couldn't help it, really I couldn't. But the mood pulled me in, and I laughed and sang along as Thomas, looking quite the fool, and at the same time, quite the man, gave a performance I knew nobody here would soon forget.
When the song finished, the crowd erupted into cheers. Several of the nearby women seemed to unconsciously gravitate our way. A young man thrust shots into our hands, and a big group formed around Thomas and me. Caught up in the moment, I held my shot glass high with the others and downed it, savoring the rush of fire in my throat and feeling as if something inside me, something I thought had died long ago, came back to life.
This is fun!
Thomas wrapped an arm around my waist and swung me around. I laughed. He set me down, and suddenly it seemed there was no one else in the place with us. His eyes and mine locked. Time seemed to linger in place. My stomach tingled. He caressed my cheek with a hand. Leaned in, and kissed me.
A shiver ran up my spine. My stomach muscles clenched. His lips were soft, gentle, so warm. His whiskers felt rough against my chin. An electric thrill ran from my lips and into my lower belly.
He jerked back, a surprised look on his face, mouth slightly open while the group around us cheered us on. A troubled look crossed his features, though he quickly covered it with a smile. Bowing and thanking our new acquaintances, Thomas took my hand and pulled me through the crowd. We emerged outside, the cold biting into my skin after the heat of crowded dancing bodies. I was still flushed and slightly perspiring beneath my clothes. Thomas, though a bit rumpled, hardly seemed affected by the sudden transition in temperature.
"Is anything the matter?" I asked, wanting him to turn and kiss me again. To see if it felt the same way the second time.
He looked over his shoulder, eyes scanning. I turned and looked, but saw nothing.
"Nah, it's just late," he said. "Time for you to get home."
"But—"
"We'll have to do this again sometime."
I could tell by the tone of his voice he didn't mean it. Something was wrong. I planted my feet and jerked him to a halt. He probably could have pulled me along easily, but stopped and turned, sighing.
"What the hell is going on?" I asked.
"It's—you were right earlier." He ran a hand through his hair. "It's not a good idea for us to do this."
"And you waited to kiss me before figuring this out?" I said, anger loosening the knots in my stomach. "Does my breath stink?"
He smiled. "No, not at all—"
"Do I kiss poorly?"
"Emily, no." His voice grew quiet. "If anything, it's the opposite. I never—" he touched his lips, eyes staring into space as if remembering the feeling. "It made me shiver."
My anger changed to confusion. "Then what's the problem?"
"There is no problem." He looked away. "And that's the problem."
"Kiss me," I said.
"What?"
"Kiss me. I want to see if it was real. To see if it feels the same."
Thomas shook his head. "Not a good idea. Really not."
"Don't you dare turn me down, Mr. Jones, or I will be very cross with you." I put all the fire I could muster into my eyes.
He backed up a step, waved his arms in surrender. "Fine, fine. But I won't be held responsible for the consequences."
Consequences be damned. I wanted to see if the first kiss was a fluke. If it had been all in my mind. If—Thomas cut off my thoughts as he drew near, one hand pressing the small of my back, the other hand taking my jaw in a gentle caress.
He leaned in close. Drew in a deep shuddering breath. "You are trouble."
Our lips met. The heat from his mouth ran down my neck and into my legs. My knees went weak, nearly buckling, but his hand at my back steadied me. My stomach muscles tightened, and I felt a leg lift off the ground. I could practically feel the electric current pulsing between us. I felt his warm body press to mine. Felt his excitement grow against my leg.
Oh lord. This is most certainly trouble.
The kiss seemed cut short when he pulled
When the song finished, the crowd erupted into cheers. Several of the nearby women seemed to unconsciously gravitate our way. A young man thrust shots into our hands, and a big group formed around Thomas and me. Caught up in the moment, I held my shot glass high with the others and downed it, savoring the rush of fire in my throat and feeling as if something inside me, something I thought had died long ago, came back to life.
This is fun!
Thomas wrapped an arm around my waist and swung me around. I laughed. He set me down, and suddenly it seemed there was no one else in the place with us. His eyes and mine locked. Time seemed to linger in place. My stomach tingled. He caressed my cheek with a hand. Leaned in, and kissed me.
A shiver ran up my spine. My stomach muscles clenched. His lips were soft, gentle, so warm. His whiskers felt rough against my chin. An electric thrill ran from my lips and into my lower belly.
He jerked back, a surprised look on his face, mouth slightly open while the group around us cheered us on. A troubled look crossed his features, though he quickly covered it with a smile. Bowing and thanking our new acquaintances, Thomas took my hand and pulled me through the crowd. We emerged outside, the cold biting into my skin after the heat of crowded dancing bodies. I was still flushed and slightly perspiring beneath my clothes. Thomas, though a bit rumpled, hardly seemed affected by the sudden transition in temperature.
"Is anything the matter?" I asked, wanting him to turn and kiss me again. To see if it felt the same way the second time.
He looked over his shoulder, eyes scanning. I turned and looked, but saw nothing.
"Nah, it's just late," he said. "Time for you to get home."
"But—"
"We'll have to do this again sometime."
I could tell by the tone of his voice he didn't mean it. Something was wrong. I planted my feet and jerked him to a halt. He probably could have pulled me along easily, but stopped and turned, sighing.
"What the hell is going on?" I asked.
"It's—you were right earlier." He ran a hand through his hair. "It's not a good idea for us to do this."
"And you waited to kiss me before figuring this out?" I said, anger loosening the knots in my stomach. "Does my breath stink?"
He smiled. "No, not at all—"
"Do I kiss poorly?"
"Emily, no." His voice grew quiet. "If anything, it's the opposite. I never—" he touched his lips, eyes staring into space as if remembering the feeling. "It made me shiver."
My anger changed to confusion. "Then what's the problem?"
"There is no problem." He looked away. "And that's the problem."
"Kiss me," I said.
"What?"
"Kiss me. I want to see if it was real. To see if it feels the same."
Thomas shook his head. "Not a good idea. Really not."
"Don't you dare turn me down, Mr. Jones, or I will be very cross with you." I put all the fire I could muster into my eyes.
He backed up a step, waved his arms in surrender. "Fine, fine. But I won't be held responsible for the consequences."
Consequences be damned. I wanted to see if the first kiss was a fluke. If it had been all in my mind. If—Thomas cut off my thoughts as he drew near, one hand pressing the small of my back, the other hand taking my jaw in a gentle caress.
He leaned in close. Drew in a deep shuddering breath. "You are trouble."
Our lips met. The heat from his mouth ran down my neck and into my legs. My knees went weak, nearly buckling, but his hand at my back steadied me. My stomach muscles tightened, and I felt a leg lift off the ground. I could practically feel the electric current pulsing between us. I felt his warm body press to mine. Felt his excitement grow against my leg.
Oh lord. This is most certainly trouble.
The kiss seemed cut short when he pulled
Similar Books
