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She turned at the sound of the cab’s door closing, and nearly bumped into Seth who’d moved up behind her.
He nodded toward the cafe. “Nice digs, Harper.”
“I like it.” Moving to the glossy black painted door located at the far right of the building, she pressed the entry code on the keypad to gain access—the one consideration to modernity in the building’s otherwise restored frontage. After careful sandblasting, the brick façade of the three-story structure showed all the character of its original reddish browns, beige, and clay hues.
Then a thought struck her. “Hey, I haven’t asked, but where do you live?”
“I rent an apartment five blocks from here.” He named one of the new towers that graced the Seattle skyline.
Super stylish. And only a ten-minute walk away.
Stepping through the doorway, she waved to the wide mahogany staircase past the foyer’s Victorian tiled floor with its intricate design of an urn filled with lilies and ivy. “There’s no elevator, but I’ve convinced myself the stairs are like a free gym membership.” Unless she was carrying heavy groceries. At those times, her pseudo-Stairmaster totally sucked.
She stood next to the standing chrome lamp, which shone a burst of light inside the foyer’s entry and reflected on the soft gray walls.
“This is lovely, Harper.” Seth glanced down at the pattern in the tiles before following her to the staircase. A pewter colored carpet runner, set in place with brass strips on each step, flowed down the steps in a long trail. “Your landlord takes care of his investment.” His gaze caught hers as he waved for her to go first.
“You could say that.” Since she owned the building, a part of her inheritance, absolutely she was invested. For now, she’d keep that fact to herself. Having been played for a fool twice, her caution was more automatic than actual suspicion of Seth’s motives. After all, the guy was in talks with her dad. He’d soon have some serious money of his own.
With each step up the stairs, Seth’s nearness—the way she glimpsed his wide shoulders and veined forearm as she rounded a flight of stairs, the faint smell of his aftershave, and the rich timbre of his voice—made her ultra-aware of everything, from the sound of her dress moving against her legs to her breathing and the way her pulse raced as they neared their destination.
By the time they made it to her apartment’s dark timbered door, she was desperate for something to say, anything to dispel her crazy nervousness.
“Harper.” Seth turned her to face him and curved his hands over her upper arms.
“What—”
He pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her. Taking command. A delicious tremor triggered low in her belly. “I can practically feel your panic.” Lifting his finger, he brushed a tendril of hair back off her face. “I’d say we need an ice-breaker, but since we’ve already had nearly three hours of each other’s company, I’m going to use a more enjoyable way of pushing past those nerves.”
“What would that be?” She concentrated on the angular lines of his jaw.
“I’m going to kiss you.” He waited, a couple of seconds, all of which time she held her breath, but issued no protest. Then he dipped his head, and the next moment, her eyes were closed, and his lips were on hers.
Seth took his time, teasing her with a light pressure, drawing her in. She leaned close, needing to feel more, touch more. Raising her hands, she spread her fingers over the hardness of his chest. Strong. Manly. An arrow of heat fired deep inside. How would it feel to have that strength holding her, containing her?
He didn’t keep her waiting. Seth’s powerfully muscled arms wrapped her up tight. His kiss grew harder and more demanding as he thrust his tongue into her mouth.
Whiskers scraped her face. She loved the roughness, the way it seemed at odds with his stylish shirt and dress pants. He was a caged animal covered in a veneer of respectability.
Heat pooled between her legs. Her nipples tightened. She wanted to grab at his hair, tug it, run her fingers through the waves. She tested his grip, but his arms bound her against him with the strength of iron bands. Desperate, she moaned against his mouth. Being helpless was…so, so fucking hot, driving her desire to break free and touch him even higher.
As the pressure of his mouth left hers, she opened her eyes.
His ocean-blue gaze swept over her face. “Consider the ice broken.”
Broken? He’d freaking melted the polar ice cap.
She licked her lips. “I, uh, think we’ve achieved our goal.”
His mouth twitched as he loosened his arms and interlocked his hands against the small of her back. “Just saying, sweetness, I’m a grown man who has self-control. But as much as I like chocolate cake, if you want to take this kissing further, there’s a good chance those two slices will stay untouched once we step inside your apartment.”
Her breath stayed locked in her chest. He’d laid it out there. The next move was her decision. She searched his face, seeing his hunger in the force of his gaze. The same need must be reflected in hers. Hadn’t she returned his kisses with as much passion?
Here was a gorgeous man she had laughed with and shared stories with so easily the time had flown.
And he wanted her.
Life was made up of moments big and small, brave and timid.
