His gaze moved over my face. His soft smile locked in place, and there was a hazy expression I couldn’t translate.
“Good,” I said with a forced pep.
New year, same me, same unkissed lips.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. Totally. I’m having fun.” I couldn’t quite meet his eyes.
“Okay. Good. Me too,” he said.
When I flicked a look at him, his brows were pinched with thoughtfulness. Maybe he was trying to work out just how much longer we’d be stuck together.
“And I didn’t even finish telling you about all the cats,” I said.
He chuckled, and I really liked how it felt. Even if I wasn’t joking.
I understood now that he wasn’t laughing at me.
“You’re pretty remarkable, Bee,” he said.
My head turned back in his direction, treat forgotten. He watched me carefully.
“Me?” I asked. That was literally the first time I’d ever heard that. I was as markable as a dry-erase marker, let alone remarkable …
An internal feminine alarm blared back to life. Had I shut down the offices too soon? Was court back in session? Because Owen held a tension in his shoulders and swallowed audibly. He leaned closer yet again.
“Maybe this will be the year where everything changes,” he said, holding my gaze.
“Yes,” I whispered. “I really hope so.”
My heart thumped hard in my chest. The tingling in my body was back, up and down my front and back all the way to the tips of my fingers. Inside, I was running around in a circle, arms flailing in the air. Outside, I kept as still as possible, afraid I’d do something to mess this up. How did I show I was interested in return?
His head lowered toward mine. My chin lifted in response.
Oh, so it was instinctual. My body knew what to do. I just had to listen.
Owen’s large, calloused, and surprisingly warm hand cupped my face delicately. He drew me in with his own sort of magic, and I went willingly. His thumb swept across the apple of my cheek, sending a full-body thrill through me. His nose glided alongside mine, his mouth meeting mine so gently, in a barely there whisper-soft pressing of his lips.
This was it. Time for a kiss to measure all future kisses against.
His was so warm and soft, and I immediately needed more. I moaned and pushed harder into him, eager and impatient. He smiled against my lips; his other hand rumbled slightly as it grasped the back of my neck.
He held me like I was precious.
The awareness of our bodies meeting was explosive. It was a tangible source of power thrumming between us. Energy sparked off me and between us.
Metaphorically.
Which was ironic because that was exactly when the power went out.
Quite literally.
Chapter 13
Owen
Bee sat back with a gasp.“Did I do that?”
