She leaned back too, trying to make it seem casual, as if that was even possible. “I, uh, have a brunch date tomorrow. I’ve gotta get up kind of early. I’d better get to bed…” She squeezed her purse strap so tightly that her knuckles ached. Every fiber of her being urged her to escape the car and the fog of humiliation that had descended upon her, upon the whole evening.
Silent seconds ticked by, and they seemed more like hours as she waited for Jed to respond.
“All right.” Two words – they were all he said. And then he leaned forward, across the console and directly into her personal space. Before she could react, his breath was flowing hot against her cheek and his facial hair was scraping the edge of her jaw, causing her spine to tingle and her nipples to harden. There was no mistaking the electricity in the air when his mouth met hers.
At first, his lips were soft. Then they were firm, so hot against hers that she wondered briefly whether he had a fever. But her temperature rose to match his as the kiss continued and his tongue ventured out to skim the edge of her lower lip.
Yielding to the touch was utterly instinctual – something she’d been craving since the first time she’d laid eyes on him. As he slipped his tongue past her teeth, she reached out, pressing a hand against his chest.
His muscle was as rock-hard under her palm as she’d imagined it would be. What tattoos were there, beneath his shirt? She’d never seen, but knew there had to be some. He was tattooed from his hands to his collarbones, from what she could tell. Her speculations blurred as his tongue entwined with hers, melting her attempts at coherent thought.
For a few moments, she simply floated, thinking of nothing besides the heat and pressure of his mouth against hers. And then the kiss was over.
The end seemed abrupt, and the air too cool against her lips, but a slow burn still heated her from the inside.
“I won’t keep you,” Jed said in a voice so low it rasped against some place deep inside Karen, bringing every nerve she possessed to expectant life.
She breathed, in and out, still tasting him on the tip of her tongue. “Okay.” Her voice came out surprisingly steady considering the fact that her head was spinning.
“Have a good time at brunch tomorrow.”
“I will. Thanks.”
“Happy birthday, Karen.” He was still leaning on the console, and his fingers brushed her arm, the touch shockingly sensual for such light contact.
“Happy birthday to you, too.”
Her heart practically leapt out of her chest when he exited the car. What was he planning to do … come inside? It didn’t make any sense, given what he’d just said, but the thought had her head spinning even faster and her nerves buzzing.
He opened the passenger side door for her, and her heart rate slowed a little as realization dawned on her. “Thanks.” She stepped out, into the night, and looked up at him.
He smiled a smile she would’ve called conflicted if she’d trusted her judgment, which she didn’t – Jed’s kiss had been more powerful than any shot. It had left her giddy, happy and bewildered all at once. “Goodnight. I’ll see you soon?” She hadn’t meant for it to come out as a question, but it did.
“You know you will. Goodnight.”
He waited by the curb as she made her way to her second story apartment, and she paused to wave at him before slipping into the privacy of her home, where she was free to sigh, collapse onto the couch and dedicate all her mental efforts to wrapping her mind around the fact that Jed had just kissed her.
Why had he leaned away at first? Why hadn’t he tried to take things further? And why, God why, was he so unnaturally good at kissing? No one else had ever made her feel that way with just a kiss…
Nothing made any sense, but that didn’t stop her from savoring his heat and taste as both faded slowly from her tongue, leaving a deep craving in their wake.
CHAPTER 3
The sight of Karen’s name on the phone screen snared Jed’s attention more effectively than an explosion would have. As he accessed his messages, guilt sped through his veins like poison. It was going on six in the evening … the better part of a day had passed since he’d succumbed to temptation and kissed her the night before. And they hadn’t spoken since.
She’d mentioned brunch plans for that morning, and he’d justified the delay in his apology by telling himself he’d probably be interrupting her plans if he tried to get in touch. Truth was, he was fucking procrastinating. Because what could he say that wouldn’t drive home the fact that he’d acted like an ass the night before?
I’m printing a ton of stuff right now. Need any more prints for around the shop?