Page 57 of Chasing Forever

“I’ll help you clean up.”

“You don’t have to.”

“My mom and sister would be disappointed in me if I didn’t. So yes, I have to.”

She laughed, and they both stood up to clear the plates.

They worked side by side in the kitchen, but something about it felt different this time. There was a charge in the air, and they both knew it but weren’t acknowledging it.

“We could take our wine into the living room,” she suggested after they’d finished cleaning.

He nodded because suddenly he was tongue-tied. He topped off both their glasses, and then they went and sat down on the couch. He left a respectable distance between them and took another fortifying drink of wine while she got comfortable. When she crossed her legs and her dress rode up a little, he quickly looked away, but it didn’t stop him from saying, “You look really pretty tonight. I like your dress.”

“Thank you,” she said, brightening. “Quinn gets the credit since she picked it out.”

He shook his head. “But you’re the one wearing it.”

She smiled and swallowed hard. “I like your outfit too.”

“This old thing?”

She giggled. “You’re not wearing your glasses.”

“My sexy glasses, you mean?”

She nodded. “You still look sexy without them.”

Whoa. Didn’t see that coming. “Thanks.”

He watched her take a deep sip of wine before setting the glass on a coaster. “I’m really bad at this,” she said, looking at him apologetically.

He set his glass down and moved a little closer. “Bad at what?”

“Seducing a man. Seducing you.”

Am I hearing right? Did I get too much water in my ears in the shower? “You’re seducing me?”

“Trying to,” she said, looking down at her hands.

It was too much. He couldn’t hold back anymore. “Look at me, Callie.”

She tipped her head up and met his eyes. He hoped like hell she could see his desire there, because he was overflowing with it.

“Consider me seduced.”

Chapter 27

Her eyes went wide, and when he held out his arms, she practically flew into them. In fact, she crashed into him so hard that he fell backward on the couch, taking her down with him.

“Sorry,” she said. “I told you I wasn’t good at this.”

“Stop talking and kiss me,” he growled.

So, she did because that was all she’d been able to think about all day. She tipped her head down and tasted his luscious lips, where the wine still lingered.

His arms went around her waist, locking her in and aligning their hips. When she slipped her tongue in his mouth, he groaned, and she felt him harden beneath her.

Maybe I’m not so bad at this after all, she thought as she wriggled against him.