Love & Curses(10)

With her stomach doing backflips, she sauntered to the couch where Andy had made himself comfortable.

“How are you feeling?” She settled next to him.

“I’ll live, and so will you. That’s the important part.”

“I can’t believe you had to save me a second time.” She gave a small laugh. “I must’ve pissed someone off to have this kind of bad luck. I mean, I’ve been known to be a little klutzy, but really, a piano dropping on my head? Feels like bad karma to me.”

He put his arm around her, and she snuggled into his chest. Damn the man smelled good. Woodsy, fresh, and all male.

Right. “I wanted to talk about last night,” she whispered, and he immediately stiffened. Twisting to face him, she lifted her hand to his jaw and grazed her thumb over his lips. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am for what happened in your car yesterday. Believe me, nothing about your kiss or touch reminds me of Ben, and that’s a good thing. You stirred something in me yesterday I’ve never felt.” She gazed into his dark, unreadable eyes, and her confidence wavered. Finish it, Calista. Be honest. “I guess it scared me. It’s so hard to put my heart back out there on the line. I swore I was done looking for love, but you made me want to believe again. I’m just so afraid of losing what we have if it doesn’t work out.”

He tightened his arm around her and, reaching up, cupped her face with his other hand. “Ah, baby. The only thing you stand a chance of losing is a past of regret. You are the one for me. I’ve known for almost a year.”

Her heart stuttered. A year?

“I’ve just been waiting for you to catch up.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and gazed at her with such intensity her breath caught. “Your heart is safe with me. I swear it.”

Her reserve melted at his words. Leaning in, she captured his mouth with hers. He parted his lips, and she drank in his warmth. She darted her tongue into his mouth, dueling with his in a kiss that caused her toes to curl and liquid heat to pour through her. No one had ever touched her so gently, kissed her so thoroughly. She felt cherished.

“God, Calista. I want you,” he said, his words laced with lust. “I’ve wanted you since the first time I laid eyes on you.”

Oh God, the way he stared at her. No one had ever looked at her with such overwhelming desire. It was as though he consumed her with his eyes. “Then take me.”

Andy growled deep in his throat and deftly took over the kiss. His hands slipped underneath her shirt and skimmed up her ribs, his thumbs detouring to brush over her hardened nipples. She arched toward him, longing to have his mouth on her, but he continued upward, shoving her shirt over her head and tossing it to the floor.

“You’re so beautiful.” He licked down the length of her neck to nip at her shoulder, and she shivered under him.

Not one to be outdone, Calista grasped the bottom of his shirt, lifted it over his head, and sent it flying. Staring at his extremely impressive chest, she ran her hands over his tight abdomen and up through the matting of brown hair covering some well-sculpted pecs. “Wow, I had no idea what you were hiding under your shirts all this time.”

His flat male nipples called to her, and she placed her mouth over one, laving it until his skin broke out in goose bumps. She’d barely moved to the other when he groaned, pulled her away, and laid her flat onto the couch. She peered up at him as he rose over her, looking primal and hungry.

Resuming the kiss, he moved his hands between them to her bra where he skillfully un-hooked the front clasp, freeing her breasts to the cool air-conditioned air.

“Look at you, so sweet. I want to taste you all over.” He traced his fingers along her collarbone and down to one nipple, which he teased until she was breathless with desire. “I think I’ll start here.” Bending, he closed his mouth over her breast.

The moment his tongue touched her, heat shot through her veins. She arched up to him, the pleasure immeasurable as he sucked her. She ground her pelvis against his, wanting more of him while he worshiped her body with his mouth and hands.

“Damn. I’ve dreamed of this for so long. To be able to touch you.” He brushed his fingers along her rib cage in a feather soft touch, working his way lower. “To kiss you everywhere.” He licked the length of her stomach, stopping at the rim of her pants. His teeth clasped on, giving a yank. “I need more.”

With nimble fingers, he unbuttoned her jeans. She lifted her hips as he pulled them down her legs, tossing them with the rest of the clothing on the floor. A feral growl rumbled from his chest. “I need so much more of you.”