Page 19 of The Forces of Love

“Finally,” he said, but he didn’t move an inch.

Unleashing all the passion she’d been burying, Sophie dove in. The first touch of his lips proved they were just as soft as she’d imagined, just as insistent as her own. This might be the best wrong decision she’d ever made.

Sophie was used to being the aggressor with her partners. She liked it, and though she’d done everything in her power to avoid thoughts of kissing Mitch, they may have slipped through a time or two. And she’d already firmly accepted that she would be the one calling the shots. She’d pictured him waiting, following, bumbling maybe, under his baggy shirt and mop of unruly hair.

Oh, how wrong she’d been.

Before she knew what was happening, he flipped their positions. He pressed her against the wall, caging her in, and teased her, pulling back from the kiss and smiling when she followed. He was playful with it, then powerful, taking her mouth without hesitation. As though now that he no longer needed to find his words, he could let his body take over.

And boy, was it taking over. Mitch’s grip was strong, maneuvering them in the small space, tilting her chin so he could deepen the kiss. He might be full of restless energy more often than not, but in this, he was a slow, forceful tide. And Sophie delighted at being swept away.

Mitch slid his hands up to cup the underside of her breasts, moaning his appreciation as he sucked a kiss along her neck. He squeezed, the right side of rough, pulling a whimper from her that he chased with his tongue.

Fuck, he was good at this.

The bar dug into her back, and the need to breathe clawed at her lungs, but those were distant concerns. No way would she pull back now. Not from a kiss this good.

With a jolt, the elevator started moving again, enough to shock Mitch out of the kiss.

“That, uh…” His breath was hot against her cheek. “That what you had in mind?”

Sophie’s lungs burned and her lips stung. She hadn’t noticed before, but yep, there was a scratch where his stubbled jaw had brushed hers. When was the last time she’d been kissed so thoroughly? She couldn’t remember. It felt like her brain was on a delay. “Yeah.”

Another jolt told her they’d reached the ground, and Mitch stepped back.

Sophie immediately hated the distance.

“We can’t date,” she blurted, because her brain was still about five steps behind, and her heart was practically writing save the dates. Sophie really needed to get a hold of herself.

“Oh, right. Yeah, cool. Definitely. I was going to say the same thing. It’s so funny you mention that, because I was, yeah,” he said, nodding but not meeting her eyes. “Why, exactly?”

Finally, the elevator dinged and the door slid open. “Because you look like the type to fall in love easily, and I’m not interested in breaking your heart.”

* * *

LEVI

“Looks like I just took the lead,” Levi said from his perch. He knew locking them in a confined space would work out.

Eva frowned. “That was not helpful.”

She was beautiful when she was mad. So passionate. “Can’t handle seeing me win so easily, my love?”

“This isn’t winning. That”— she pointed— “just made everything harder. You’ll be lucky if Sophie hasn’t broken his heart by the end of next week. Sex and love are two very different things.”

“You’re only jealous because I’m in the lead. Better start practicing your Barbie voice.”

Her only response was a growl. God, he loved her like this.

ChapterEight

MITCH

If Mitch could time travel, he’d go back a week and knock some sense into himself. Ever since Sophie had kissed him, he’d gotten no rest. The driving pull of her lips, the feel of her under his hands, the curl of her tongue in his mouth… The highlight reel was actively torturing him. For a moment, he’d glimpsed nirvana, like a runaway peeking over the fence into a rich man’s home. And then, just as quickly, it was gone.

The kiss had made everything at work better and a hundred times worse. Upside: Sophie wasn’t treating him with kid gloves anymore.

The downside? They hadn’t kissed again.

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