It wasn’t a visual that made her comfortable, Izzy thought, involuntarily rubbing her throat. “You’re ignoring the fact that you waltzed in here and scared me. I was perfectly safe until then. Just because I can’t see everything doesn’t mean I’m not capable.”
“You think I don’t know that? I’m the one teaching the class.”
She could hear the frustration in his voice, and the temper he was trying to control. She had the thought it would be interesting to see what he was like when he lost it.
“Don’t put the blame on me,” she snapped. “You screwed up.”
“You were climbing alone.”
“You keep saying that. Take responsibility for messing up and I’ll do the same.”
“What are we? Five?”
“You’re acting like you are.”
He growled low in his throat and reached for her. She couldn’t really see the movement, but she wasn’t surprised when he grabbed her by her upper arms and pulled her against him.
“You make me crazy,” he muttered.
“Then my work here is complete.”
He gave a short laugh, swore, and pressed his mouth to hers.
The kiss was as hot as it was unexpected. His lips seemed to burn hers, but in the best way possible. His fingers held her tight, not that she was interested in going anywhere.
He didn’t move much at first. There was just his mouth on hers, as if he were surprised to find himself in this position. Then he shifted slightly, exploring, discovering. Everywhere his lips brushed hers, she felt heat and sparks. Desire turned liquid and poured through her. She could hear her own heartbeat thundering in her ears.
She broke free of his hold so she could wrap her arms around his neck and leaned into him. He grabbed her around the waist. They touched from shoulder to thigh, body against body. He was strong and big and getting harder by the second.
He parted his lips slightly, she did the same and he moved his tongue against hers. She accepted him with a quick stroke, then they were kissing deeply, exploring and feeling.
She lost herself in him, in the sensation of passion and wanting. When he nipped on her lower lip, her insides clenched. He kissed his way along her jaw, then down her neck. She began to tremble in anticipation. He drew his hands across her waist and up her rib cage before cupping her breasts.
Even through her T-shirt and bra, she felt the warmth of his fingers as he caressed her. He brushed his thumbs across her nipples, sending jolts of pleasure all through her. Her breath caught. Need exploded. She angled her head and claimed his mouth, kissing him with all the fiery passion that surged inside her.
He met her stroke for stroke. His arousal flexed against her. She dropped her hands to his chest and explored his hard, sculpted muscles even as he continued to tease her breasts. Their arms bumped and brushed, their breath merged. Between her legs, female flesh grew swollen in anticipation.
And then he was gone.
One second Nick was kissing her back, taking as much as he gave, making her ache, the next he’d released her. She heard footsteps. A door opened and she was alone.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE NIGHT WAS ENDLESS. Nick knew better than to try to sleep right away. He escaped to his office, where he did his damnedest to get lost in spreadsheets and numbers. It rarely worked, but he never stopped trying. This time was even more difficult, with his blood still pumping and his dick rock-hard.
He swore silently, cursing himself more than Izzy. He knew better. She was a guest here, a client of sorts. Someone he was trying to help. He shouldn’t have kissed her, shouldn’t have kept kissing her. Shouldn’t have touched her.He’d studied with the best—he knew how to get control. He could slow his heart rate to a dozen beats a minute. He could cut off the sensation of pain, send blood to part of his body to promote healing. He was so fucking one with the world, he was practically a tree. But here he sat with a hard-on he couldn’t make go away and hands that still carried the feel of Izzy’s breasts.
He was beyond stupid, he thought grimly. He liked her. The wanting was easy. Eventually he would figure out how to make it go away. But the liking was a complication he hadn’t expected. Worse, now Garth was in the mix, involved in ways he wouldn’t explain.
The simplest solution would be to send Izzy back home. She was better than she had been. She would be fine with her sisters. Only fine was different than healed and he wasn’t one to walk away before the job was finished. He wouldn’t ask her to go. The problem was his and he would find a way to fix it.
Sometime around two he felt himself getting sleepy. He made his way to his bed and collapsed on top of the covers. He closed his eyes, knowing he probably wouldn’t sleep. Only he was wrong. Sleep claimed him instantly, but it was cruel that night, sending him directly into the dream.