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“Fuck, I’m sorry,” I gasp, still cupping her cheeks. She’s so close, I can see every fleck of gold in her green eyes, can feel her soft breaths puffing against my lips. “I was just trying⁠—”

I hiss when Charli brings her knee up between my legs.

“You asshole,” she shouts, sounding more shocked than angry.

“I know, I know, I’m sorry,” I groan, cupping my dick. She missed, thank God, and hit more of my thigh than anything else, but I’m not entirely sure she won’t throw another knee. “I was just trying to get your mind off of everything.”

“So you thought you’d kiss me?” she all but shrieks.

Wincing, I straighten and say, “I mean… it worked, didn’t it?”

Her eyes go impossibly wider when she realizes…I’m right. She might be fuming and yelling and threatening bodily harm, but she’s no longer scared or hyperventilating.

As soon as she realizes it, she scowls and shoves me. “You’re an ass,” she repeats.

I grin, letting all my usual cockiness show. “You can call me Dr. Price from now on.”

She scoffs. “Fat chance of that ever⁠—”

Suddenly, the elevator makes a grating, awful noise as it moves. And then it stops.

I glance at the doors. “That’s probably the maintenance guys just⁠—”

My words cut off when Charli pulls my face down to her level and kisses me.

I’m in shock for a full two seconds. And then I slide my arms around her waist and lift her up onto her toes so I can kiss her better.

Her mouth makes small, tentative movements against mine. I don’t know if it’s kissing that she’s hesitant about or me, but her mouth stays closed, her hands on my face rigid as they hold me in place for her PG kisses.

For a moment, I consider letting her lead. This was meant to be a distraction, not a romantic move, so I have no excuse to deepen the kiss.

No matter how badly I’m dying to.

But then she starts to wriggle in my arms, her kisses becoming small nips that feel a little more desperate than before. And I wonder if maybe she wants more but doesn’t know how to ask.

Slowly, carefully, leaving one arm around her waist, I lift my other hand up to her face and slide it into her hair. Then I tilt her head up for my kiss.

I take control slowly. At first, I only angle her where I want. She’s a lot shorter than me, so the position takes a second to get comfortable with.

Then I tease her with nips along her lower lip. Part of me just wants to see how she’ll react, but the other part of me just wants to taste her any way I can.

Fuck, she tastes like peppermint and sin.

I feel like I’m literally intoxicated. It’s the only excuse I have for letting my tongue brush along her lip.

Before I can even consider regretting the escalation, Charli lets out a surprised whimper and yanks me down by the one hand she still has on my neck.

Aaaand that’s enough of her leading.

With a growl, I take hold of both of her wrists and bring them down and around her lower back. Securing both of her hands with one of mine, I lightly collar her throat as I back her toward the opposite wall. And the moment her back hits the wall, I take her mouth in the way I’ve been craving.

Tilting her head up, I angle my head so I can lick into her mouth. I have to swallow the groan that wants to rip through my chest when she opens to me instantly.

My grip on her hands tightens, my body finally presses against hers to flatten her to the wall, and I angle my head to kiss her again. This time deeper, and wetter, and with far more heat. With want.

I want to taste more of her. I want to taste all of her.

Brushing my lips over her jaw, I start to kiss and nip my way to her neck. Along her chin, under her ear, until I reach the space where her neck meets her shoulder. Her sweet apple scent hits my nose and drives my need higher. With a groan, I attack the area that’s been tempting me every time she shows up in a flannel cover that slips off her shoulder when she’s deep in thought.