couldn’t help it—he let out a loud bark of laughter. Her glare told him she didn’t appreciate his amusement.

“Honey, I can think of a lot of words to describe you, but something as insipid as sweet definitely isn’t on the list.”

She frowned at him. “You’re saying I’m not sweet?”

“No, you’re definitely not sweet, Kate.” Stepping across the room, he bent to sit directly in front of her. “Smart, yes. Quiet—well, only in the way that smart people are because they’re always thinking. Deciding their course of action before they act on it. Like you did at the theater.”

Her jaw tightened. “Get back to the part where you tell me why I’m not a nice person.”

He wagged an index finger at her. “Uh-uh, I didn’t say you’re not a nice person. You’re a fascinating, charming, nice woman, Kate. But not anything as simple as sweet. There are such depths to you….” He stared intently at her face, losing himself again in those dark brown eyes, wondering what was going on in that beautiful mind of hers. “I’d like to know what makes you tick,” he admitted softly.

Color rose in her cheeks and her lips parted. He’d gone too far, treaded back into personal, intimate territory. He backpedaled. “So, tell me, why do you think you’re sweet and quiet?”

“Because my family has told me I am for twenty-eight years.” She blew out a frustrated breath. “Cassie was the wild, tempestuous child. I was the sweet, good girl. The little ballerina, the straight-A student.”

“I imagine you got quite a reaction with your store.”

“My mother left during the grand opening reception. Never came back again until after I started sending her copies of my bank statements.” She paused. “Of course, my aunt Flo sent a huge bouquet of orchids and told me she never thought I had a wicked streak in me. I guess they thought Cassie and I were destined to be exact replicas of them. They expected it even before we were ever born.”

Knowing how difficult it was to break out of the position in which every family tried to paint its members, he nodded in agreement. “I would be willing to bet Cassie is not nearly as wild as she’s said to be.” He leaned closer to her. “And I know you’re not exactly a good girl.”

“Really?” She looked at him so hopefully he almost laughed. He didn’t, though, not wanting to hurt her feelings.

“No, I don’t think good girls own sex shops or carry tiny vibrators around in their purses. Nor do they often go for it when offered the chance to do something as wildly impulsive as what we did at the theater.”

He waited for her to look away, to break the stare, but she didn’t. Her eyes looked softer, dreamier, as her lips parted. A tiny sigh preceded her reply. “Thank you.”

“For?”

“For seeing the Kate I see…not the one everyone else sees. For letting me be myself, not who everyone thinks I am.” She paused. “Even if who I am is sometimes a not-so-nice, not-so-sweet person.”

Jack leaned close and pressed a kiss to her temple, then brushed her hair away. He saw her pulse ticking in her throat as she looked up at him. “Sweet is boring, Kate,” he whispered. “I much prefer spicy…even if I know I’m going to get burned.”

Her moist lips parted and she tilted her head back as she took in a deep breath. He’d never seen a more clear invitation to go further. Kissing her temple wasn’t enough for either of them. He had to taste her, just once more, or else he’d go crazy wondering if her mouth was as soft as he remembered. He leaned closer, brushing his lips across her temple again, then her cheek, and her jaw. She sighed, but didn’t pull away.

“I take it back, Kate,” he murmured as he moved lower, to kiss her earlobe and the side of her neck. “You taste very sweet.” Then, unable to resist, he moved his mouth to hers. Their lips met and parted as instinctively as the beating of a heart. He licked lazily at her tongue, dipping his own into her mouth to taste her more thoroughly. She kissed him back, curling against him, tilting her head, inviting him deeper.

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