Page 41 of In This Moment

She was honest to a fault. Tactful, usually, but would not hesitate to speak her mind if provoked. She didn’t appear to have a deceptive bone in her body. So, as he stood in front of her, hands on his hips, head tilted to be sure he’d heard her right, and gob-smacked straight into Willy Wonka’s factory, he had to remind himself of those traits. Because no way, no way in hell, would she have him believe a guy hadn’t tried to put a ring on it before now. She was gorgeous. She was kind. She was witty and funny and creative and as real as his attraction to her from the starting gate.

All that aside… “You didn’t answer my question.”

“I just did.”

“But, you didn’t.” Even the dog was darting his gaze back and forth between them like he was watching a deranged tennis match. “We’ll circle back to dating history later. I assure you, there’s a heated forthcoming discussion on that topic. For now, answer my question.” He gritted his teeth. “Please.”

She cast her gaze heavenward as if praying for patience. “What question, Graham? I just said I’m not good at this stuff.” She gestured between the two of them. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

Alrighty. Stop this merry-go-round. He wanted off.

He raised his palms and spoke in very precise, very articulate, very short sentences. Not because he thought she was stupid, but because the want of her was starting to make him stupid. “I almost kissed you. I said I was sorry. You said you weren’t sorry. What did you mean by that?”

“Um, that I wasn’t sorry you tried to kiss me,” she said slowly, apparently catching on to his daft status.

“Okay.” Now they were getting somewhere. “Meaning, it would’ve been all right with you if I had succeeded in the feat?”

“Yes.”

“And you would’ve wanted me to kiss you?”

“Yes.”

“Have you changed your mind about that since this afternoon?” Say no. Please, say…

“No.”

Thank Almighty. “Are you feeling pressured in any way or are you uncomfortable with the possibility of said kissing?”

“No.”

“For clarification, it was okay that I tried to kiss you, you wanted me to, you still do, and I’m not forcing yes responses.” The oxygen backed up in his lungs. “Do I have that correct?”

“Yes. You’re being weird and—”

“Pause. That’s all I needed.” It wasn’t all he needed, but he was about to fix that.

Striding the two paces between them, he bent, slapped his palms on the top step beside her hips, and crushed his mouth to hers.

Rejoicing circled the globe.

Angels fell from On High.

Equilibrium was restored to the universe and…

Scratch that. Nope. Point five seconds in, and she knocked him off axis, spiraling toward oblivion.

Her plush, soft lips parted, and a sexy lil mewl escaped her mouth, drifting right into his. His pulse thundered against his carotid and his gut boiled. He tilted his head, went deeper, and stroked her tongue. Long, slow, languid. Drugging.

This was always the best part. Well, not the best, per se, but the most informative. That first kiss was to get to know a woman, learn her style, test her technique to reveal if they were a good match. Discover if they fit. Find out if the chemistry was only on paper.

The two of them? They were the periodic table of elements. And as for the fit? Her puzzle pieces interlocked with his to the point he had the crazy thought she was cut strictly for him.

She met him beat for beat, on equal footing, then twisted the game to Cat & Mouse. Submissive, following his lead. Boom. Her turn, taking the reins. He was dizzy with the desire for her. Pants shrinking, groan-inducing, chest pounding kind of dizzy. The hot, wet cavern of her mouth tasted like mint and she smelled like a pollen-soaked summer afternoon. Honeysuckle and warm woman.

Arching closer, she threaded her fingers in his hair, and…ah, shit. He groaned. Tendrils of need raised the hairs on his nape, sent lightning to his circuits. A war ensued inside his mind.

Take her.

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