you, but stupid was never one of them. Not even close.”
His words shone like a light, banishing the shadow of pain from her heart.
“I b-b-believe you.”
A breath shuddered through him. “Thank you.”
She licked her dry lips. “Wh-what other thoughts?”
A wrinkle puckered between his eyebrows.
“Y-you said you’ve had a lot of thoughts… about me. Wh-what other thoughts?”
With a sardonic smile, he dropped his head and studied the ground. “You don’t want to know about those.”
“I do.” The words burst from her. “I really do.”
His gaze heated while he searched her face. “They’re bad thoughts.”
“Bad thoughts?”
“Downright wicked.”
A bevy of butterflies tickled her stomach. “Wicked?”
His eyelids grew heavy. “If I told you, you’d have more than enough reasons to hate me.”
“Hate you?”
“Why are you repeating everything I say?”
She gave another shake of her head. “I d-don’t know.” The lie fell easily from her lips.
It was a habit. A trick she’d learned early on to help her speak clear, stutter-free words, or to buy herself time when the words wouldn’t come.
But she didn’t want to talk about her childhood coping mechanisms. “I don’t think I w-would hate you.”
An odd mix of confusion and resolve played across his features. “I can’t stop thinking about you—picturing you—” His throat worked as he swallowed. “Naked.”
Heat swept through her. She searched his face for clues to any hidden meanings behind his words. “You’re doing it now? Teasing m-me?”
His perfect features softened. “No, Emily, I’m not teasing you now.” His fingertips brushed across her cheek. “I wish I were.”
Molten liquid spread from the tips of his fingers on her skin to her belly.
His gaze skidded to her mouth. His lips parted.
She slanted toward his warmth. Large raindrops plopped on her face when she lifted her mouth up to his.
He bent his head low and her heart thrashed against her breastbone.
Then his lips brushed hers in a feather-light kiss.
She held herself still, unsure what to do. His tongue licked at the corner of her mouth and her world tilted with a dizzying swoop. To steady herself, she clutched his shoulders.
He nibbled her bottom lip, taking soft little tastes of her. His tongue gave a gentle nudge, and when she opened for him, he licked inside.
Before Luke, she’d kissed exactly one man. Those kisses, from her college boyfriend, Joshua, were soft and warm and neat. They were nice kisses, if a little awkward.
What Luke Nolan’s mouth was doing to hers could not be described as nice. Or awkward. It was naughty, but tender. Part apology and part promise. A riptide of emotion whipped through her and conspired to drag her down.
She took her first, tentative taste of him with her tongue. A moan slipped from her at the delicious thrill of it.
The kiss changed and his mouth moved over hers with a possessiveness that wrenched her heart.
She didn’t understand what was happening to her, or why Luke Nolan was even kissing her at all. He didn’t like her, and truth be told, she didn’t like him much either. Except she really, really liked what his mouth was doing to her.
She didn’t understand how one simple kiss could make her forget everything that came before it. Or maybe she just didn’t care. As long as he kept kissing her like he’d die without her, she’d be content if he hated her for all eternity.
His large hand on the curve of her hip inched higher and slipped beneath the hem of her blouse. His warm, calloused palm smoothed up her side. She arched toward his touch.
He made a sound at the back of his throat and his hand explored further. He cupped her breast and she nearly cried out—with what, she didn’t know. Surprise and joy and a plea for more. The pad of his thumb skimmed across her nipple. Arousal spiraled through her and she pulled his tongue into her mouth, swallowing his moan.
Up to now, kissing, like
His words shone like a light, banishing the shadow of pain from her heart.
“I b-b-believe you.”
A breath shuddered through him. “Thank you.”
She licked her dry lips. “Wh-what other thoughts?”
A wrinkle puckered between his eyebrows.
“Y-you said you’ve had a lot of thoughts… about me. Wh-what other thoughts?”
With a sardonic smile, he dropped his head and studied the ground. “You don’t want to know about those.”
“I do.” The words burst from her. “I really do.”
His gaze heated while he searched her face. “They’re bad thoughts.”
“Bad thoughts?”
“Downright wicked.”
A bevy of butterflies tickled her stomach. “Wicked?”
His eyelids grew heavy. “If I told you, you’d have more than enough reasons to hate me.”
“Hate you?”
“Why are you repeating everything I say?”
She gave another shake of her head. “I d-don’t know.” The lie fell easily from her lips.
It was a habit. A trick she’d learned early on to help her speak clear, stutter-free words, or to buy herself time when the words wouldn’t come.
But she didn’t want to talk about her childhood coping mechanisms. “I don’t think I w-would hate you.”
An odd mix of confusion and resolve played across his features. “I can’t stop thinking about you—picturing you—” His throat worked as he swallowed. “Naked.”
Heat swept through her. She searched his face for clues to any hidden meanings behind his words. “You’re doing it now? Teasing m-me?”
His perfect features softened. “No, Emily, I’m not teasing you now.” His fingertips brushed across her cheek. “I wish I were.”
Molten liquid spread from the tips of his fingers on her skin to her belly.
His gaze skidded to her mouth. His lips parted.
She slanted toward his warmth. Large raindrops plopped on her face when she lifted her mouth up to his.
He bent his head low and her heart thrashed against her breastbone.
Then his lips brushed hers in a feather-light kiss.
She held herself still, unsure what to do. His tongue licked at the corner of her mouth and her world tilted with a dizzying swoop. To steady herself, she clutched his shoulders.
He nibbled her bottom lip, taking soft little tastes of her. His tongue gave a gentle nudge, and when she opened for him, he licked inside.
Before Luke, she’d kissed exactly one man. Those kisses, from her college boyfriend, Joshua, were soft and warm and neat. They were nice kisses, if a little awkward.
What Luke Nolan’s mouth was doing to hers could not be described as nice. Or awkward. It was naughty, but tender. Part apology and part promise. A riptide of emotion whipped through her and conspired to drag her down.
She took her first, tentative taste of him with her tongue. A moan slipped from her at the delicious thrill of it.
The kiss changed and his mouth moved over hers with a possessiveness that wrenched her heart.
She didn’t understand what was happening to her, or why Luke Nolan was even kissing her at all. He didn’t like her, and truth be told, she didn’t like him much either. Except she really, really liked what his mouth was doing to her.
She didn’t understand how one simple kiss could make her forget everything that came before it. Or maybe she just didn’t care. As long as he kept kissing her like he’d die without her, she’d be content if he hated her for all eternity.
His large hand on the curve of her hip inched higher and slipped beneath the hem of her blouse. His warm, calloused palm smoothed up her side. She arched toward his touch.
He made a sound at the back of his throat and his hand explored further. He cupped her breast and she nearly cried out—with what, she didn’t know. Surprise and joy and a plea for more. The pad of his thumb skimmed across her nipple. Arousal spiraled through her and she pulled his tongue into her mouth, swallowing his moan.
Up to now, kissing, like
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