Page 9 of Caffeine & Chaos

“What the hell is wrong with you anyways? I am not some stupid bimbo who is going to do whatever you say. I have more self-worth than that. I can’t believe you-”

“Nadia, be quiet.” He cupped her face in his hands and pressed his plush lips against hers, dissolving her outrage on contact.

She parted her lips inviting him in, his tongue gently searching and encircling hers. This kiss was different from the frantic one they shared in the washroom, it was tender, promising, and affectionate. Warmth and reassurance diffused through her body, relaxing every tense muscle, and soothing her in a way she had never experienced.

He lingered at her bottom lip for a moment before pulling away to look at her. His face was inches from hers; his warm, moist breath whispering across her cheeks. He was staring deeply into her eyes and somehow, without uttering a single word, he had spoken to her, and Nadia understood. This soft and sweet kiss was an act of contrition, a request for forgiveness for leaving her so desolate after their last encounter.

All she could do was nod her head in acceptance. Looking into his eyes was hypnotizing, and his expression was so sincere, she couldn’t possibly refuse. Damn him for being able to disarm her so effortlessly. He slid his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his body and she instinctively leaned into him to rest her head on his shoulder.

Nadia was taken aback by how naturally she fit in his embrace, as if she had always belonged there. It felt almost as though they were reuniting after years of longing. What would Dr. Blakely have to say about that? Trying to push aside the overwhelming sense of closeness, she reminded herself that she had only just met him. Given the way she was bouncing back and forth between hating him and adoring him, it was more likely that she belonged in a nut house, than in his arms.

“Armand, please take us to Biscayne Bay National Park.” Armand nodded at Ryan and the privacy glass rose into place, separating the front from the back of the car.

Nadia found her voice again, “What are we doing?” The question was fraught with so much more meaning than just curiosity about their destination.

“Spending a day together,” Ryan said. “I want to get to know you, Nadia. Our sexual chemistry is explosive, and I guess that could be good enough, but I want to know if there’s more.”

Nadia smiled to herself; the word explosive didn’t even come close to doing their sexual chemistry justice. More would be nice.

“I’ve never been to Biscayne Bay. I’ve been meaning to go since I moved here, but it just never happened,” Nadia said.

“How lucky for me to be the one to show you.” He smiled radiantly at her, “it’s a beautiful area. I thought we might take a boat around Boca Chita Key and check out the historic lighthouse. Are you up for that?”

It sounded heavenly. He could have said he wanted to spend the day castrating pigs and it would have sounded good to Nadia. “Sure, I’m up for it. I’ve heard the coral reef system in the Bay is extensive. Mandy and I have been talking about going snorkeling there for some time.”

“Mandy is the brunette that works at the cafe with you, right? She didn’t look very impressed with me last time I was in there.” He gave Nadia a playful smirk.

He certainly was remarkable. Leaned back in the seat with his legs spread wide, he looked comfortable, confident, and so completely male. “Oh? And here I thought you were under the impression that all women were always impressed with you.”

“Most are, but I am really only concerned with impressing one at the moment.” He traced his finger along her jawline and down her throat.

Nadia tried to ignore the trail of St Elmo’s fire his finger was leaving on her skin. “And this day at Biscayne Bay is supposed to accomplish that?”

“If I do it right,” he murmured, his gaze smoldering as he trailed his finger down the length of her arm.

“I am sure you are capable of great things when properly motivated,” Nadia said, delighted with her apparent return to flirting like a champ rather than stammering like a star struck nitwit.

“You know, a man can never be too motivated.” He placed his hand on Nadia’s knee and began to slide it upwards.

Nadia focused to steady her voice, and placed her hand on top of his, stopping its advancement up her leg. It was her turn to make him wait. “Easy now, let’s see if you can impress me with this little outing of yours first.”

Him.

Ryan could have prodded her further after that remark, but he chose not to. He had already pushed her to make a complete turnaround once they got in the car, and he was probably skating on thin ice. Still, the passionate fury that radiated from her, stirred something deep within him, even though it also served as a stark reminder of the delicate balance he was treading. The flush on her cheeks, the rise and fall of her chest, and the primal glint in her eyes aroused his masculinity. She was going to be quite the challenge.

He would have to proceed cautiously with her, which meant he was going to have to get comfortable with the foreign feeling of being conscientiously aware of his actions while wooing her. He hadn’t given a thought to how a woman would perceive him for a long time. Not since Melanie.

Melanie and Ryan were high school sweethearts, full of ideals and madly in love. Melanie, like his parents, thought he was chasing a pipe dream when he left the ranch in Montana to pursue a career in business. When she refused to go with him, and he refused to stay, the relationship crumbled, leaving behind an emotional scar that was gnarled and thick. He’d only gone back home twice in the fifteen years since he left. His father had never forgiven him for leaving, and his mother was caught in the middle.

When he came to think of it, Nadia was a lot like Melanie. Smart, beautiful, stubborn, and completely self-reliant. Ryan glanced over at her, his hand was still resting on her thigh and her hand was still sitting atop his. She shared some good qualities with Melanie – Ryan stopped himself. Why was he going down that old road again? Nadia was nothing like Melanie.

“That sounds like a challenge,” he said, forcing his attention back to the moment at hand. He laced his fingers into hers and squeezed. “You know who you’re dealing with right?”

“Not at all. I don’t know a damn thing about you, Ryan,” Nadia declared, leaning back in her seat and returning his squeeze. She wasn’t just challenging him to impress her; she was daring him to shed the facade of his public persona.

Ryan changed the subject. “Do you ever miss New York?”

Nadia gave him a sidelong glance. “How do you know I used to live in New York?”

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