Page 128 of The Accidental Innkeeper

“Deal-breaker question number two,” I said. “Do you touch the thermostat.”

“I respect the thermostat.”

I narrowed my eyes. “That’s very attractive.”

He laughed again, softer this time, and something in my chest eased. The tension from before had disappeared, melted into something warm and exciting.

I dropped my hands to my sides, suddenly aware of how close he was. “Okay,” I said, my voice quieter now, more honest. “Yes. I want you to stay.” There. I said it.

His expression changed, shifted like something had locked into place. “Good.”

We stared at each other for a second too long, the kind where your brain starts shouting, Say something normal, and your mouth just… doesn’t.

“I can’t lose you, New York,” said Dust-guy quietly. “I can’t lose you, Sarah.” His voice dropped into that honest register that felt unfairly effective. “You’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time.”

Oh. Great. My heart immediately began doing unsafe parkour.

I tilted my head, aiming for playful instead of emotionally compromised. “Well, yeah,” I said. “I am a delight.”

He smiled like he knew exactly what I was doing and was letting me have it.

Then he stepped closer. One second he was standing there, and the next his hand was warm against my cheek, steady and careful, like he was afraid I might disappear if he moved too fast. His eyes searched mine, serious in a way that made my stomach flip.

And then he kissed me again, his lips on mine, slow and confident, like he had been thinking about this just as much as I had.

I made a small noise. I would not be examining that noise further.

The kiss deepened, unhurried but sure, and I forgot about inn schedules, dignity, and the concept of time. His hand slid to my waist, grounding me, and suddenly I was very aware of how close he was. Of everything.

My hands found his back, warm skin under my palms, and I breathed, “Superpowers,” right into his mouth before my brain could veto it.

That earned me a low growl from him that absolutely did not help my ability to think straight.

I pulled away. “For the record, this counts as a grand opening. A celebration.”

Dust-guy leaned forward, his breath warm against my cheek. “You mean celebrating… like this?” he said and dipped his head to kiss me.

Even though this wasn’t the first time we’d kissed, the taste of him still had me growling like an animal. His kiss wasn’t gentle. It was fierce and possessive, and I melted into it. His tongue brushed mine, eager and hot, and I kissed him back just as fiercely, again and again. Then I kissed his neck, nibbled his ear, and bit it.

He groaned, which set my core on fire.

“How much celebrating are we talking about?” he asked as he pulled away and started to unbutton his shirt, his pants, until he stood there in only a pair of black boxer briefs.

My brain nearly short-circuited at the sight. First, well, because I hadn’t planned on coming here for a little horizontal tango action. Second, because he was hotter with his clothes off, which seemed excessive. He had abs—too many to count responsibly—perfect pecs and thighs that definitely did not belong to a man who ate normal food.

Holy guacamole. This man was hot!

Grinning like an idiot, I pulled off my coat and tossed it to the floor. “I’m thinking…” I said as I removed my shirt and tugged out of my jeans. “The kind that lasts all night long.” I stepped out of my jeans. “And repeats… over and over again. Think you can handle that, Alex?”

I removed my bra, wiggled out of my underwear, and just stood there, bold in my own nakedness.

Yet, somehow, I wasn’t embarrassed. Yes, my ex had called me fat, and that did hurt my self-esteem, not going to lie. But when my eyes grazed down at his hard and extremely obvious desire for me. Let me tell ya, nothing boosts the ego faster than that. To hell with my cellulite. Curse my jiggly arms. Forget my very average breasts and the fact that I forgot to shave my legs.

Because he liked what he saw. Yay!

That’s it. I was going to go all primeval on his ass.

Alex’s eyes flashed with evident lust. “You’re so fucking sexy.”