Lethal Exposure by Lori Wilde Page A

go. Her charm was genuine, seeded within her flesh, her bones, her very breath.
    She was fresh and surprising and interesting. And he couldn’t stop wanting to run his hands over ever inch of her body. He couldn’t stop tasting the richness of her sweet, potent mouth. Couldn’t stop his cock from turning to granite.
    Then abruptly, she broke off the kiss, slumped back in her chair. Her eyes were wide and she was breathing heavily.
    Everyone in the restaurant was staring at them. He supposed they must have caused quite a spectacle with their kiss. He hesitated a moment, not knowing what to do. Julie gazed up at him as if he was some kind of chest-thumping caveman.
    “I apologize,” he heard himself mumble. “I crossed the line.”
    She kept studying him as if he was a complex jigsaw puzzle.
    “I shouldn’t have acted on my instincts. I wanted to kiss you, so I did, but that was inconsiderate, rude.”
    “Sometimes we can’t help acting on instinct.” She reached out and touched his arm.
    “I don’t want to do anything to chase you off.”
    She smiled slyly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
    He swallowed. “I’m not usually that aggressive.”
    “No?”
    “There’s something about you that stirs me,” he tried to explain.
    Sebastian’s words were a trigger, tripping something inside Julie. Passion filled this man. It radiated off him like summer heat. Her heart did a free fall.
    “I’ve spent the last twenty-four hours wondering what you tasted like,” he said. “I just had to find out.”
    “Did I live up to your expectations?”
    “You blew them out of the water,” he said and kissed her again.
    Ditto, she thought, and closed her eyes.
    Julie inhaled him, unwrapping his taste layer by layer. There was cinnamon, hot and spicy. He tasted sharp and clean and adventuresome. He knew exactly what he was doing to her. His tongue teased, sending tingles ricocheting around in her mouth, transporting her to an exotic fantasy realm. He kissed with the power and authority born of long practice and she grew jealous of all the other women who’d gotten to kiss him before her. And, she was jealous of all the things she’d missed out on simply because she’d been too afraid to take a chance.
    “Excuse me, would you like to order now?” the waitress interrupted.
    Grinning, Sebastian’s lips slowly left hers. He ordered without even looking at the menu.
    Julie’s heart skipped a beat. His eyes were dark and commanding and serious and she allowed herself to get lost in them. She had the urge to reach out and brush a finger across the tips of his dark lashes.
    “Wow,” she said. “That was some kiss.”
    “Some kiss,” he echoed.
    They sat staring at each other, neither moving nor saying a thing, simply watching and assessing until a few minutes later the waitress brought their food.
    Sebastian took his chopsticks and adroitly picked up a small sushi roll and extended it across the table toward her. “Open your mouth.”
    “Does it taste fishy?”
    “You’ve never eaten sushi before?”
    “No.”
    He angled his head closer. “Why didn’t you tell me? We could have gone somewhere else.”
    Julie pushed her tongue against the inside of her cheek. “I didn’t want to seem unsophisticated. You’re so suave and debonair, Mr. Beverly Hills.”
    He chuckled. “If you only knew.”
    She leaned forward. “Knew what?”
    “Where I came from.”
    “Oh?”
    He shook his head. “That’s a story for another time.”
    Feeling disappointed that he wasn’t going to confide in her, Julie sat back in her chair.
    “Good thing I ordered a sampler platter. We have a variety to choose from. Since you’re a sushi virgin, close your eyes.”
    “Huh?”
    “Close your eyes.”
    “What for?”
    “Epicurean delight.”
    She felt giggly and the odd feeling unsettled her. The things he could do to her with a simple look was beyond shocking. A strange thrill-chill chased down her spine. Slowly she lowered her lashes,