Page 14 of Courting Danger

“Not looking for promises. Just a good fuck.”

When Garrison was deep in thought he stopped blinking, like he was afraid to miss a single detail as he weighed his options. This gave me an unimpeded view of the man’s eyes. They looked vacant, like a house without lights, as Garrison’s thoughts turned inward. His eyes weren’t truly black, but rather a very dark brown. From such a short distance, I could see flecks of gold scattered around the edges. I wondered how many people had seen Garrison from this intimate perspective. The man didn’t seem like the type of let others close very easily.

Had previous lovers stared into the man’s eyes and admired the secret treasure that I had found, or had they seen only a dark void?

After a few moments, light returned to Garrison’s eyes, making the flecks of gold sparkle.

“Sleeping with my new employer is probably a bad idea.” The smallest of smiles graced his lips. “But I’ve spent my whole life following good ideas, and still got burned in the end. So, maybe a bad idea is what I need.”

At the mention of burns, my thoughts turned toward the scars covering Garrison’s back. I really wanted to ask about the wounds that caused those marks but refrained. I hadn’t known Garrison long, but I could already tell that such an invasive question would only push the man away from me.

Instead, I fisted both hands in the front of Garrison’s shirt, popping a few of the already strained buttons. “Lucky for you, I’m a master of bad ideas.”

I crashed our mouths together again. This time the heat was matched from both sides. Garrison’s hands settled on my waist like a vice grip of hot iron. Wrapping my arms around the other man’s neck, I pulled us closer together until not a molecule of air could have fit between our bodies.

Our kiss deepened, lips parting and tongues sliding against each other. I moaned when my growing arousal rubbed against Garrison’s hip. Fire blossomed in my veins. My head spun even with my eyes closed.

We both pulled away at the same time, panting for air. Before Garrison could fully escape, I nipped the man’s bottom lip.

“Come on. This’ll be more comfortable upstairs.”

I didn’t wait for an answer. I didn’t need one. The look in Garrison’s eyes was too eager to mean anything but “yes”.

With me leading the way, the two of us headed to the apartment’s second floor. The master bedroom took up the entire space. Practically its own little studio apartment, the curved dome of the ceiling gave it a unique look. There were no windows on the walls. Instead, rays of afternoon sunlight streamed in through a round skylight cut into the middle of the dome. It was framed by black iron that extended down and joined together into a complex support pole at the center of the room. More black bars extended from the edge of the window frame, creating a curved pattern over the terracotta walls that resembled a metal spider web.

Garrison turned in slow circles to take in the full view.

“Interesting design choice.”

“More of a necessity than a choice.” I flicked a switch on the wall and an automated shade covered the skylight. “The pole at the center couldn’t be removed, but adding a skylight was the only way to get some natural light in here without compromising the structure. So, the architect designed a support system that branched around the window and extended down the curve of the dome.”

A dimmer switch on the room’s remaining lights created an artificial dusk. We could still see, but the dim atmosphere softened harsh edges and gave everything a dreamlike quality.

“It was a construction nightmare, but fortuitous in the end. I wasn’t certain about it at first. Now I quite like it.”

“It suits you.”

Under different circumstances, I would have admired how easily the other man fit inside my personal space. At the moment, however, the fire smoldering in my gut drew my attention elsewhere. I couldn’t stop staring at the way Garrison’s shirt strained across his chest with each movement. From now on, all of Garrison’s clothing would need to be tailored, or I was going to be trapped in a state of perpetual arousal.

I licked my dry lips before speaking.

“I’m glad you think so. Now, are we going to keep discussing interior design, or are you going to come over here?”

Finally, Garrison stopped looking around the room and turned his attention back where it belonged. Firmly fixed on me. Our eyes met and a spark passed between us.

As much as I wanted to just grab the man, I waited for Garrison to come to me.

It was a short wait.

Garrison’s long legs took only a few strides to bring him into my arms. Our lips found each other easily, hotter and heavier than before. Tongues danced and breath mingled. The spark between us ignited, and I felt burned from the inside out.

Large hands tangled in my shoulder length hair, locking my head in place as I was devoured. I was already panting from just a kiss.

How much better would it be once our clothes were off?

Time to find out.

With the ripping of fabric and buttons, Garrison’s shirt floated to the floor in pieces. I smirked against our kiss when Garrison barely seemed to notice. I would need to give Raymond an extra-large tip. The tailor was going to be very busy.

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