Page 40 of The Sweetness of Life

Her hand lightly slides up my arm as she presses to her tiptoes, and my breath catches as her lips pause in front of mine. That little movement from her is enough to give me the green light, and I take it. My lips fall onto hers, and she-devil be damned, I want this.

I need this.

Wrapping my other arm around her waist, I pull her body against mine and slowly tighten my grip on the back of her head to guide her exactly where I want her. No one has ever tasted this good.

I am kissing Shelby.

Shelby is kissing me.

Her lips are on mine, her tongue is caressing mine, and right this moment she tastes like mine.

All. Mine.

I walk her backward until her back hits the front door and she gasps. Dragging my lips down her jaw, I suck on the skin under her ear. She lets out a low moan, which I catch by claiming her lips again and dipping my tongue back into her mouth.

Dropping my hands, I reach around and grab her ass. Her breath hitches, but that doesn’t stop me from pulling her hips into mine. I want to feel every curve of hers, so I do. Sliding my hands up her ribcage, I stop just short of her breasts and trace the bottom swells with my thumbs.

She sighs at the touch and pushes farther into me.

Damn, she feels incredible.

I made fun of her during the interview when I implied she was a lush, but maybe it’s me who needs to be worried because right now—tasting her, touching her, breathing her in—I’m drunk on the smell and feel of her body pressed perfectly against mine. No kiss has ever been like this.

Time stands still.

The world could go up in flames around us, and it wouldn’t matter. All I see and all I feel is her and her hands roaming underneath my shirt across the bare skin of my back, her hands sliding up the sides of my neck, her fingers as they thread into my hair and grab on. There’s an intensity to her, an ardor that borders on desperate, and she’s taking everything she can because she knows this kiss is fleeting, just a moment—a moment that has to end.

Pulling back, I lay my forehead against hers, swallow, and try to pull myself together before opening my eyes and looking at her. I can’t let her know what she’s done to me or how much she’s affected me. It’ll encourage her to ask for more, and I don’t think I can do that.

Feeling her release me, I take a step back and open my eyes. She looks more breathtaking now with her hair mussed and her lips swollen than she did a few minutes ago, and I take a mental picture of the beautiful girl on the front porch of my cottage, hoping to remember it indefinitely.

“Thanks for the tasting and for taking the food up.” She blinks at me and blushes.

The emotions are so thick in my throat I can’t respond, so I nod my head and give her a small smile.

She twists to open the door, and I take another step back, shoving my hands in my pockets. I feel my pants dip down, and her eyes drop to my waist, noticing the movement, too. Damn, her hands or her eyes—everything about her feels good.

“Good night,” I finally choke out . . . and then she’s gone.

Silence settles over me as I stand and stare at the closed door.

What just happened? Or better yet, what just happened to me? My heart is racing, my chest is tight, and I feel panicked.

Kissing her was supposed to be a means to an end. It was supposed to feel good, satisfying, but I don’t feel either of those things. I feel confused, altered. I think that kiss changed me.

Reality washes over me like a bucket of ice-cold water. She isn’t some random girl. This is Shelby.

I shake my head at how pathetic I am. It’s almost twilight, and I’m still standing here like a complete ass. For the first time since I came up with the plan, I’m starting to wonder if it was the wrong one.

Guilt creeps in, and I squeeze my eyes closed.

Shit.

Being nice to her to try to win her over is one thing, but messing with her physically is another. It takes mixing business with pleasure to a whole new level and crosses a line—one I can’t explore no matter how great it felt. I feel slimy and deceitful, but that feels wrong, too, because that kiss was something else. It was incredible. I’m so confused.

I should have known one kiss with her wouldn’t be enough, but for her sake and my sanity, it has to be.

Seriously, what was I thinking?