She shook her head, pulling his lips to hers. The instant his lips touched hers, he sucked her lower lip into his mouth, wanting to claim her and pull her inside of him in any way she’d allow. It was crazy, but the urgency surging through him was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. Her tongue slipped into his mouth and he barely held back a groan. How could he have wanted to push her away? She was delicious and the way she melted into him, trusting him with her body and heart, made him want to throw her down on the bed, the surprise be damned. She was going to ruin him for anyone else and he was starting to think that wasn’t such a bad thing. Violet would be a hard act to follow and not just because he loved every inch of her body and her adorable dimples, but because she was beautiful inside and out.
With that thought, he pulled his lips from hers, taking in her dazed eyes and pleasure-drunk lips. As much as he was beginning to feel as though he wanted—no needed—Violet in his life, he didn’t know if it were possible, because like always, he had secrets. Secrets that would hurt her and rock her trust in him. Not telling her who he really was from the moment he met her would probably bite him in the ass, but he didn’t want to tell her yet. He liked the simplicity of being with her without the baggage of Chasing Ruin and his convoluted history.
Grabbing the dress from her hands, he slid it off the hanger and pulled it over her head. “You look beautiful,” he said as he kissed her on the cheek, loving that she let him take care of her. “You ready?”
“Yes, even though I don’t like the idea of leaving my house this afternoon. After last night, I thought I’d be entitled to a full day of rest.” She slipped on some gold flip-flops.
“You can rest. I’ll do the work.”
“Work? There’s work involved in this surprise?” she mockingly pouted. “I like this less and less by the minute.”
“You’ll love it.” He paused, his eyes caressing her and soaking her in. Now that he agreed to be with her for the next two weeks, he had every intention of enjoying every part of her while it lasted. He may be wrong for her in the long run, but in the short term, he’d give her everything she needed and more.
Grabbing his hand, she pulled him toward the door. “Let’s go before I change my mind.”
***
When Alec stopped his truck in front of the Foundation, she didn’t know what to expect. Earlier, she was sure they were going to dinner, a movie, or something like that despite his reference to work, but now she was confused.
“What are we doing?”
Smiling, Alec pulled his keys out of the ignition. Without saying another word, he walked around the front of his truck and opened her door, holding his hand out to help her down. Now she understood why most trucks had running boards. With the slightly lifted height of his truck, she felt awkward stepping out with her dress, even if it was loose around her legs. All she needed was to face plant into the asphalt parking lot and her weekend would be complete.
“Are you going to answer me?”
He chuckled, interlacing his fingers between hers, and as much as she knew she shouldn’t react, her heart danced in her chest. This is only two weeks, she repeated in her head until she felt like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. She had to remind herself that they weren’t playing for keeps. Their relationship was all about the present and she couldn’t let herself forget that, not even for a second.
“And for some reason I thought my Little Violet had patience. Who would have known?”
“Whatever…on any other day, but right now I’d rather climb back into my bed and not surface until tomorrow morning.”
Pausing, he raised one eyebrow, the one with the little white scar marring its perfection, but somehow making him even more alluring than if it wasn’t there. “If you plan on sharing your bed with me, then I’d be happy to ditch the surprise and reschedule for another day because there’s nothing I’d like more than to spend the day getting up close and personal with you.”
Admittedly, her heart swelled a little bit, probably too much for the finite nature of their relationship, which made her achingly aware that it was probably to her benefit that they only had two more weeks together. Any more time than that and she’d be irrevocability and unconditionally in love with the sexy as all hell man standing in front of her. “I’m good for now.”
“Keys,” he said, holding his hand out in front of her, his voice laced with amusement.
She handed him her keys, never taking her eyes off the way his t-shirt strained across his back with each motion.
“Now what?” she said as he flung the door open.