hitting her from all sides.
Oh God. Oh God, oh God, oh God.
Jared was kissing her. Her best, closest friend in the whole wide world had set his mouth on hers—and kissed her.
God help her, it felt good. So good. So gentle and innocent. So sweet and…loving. Yet so unexpected. Eleven years ago she’d have died and gone to heaven at the feel of his lips on hers. Now? She felt…she felt…
Absolutely terrified.
Tremors shook her body. Tears swamped her eyes.
Part of her ached to throw caution to the wind and sink into the kiss, but another part fought to yank free of his hold, turn tail and run.
Inertia held her motionless. How could she run—or respond—when her muscles had turned to jelly? They refused to obey the orders her brain sent. Or maybe her brain had forgotten to send out basic impulses.
Blood drained into her feet, making her weak.
Jared.
Kissing her.
Ava thought she might very well pass out from the pleasure and panic of it all.
He pulled away with another low groan. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”
Ava didn’t open her eyes. Fear of what she’d see in his kept them shut. She swallowed down a massive lump in her throat and licked her lips nervously, tasting him there.
Jared made a low, wordless sound, like a soft growl.
The hand in her hair loosened. “I need to touch your face. Run my thumb along your lips.” Once again, his fingers grazed her neck, sending fresh flares of goose bumps down her arms. Slowly, softly, he trailed a feather-light touch up the side of her throat and over her cheek.
Tingles erupted wherever his fingers moved.
Then his thumb was on her mouth, brushing over her lips. Gently. So gently.
Ava need only jiggle her head and she’d shake him off.
He trailed his thumb back across her lip, using a little more pressure.
Her mouth parted, enough that the next time Jared ran his thumb across it, it skimmed her teeth and the edges of her upper lip too.
“Open for me. Let me taste your tongue.” His words were a seductive whisper.
Ava’s belly fluttered.
“Let me kiss you. Like a man kisses a woman.”
Desire, swift and unexpected, washed through her, making her gasp.
Jared took advantage of her surprise, placing his thumb on her chin and pressing down, so she had no choice but to widen the space between her lips.
Ava almost panicked, but Jared instantly lessened the pressure. She was free to step back if she wished.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” he murmured. “Trust me. Let me in.”
Ava tried to respond. She did, but words stuck in her throat. Her heart beat a staccato rhythm, fast and out of time.
He must have sensed her internal struggle. “Nod. Just once. It’s all I need from you.”
She inhaled a shaky breath…and nodded.
Jared moaned, and his mouth was back on hers, nuzzling her one lip and then the other. He ran his tongue along the inside edge of the lower one before grazing his teeth over the same, sensitive spot.
“Jared.” His name was nothing but a whisper, and in a warm, silken invasion, Jared slid his tongue into her mouth.
The tears were back, pushing against her eyelids, threatening to escape. So were the tremors, rocking her body. Neither surprised her as much as the liquid heat pooling between her legs.
Ava was aroused. Turned on by her best friend and his exquisite tenderness. It had been a very, very long time since she’d been turned on.
Jared spent a long, leisurely moment toying with her tongue, sliding his across hers, teasing.
The lump in her throat returned, making breathing difficult.
But dear God, his mouth did crazy things to her body, turning her stomach inside out, sending her pulse into overdrive. Her hands and feet felt as heavy as concrete. Her breasts tightened, the nipples pulling into hard beads as blood throbbed through her veins.
Without thinking, Ava took a step toward Jared, closing the distance between them. Jared responded with a harsh groan, hauling her against his body
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