Emilio broke the silence, and his voice was hollow, cold as ice. He didn’t yell at her, but his disappointment was evident. “You’re an incredibly smart woman, but I swear, sometimes you say the craziest things.”
Sharleen narrowed her eyes and hitched a hand to her hip. “Who are you calling crazy?”
“You. Now shut up and kiss me.” Emilio seized her waist, wrapped his arms around her and claimed her lips with his mouth.
Chapter 10
The moment Emilio’s lips touched Sharleen’s mouth, pleasure exploded inside of her body. He tasted of peppermint—delicious and sweet—and the savory flavor tickled her taste buds. Tingles danced down her spine as he sprayed soft, featherlight kisses over her lips and cheeks. Is this really happening? Are we actually kissing, or is this a figment of my imagination?
Emilio pulled her closer, urged her into his arms. His hands explored her flesh, caressed and stroked her inflamed body. He played with her hair, massaged her neck, her shoulders and hips. Sharleen was stunned by how aggressive he was, but she secretly loved every minute of it. For the first time in her life, she was living in the moment, gratifying the desires of her flesh, and it was the most liberating thing she’d ever done.
Delirious with need, she inclined her head toward him and deepened the kiss. He wasn’t a good kisser—he was an outstanding kisser, the best she’d ever had. Sharleen wanted more of him, needed more. She didn’t want the kiss to ever end, could happily spend the rest of the day cradled in his arms. His urgent caress and the warmth of his touch intensified her hunger, and as the seconds slipped into minutes, Sharleen found herself losing control. Her temperature soared, and the voices in her head—the ones urging her to flee—faded to the background.
Sharleen stroked his face, grabbed fistfuls of his hair, nibbled his bottom lip. The heady sensation of his lips and his hands was overwhelming, pushed her to the brink. Overcome with longing, a hunger she’d never known, she moaned from deep inside. Finally, after weeks of flirting, they’d kissed, and it was even better than she’d imagined.
Their moans and groans intensified, grew to a fevered pitch. Desperate to be closer to him, she draped her hands around his neck and pressed her body flat against his. It wasn’t enough—she needed more, desired more. A shiver ripped through her body, one so powerful her knees buckled.
Sharleen couldn’t believe that one kiss—one sensuous, erotic kiss—could wreak such havoc inside of her body, but it did. Her breasts ached for his touch, her hands shook and her legs quivered. She wanted to rip off his clothes and kiss every inch of his body. The thought made her cheeks burn with shame, but the urge still remained.
Finally, they pulled apart, exhausted.
“That was some kiss,” Emilio said in a husky growl. “Definitely the best I’ve ever had.”
Not trusting herself to speak, Sharleen took a moment to catch her breath. She lifted her head, caught his eye and returned his smile. She couldn’t deny how much she’d enjoyed that kiss, and she tried to keep thoughts of losing her job from ruining the moment.
“I’m sorry I lost control, but I couldn’t help myself. Your lips are so damn tempting.”
“I know,” she said, with a shrug, pretending to inspect her French manicure. “I hear that all the time.”
Emilio chuckled. “I love your humility. It’s endearing.”
“At least I’m not rude.” Deciding to have some fun with him, she jabbed a finger at his chest and wore a stern face. “Make no mistake, Mr. Morretti. The next time you tell me to ‘shut up,’ you’ll be looking for a new life coach.”
“That suits me just fine.”
Her spirits sank. “I thought you liked working with me.”
“I do, but I don’t want you to be my life coach anymore. I want you to be my girlfriend.”
Sharleen heard a gasp fall out of her mouth.
“Why is it so hard for you to believe that I’m attracted to you and that I want us to date?”
Because you’ve dated models and actresses, and I’m a nobody. Her thoughts spun out of control. She knew it would be foolish to embark on a relationship with him—the risk of being hurt was just too great.
“I adore everything about you. You’re intelligent, ridiculously beautiful and—”
“Ridiculously beautiful?” Sharleen scoffed and rolled her eyes. Men would say anything to get laid, and although she’d never pegged Emilio as the type who’d use lies and flattery to lure her into bed, he seemed to be doing just that. “Laying it on kinda thick, aren’t you?”