Page 35 of One Reckless Night

15

JARED

Iknew we’d crossed a line in her lab the other night. I knew it the moment I kissed her, the moment she kissed me back. There was a fire burning between us that had to be extinguished.

But seeing her come out of the restroom wearing one of my button-down shirts and a pair of my sweats stretched tight around her ass and thighs made me want to cross that line again and again.

She was blushing, her cheeks a soft pink. Fuck me, she was beautiful. It took every ounce of self-control I had to pour her a glass of wine without saying exactly what was on my mind.

“Changed my mind about the tea,” I said. “I know you Brits like it, but I think we could both really use a glass of wine.”

“Thanks,” she said, her voice soft as she took the glass from me. “I was actually drinking some wine before Mother Nature had other ideas.”

“Then you’ll enjoy this,” I said.

She held it to her nose and softly inhaled.

I chuckled. “It’s a Bordeaux from a very good year. I wasn’t aware you knew your wine.”

“My grandfather,” she said, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “He was French and worked at a vineyard in his early years. He taught me everything he knew about wine.” She took a sip, her eyes closing briefly as she savored it. “This is lovely. He would have loved it.”

I watched her, the way she held the glass, the way her lips curved into a faint smile. I was too aware of her presence, too aware of how close she was standing. My shirt hung loosely on her frame, but it did nothing to hide the curves beneath. She looked small and soft and entirely too tempting.

“Hungry?” I asked her.

She crinkled her nose like she was afraid to admit it.

“Me too,” I said.

I moved to the fridge, pulling out a block of aged cheddar, a wedge of brie, and a handful of green grapes. Then I grabbed a box of crackers from the pantry. “It’s not out of a vending machine but I hope this will be a decent substitute.”

I set everything on the counter and started slicing the cheese. Amelia leaned against the counter beside me, sipping her wine and watching me work.

“You’re good at that,” she said.

“Just a bigger scalpel,” I said. “Less chance of killing someone too. If I’m off a millimeter on the cheddar, it’s not life or death.”

She smiled, slowly nodding. “This must be like a vacation.”

“It kind of is.” I quickly put everything on a plate. “Let’s go sit down.”

I led her to the living room and together we sat on the couch.

I tried to keep the conversation light. “So, what do you think of the house?” I asked, gesturing to the room around us.

She glanced around, her eyes wide with appreciation. “It’s incredible. The view is breathtaking, even in the middle of a monsoon.”

I laughed, taking a sip of my wine. “It’s one of the reasons I bought it. I needed a place to escape, and this felt like the perfect spot.”

She smiled, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. “It’s definitely that. I can’t imagine ever wanting to leave.”

I chuckled, leaning back against the cushions. “Well, you’re welcome to stay as long as you need. The storm doesn’t look like it’s letting up anytime soon.”

She nodded. “Thanks. I really appreciate it. Right here on the water, it just feels so exposed.”

“It takes a little getting used to. Florida is not for the faint of heart.”

We sat in silence for a moment, the sound of the rain filling the room. I knew I was treading on thin ice, but I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to know more about her—about the woman behind the brilliant mind. The woman that spent all her time in the lab and pretended not to be scared by thunderstorms.