Page 79 of The Last Goodbye

He used his thumb to stroke the inside of my palm. “It is.”

“Yet, you made a point to say this wasn’t a date.”

“Well, liking you is one thing. Dating you is something else entirely.” He exhaled. “I’m not good at dating—my ex-girlfriend was pretty clear about that, and she wasn’t wrong. I’m married to my job, and obviously I’m not the most trusting person by nature. I think I’m best at keeping things casual, and with us working together every day, that could make things a little awkward.”

“I’m not the most trusting person, either, so we’re on the same page. And I’m only here for three months, and then I’ll be heading back to New York. So there’s no point in complicating things. Especially with two people who can’t stand one another most of the time.”

He nodded as a sexy-as-sin grin spread across his handsome face. The sun had disappeared behind the horizon, and the sky was growing darker as the moon came into view above.

“Right. There would be no point.” His voice was gruff.

“And for the record, when you aren’t being a stubborn ass, I like you, too.”

His hand was still covering mine, and the gentle strokes of his thumb across my palm were making it difficult to concentrate. His lips were plump, and I suddenly wondered what they would feel like pressed against mine. My fingers ached to trace along the scruff on his jaw.

“I’ll keep that in mind when I’m being a stubborn ass.” A deep, masculine chuckle escaped his mouth.

“So, we’re friends,” I whispered, and I wasn’t sure if I was saying this for him or to convince myself, because how many times could we say these two words to each other in one evening?

“We’re friends.” He wet his lips, and I moved closer on instinct.

Apparently, we could say it one more time.

My chest grazed along his, and his hand moved to my hair, tucking it behind my ear.

“Not going to lie. I’ve thought about kissing you, Magpie,” he said.

“Really?” I asked, my voice unusually hoarse. “And how was it—in your thoughts, I mean.”

He moved closer, his lips just a breath away from mine. “Fucking fantastic.”

My hands moved to his chest, fingers gripping at the fabric of his linen button-up, as my heart pounded in my chest. “I did kiss a friend once my freshman year in high school. I’d never kissed anyone, and he said he’d help me out so I’d know what to do when it really happened.”

Laughter rumbled from his chest. “I’m sure he was happy to help you out.”

“Yeah. And it didn’t make things weird between us, because it was just a kiss.”

“It might not hurt to get this out of our systems. We both agree that anything more than friendship is a bad idea, but what harm could a kiss do?”

Heat radiated from his body, and I looked up at those sapphire blue eyes and saw all the need and desire that I felt deep in my soul, looking right back at me in his reflection. Shivers moved down my spine with anticipation. “One kiss. One time. We never speak of it again.”

Before I could say another word, his arms moved beneath me, bringing me onto his lap and turning me to face him. My legs fell on each side of his hips so I was straddling him, and I was grateful for the long loose-fitting dress I was wearing, which I could easily maneuver around in. One of his hands moved to the back of my head, while the other one slid around my bare back, his hand caressing my skin in the most soothing way.

He tugged me down, and my mouth crashed into his as he moved to cradle my jaw, tilting my head to the side to have better access.

He took complete control as he licked my lower lip and sucked and nipped at my mouth, and my body was on fire.

It was frantic and hot and needy.

My lips parted on instinct as his tongue slipped inside, tangling with mine.

My hips moved of their own volition, and I could feel how hard he was beneath me as I ground against him shamelessly. His other hand continued to slide up and down my back where my dress dipped before sliding so low that he gave my ass a little squeeze, and I moaned against his mouth.

His tongue slid in and out, and I never wanted this moment to end. My hands tangled in his hair as I tugged him even closer, the feel of his cock growing beneath me, which only fueled me more. I rocked against him in a fury as his lips unsealed from mine and trailed down the column of my throat. My body was on fire, and the ache between my thighs left me eager for relief as I continued to grind against him.

Fast. Needy. Desperate.

“My God, please don’t stop,” I said, my voice barely recognizable. I’d never been so turned on.