Her Billionaires_ Boxed Set(30)

Thank whatever higher power she was supposed to thank for that little chat window.

His hot breath filled her and then cool air touched her lips as he pulled away. The sound of his deep breath, an intentional, centering breath that she recognized instantly, filled her with uncertainty. Was he having second thoughts? All these extra curves weren’t exactly accessories she figured were standard features on the women Mike normally dated. Those were the weekend yoga babes, the women who competed in mini-triathlons for fun and who went on 100-mile weekend bike rides just because. They were a different kind of woman than Laura. Hell, they might as well have been a different species. What would Mike want with her, with all her soft rolls and overflowing cups and dimples and apple cheeks and—

Had she gone too far in kissing him? Wait a minute, now— he was the one who initiated the kiss. He had kissed her. She had nothing to worry about; she’d done nothing premature. C’mon, Laura, she thought to herself, just stop this. This is crazy. Her old insecurities flooded her as she tipped her head down, averting his eyes, his hand still on her shoulders, one trailing a lazy path down the side of her rib cage, brushing briefly against her breast.

He let go of her shoulder and reached up to her chin, tipping it, forcing her to meet his eyes. What she saw there told her everything she needed to know. She laughed nervously, “I don’t normally do this, you know?”

“Do what?” His voice was smoky with need. It had changed. The affable, slightly awkward man she’d started this hike with had suddenly evolved into a determined, commanding, dominant man.

“I don’t normally go on long hikes with guys and then kiss them before we reach the summit. Typically, I wait until we get to the top.”

He smiled. “OK, then I have something to look forward to. Come on.” He pointed to the trail head.

She groaned. “All right, if you insist.”

He held his hand out in a gesture of chivalry, “Ladies first.”

“Promise?” she asked, the word popping out of her mouth before she could take it back.

He cocked one eyebrow, a lascivious look, “Oh, you can count on it.”

What was she doing basically promising this guy that she was going to have sex with him when they reached the top of the mountain? Earth to Laura! She had to laugh at herself on the inside, trying to hide the racing thoughts from Mike. The pounding of her inner voice was so strong, so loud and so pervasive that she feared everything going on inside her head was so obvious that he could read her.

As he took her hand, intertwining their fingers, and they walked slowly at Laura’s pace up to the top, she felt herself tip over. This was something new and this was something good and she wasn’t going to let that ridiculous doubting voice inside her ruin it.

With each step she felt her energy rebound, her heart rate steadying and her body finding some sort of equilibrium to keep pumping herself up, to manage the trail and to climb higher. Perhaps it was the excitement of Mike’s kiss, his proximity, of the promise of something more when they reached their goal. Silly though it seemed, that made her live in the moment, and when they finally reached the end, the view really was otherworldly.

So was Mike’s touch.

Just don’t sleep with him, that little voice chided her. Don’t be that kind of woman. Wait one more date. In some ways, she hated that voice, but this time it really was right. Sleeping with Mike this soon after Dylan would seem crass. Over the top. Unfair to Mike.

Unfair to her. She needed a few days off from everyone to just think this through. Of course, she’d never see Dylan again. That was a done deal. However, she still had unresolved feelings for him, and that meant clearing her mind. Couldn’t do that with Mike’s tongue in her mouth.

Or his dick in her—

“Hey? That’s an interesting look. What’s going on in that mind of yours?” Talk about a loaded question. Laura struggled to answer. He peered at her, seemed to really study her, and it was as if he knew. Knew what she was thinking, understood the demons she wrestled with, and was being respectful—but still curious. If it weren’t 100 percent impossible for him to have any idea about her date with Dylan last night (this morning) she would have thought he was giving her space to think things through.

That was just crazy, though.

His arm reached for her, pulled her into his embrace, her back to his chest, and he settled in, holding her as if they’d done this a million times. Inhaling deeply, she relaxed into the hold, feeling like they had done this forever. How could this be? Why did she feel so settled with him already—and yet so excited to get to know him, all at the same time? She examined his forearms, bare and wrapped around her ribs and chest. Light, sandy hair dotted the arms, which were deeply freckled, though the spots were light. A few scars, but nothing that spoke of severe trauma. No ring, and no tell-tale white skin where a ring normally resided. He did wear an old-fashioned friendship bracelet, the kind she hadn’t seen since she was a young teen.