Page 29 of One More Time

“I’m not sure about anything,” I answered honestly. “But I want to kiss you again, and it’s been a long day, and I want to forget.”

“Forget what?”

Jack wasn’t supposed to elicit this urge to confide. I wanted to tell him my secrets and let him hold and comfort me.

I shrugged. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Even if I was dodging, that was the truth.

I lifted a hand, placing it on his chest just above the zipper of his jacket. I hooked my finger over it, curling my knuckle as I dragged the zipper down. The sound was loud in the quiet room.

Jack never once looked away. When his jacket fell open, my hand dropped away. He took a step closer. It felt as if he was moving in slow motion, but then everything sped up. He unzipped my jacket, and his palms curled over my shoulders. The jacket slipped down behind me. He caught it with one hand, looping it over the coat rack by the door as he simultaneously shrugged out of his.

Seconds later, his palms landed on the door behind me, caging me between his arms. He was right there, inches away from me. My heart drummed, and heat blasted me from head to toe. His presence was strong and encompassing.

“One thing at a time,” he said.

I took a shaky breath. “Okay,” I rasped.

He dipped his head, dusting his lips over mine. It felt like a flame across my mouth. Heat prickled over the surface of my skin and spiraled through me. The air felt heavy, charged with electricity, as if just before a storm when thunder is rumbling, lightning is threatening, and the rain is about to break in a rush.

I made a pleading sound in the back of my throat. I was distantly surprised at it. I didn’t usually want this much. I didn’t usually even feel this much.

Jack had this disarming effect on me. All of my barriers fell away by the force of desire taking over.

I flexed upward to meet him as his mouth claimed mine. His lingering kiss was knee-weakening and melted me straight through. His tongue swept in masterful, devouring strokes. I was near frantic. One hand fisted his T-shirt, and the other slid around to grip his back. I needed something to hold on to.

By the time he lifted his head, we were both gasping for air. I sucked in deep breaths. My nipples were tight to the point of aching, and I could feel the moisture at the apex of my thighs. We stared at each other. A tiny corner of my mind registered that he looked as surprised as I felt.

“One thing at a time,” he repeated.

I felt a brush against my ankles and glanced down to see Snowy, the kitten I’d scooped out of the cold, sidling up to our feet. Jack looked down, a laugh rustling in his throat.

“How’s Snowy doing?”

It was just a simple question. Yet I experienced a little curl of warmth at discovering he remembered the name I’d bestowed upon the kitten.

“Good, I think. She’s warm and dry and fed. She likes to scamper around and explore.”

I pressed my palm on his chest, pushing him back. Snowy had already shown herself to be an independent girl, and with one more brush on my ankles, she walked over to the windows and leaped up, ignoring us in favor of the view outside.

Jack’s lips curled in a smile. “She seems comfortable here.”

“She is.”

My knees barely held me up as I walked the few steps to my couch. All I knew was I needed something underneath me to keep me from melting to the floor.

We stopped in front of it, and Jack studied me for another beat. He lifted a hand, brushing my tangled hair away from my face before dipping his head and kissing me again. He took deep sips from my mouth as he cupped my cheeks. Even though I told myself this was nothing more than pure lust, just a freak of chemistry, I felt almost cradled by his touch.

Our hands began exploring. I stroked my palm over his chest, feeling along the hard-muscled planes. Another slipped around to trace up his back under the hem of his T-shirt. His skin was hot to the touch. All the while, I felt like pure fire, made of need and want.

“I need…” I began when I shoved his T-shirt up.

He reached up, catching his shirt just behind his neck and tugging it over in a quick swoop. My mouth went dry for a moment as I stared at him. He was fit, lean, and muscled, with a dusting of dark hair on his chest. I wanted more—to see more, to feel more, to touch more.

He turned, tracing his knuckle along the edge of my blouse. I wore an open blouse with a fitted long-sleeved T-shirt underneath. With a shimmy of my shoulders, I shrugged out of the blouse. His knuckles trailed down my sides, teasing under the curves of my breasts. My nipples practically begged for his touch.

Restless, with need driving me, I curled my hand on the hem of my shirt and lifted it up and over. Jack’s nostrils flared as he looked at me. For a few seconds, I felt shy. I was a curvy girl with plump breasts and a soft, rounded belly. He opened his palm, unfurling it and sliding it over my belly and then up to caress one breast and then the other. Fire shimmered on my skin when I felt the brush of his lips along my collarbone while his thumb and forefinger pinched a nipple. I cried out sharply.

He lifted his head, then turned to sit on the couch. I moved on instinct, straddling him and sinking down over his hips. I simply… wanted.

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