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“Jesus, you’re freezing,” he said, reaching out and rubbing her upper arms. “You need to get inside. Here, let me walk you.”
“You don’t have to.” But his hands felt wonderful on her arms. She longed to step into him, have him wrap his arms around her, but she didn’t want to look like she’d come out for a chance encounter with him. Didn’t want to come across Tara-like, ready to sink her claws in a cowboy.
Maybe she shouldn’t think so much. Maybe she shouldn’t try to control every aspect of her life. Why not invite him inside? Maybe it would lead to a kiss. She’d really like to kiss him. Or maybe it would lead to a cup of tea. Period. “Would you like a cup of tea?”
“I’d love some.”
She walked back to her aunt’s house, trying to rationalize her being a good neighbor. Wasn’t like inviting a man in his pajamas inside for tea was code for bend me over the breakfast table and do me. It was just tiny little leaves and scalding hot water. She needed to get a hold of herself… and her libido.
Damn book.
“I like the retro feel of your kitchen,” he commented, sinking onto a kitchen chair. He looked so large sitting at the small table. So male. So beautifully male.
“Thanks,” she said, turning the flame on under the kettle that still felt warm. She picked it up and poured water over the tea bag. The aroma bloomed up in a cloud of steam. “Sugar?”
He nodded so she scooped some into the cup, stirred and took it to him. Lucas took the cup, set it on the table, and pulled Addy into his lap.
“Oh,” she exclaimed, grabbing his shoulders so she didn’t tumble onto the floor.
“You know, I didn’t really come in for tea.” His voice sounded like sex. She shivered but it wasn’t from the residual night air.
A conga line of hunger began dancing in her belly. “You didn’t?”
She leaned a little closer, inhaling his scent. He smelled so good. Like woodsy cologne mixed with a wonderful maleness no one could bottle. Just a warm, clean yummy smell that made Addy want to nestle her head into his shoulder to draw in more of him.
He slid his hands up her sides, making goosebumps sprout on her arms. “Drinking tea was an excuse to come inside and warm you up. Just being neighborly and all.”
“Just like you were being neighborly with Tara earlier? Cause I could have sworn you warmed her up, too.” Damn it. She closed her eyes, admonishing herself for playing the jealous idiot. Who said stuff like that? Insecure little girls. That’s who.
“Tara?”
She opened her eyes and saw his smile. He teased her. “I shouldn’t have said anything. Not well done of me.”
His arms closed around her, pulling her tighter to him, warming the cool flesh beneath the thin gown. “I’m not interested in Sheldon’s mom, but I like that you’re jealous. Tells me what I want to know.”
She arched an eyebrow, trying for cool but knowing she failed. She was a hot mess of insecurity and trembling horny woman. Not a good combination in a moonlit kitchen. After midnight. With a cowboy in pajama pants. The intimacy of hard male beneath the worn, thin flannel did dangerous things to her. “And what’s that?”
“You want me the way I want you.” He slid one arm between her shoulder blades and cupped the back of her head, bringing it down toward him.
Addy let him because he was right. She wanted him. Maybe she had some residual horniness from reading about Sophie and Cade getting it on. Or maybe it had been too long since she’d had a man hold her, care about warming her up. Or maybe ever since she’d laid eyes on Lucas Finlay she’d wanted to also lay her hands on him.
Didn’t matter because at that moment she didn’t care about why. She cared only that he touched her.
Resting her hands on his shoulders, she tilted her head and settled her lips against his, tasting him for the first time.
Wonderful liquid heat poured into her as he slid his free hand up her rib cage, grazing her breast, to cup her jaw and tangle his fingers in her loose hair as he coaxed her mouth open. He slid his tongue inside, and she sank into him.
After several seconds, Lucas pulled back, breaking the kiss. He leaned his forehead against her chin and sighed. “Just as I imagined.”
“What?” she whispered, inhaling the scent of masculine shampoo and something uniquely Lucas.
He tilted his head back so he could look her in the eye. “You taste like mountain rain.”
“How does that taste?”
He laughed low in his throat and pulled her lips back down to his. And then he kissed her again. And again. And again.
By the time the kettle whistled, Addy straddled Lucas, her gown bunched around her thighs, her breathing out of control. The man devoured her, his hands roaming her body, delicious against the thin cotton of her nightgown.
