Page 9 of Prognosis Temporary

Callie’s gaze locked on his as she regarded him silently for a moment. ‘No.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes.’ Callie kept her response casual, like Geri was making a mountain out of a molehill because she really, really, really did not want to talk about that bloody bridge.

Damn Geri!

But his eyes held hers determinedly, probing her gaze, seeking answers, his fringe flopping distractingly over his forehead. Her fingers tingled to push it back and she wrapped her hands around her coffee cup as the impulse became more and more urgent.

Because that would be plain weird.

‘My place is ten minutes away.’ His voice was a low burr in the night. ‘I have...’ He looked down and grimaced at his cappuccino. ‘Hot coffee. And I’ve been told I’m a reasonable conversationalist.’

It wasn’t a question, it wasn’t a command. It was just there – an opportunity. The way Callie saw it, she could go home by herself and try not to think about the very thing she’d been avoiding all day - that hammered at her skull and tore at her shields.

Or she could go home with him.

But she sure as hell didn’t want coffee and conversation. Not tonight.

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They didn’t speak asSebastian drove the short distance to his apartment. They didn’t speak in the car park. Or the lift. Or as he opened his front door. Neither did they touch. Sebastian didn’t even switch on a light. Instead, he watched as Callie strode across his lounge room, dodging boxes, towards the moonlight streaming in through his un-curtained French doors.

‘Sorry ‘bout the mess,’ he murmured as he drew level with her, his chest close to her back, his lips near her ear.

She frowned, dragging her gaze from the alabaster river below, to look round, her shoulder brushing his chest. ‘I didn’t notice.’

Sebastian nodded slowly. Yeah...she really needed to talk. ‘Callie... The bridge?’

‘No.’ She shook her head.

‘You know, maybe it’d help if you — ’

She kissed him then, leaning in and cutting off his words. It was a fierce kiss. Hard. She didn’t open her mouth, neither did he, but Sebastian felt her kiss right down to his toes.

‘The only therapy I want tonight,’ she said after inching slightly away from his mouth, ‘involves us being horizontal.’ Then she snaked her arms around his neck and pressed her mouth to his again.

Sebastian felt her words this time - all the way down to his groin. And when her tongue lapped against his lips, seeking entrance to his mouth, he felt that in his dick and when he granted her access, her strangled little moan was felt deep, deep inside his balls.

It felt good to be kissing a woman again. To get lost in one. To have curves pressed against him, to push his fingers into soft, silky hair and suck in all that sweet female aroma with each jerky breath. And not just any woman. A sassy one who had blown his mind on a bridge a mere twelve hours ago and was doing her damnedest to blow it again.

But, as the kiss grew increasingly wild – increasingly desperate - his conscience pricked. He couldn’t remember the last time he was this aroused or hell, if he’d ever been this aroused, but he knew without a doubt this was about more than a quickie with a co-worker for Callie.

The psychologist in him knew there were bigger things driving her tonight.

Her fingers had worked three buttons undone by the time he managed to pull himself out of the sexual fire scorching his common sense. ‘Hang on,’ he whispered, kissing her eyelids, her nose as he covered her hands. ‘Wait a moment.’ She mewed a protest and the fascinating sight of her ravaged mouth almost brought him to his knees. ‘Why don’t we get that coffee first?’

‘I don’t want a coffee,’ she murmured against his throat.

Sebastian shut his eyes as her tongue stroked magic over his skin, whispering illicit promises into his pulse points. He resisted the urge to let his head fall back, to give her unlimited access. But only just.

‘Callie.’ He groaned as he forced his eyes open. Her lips were trekking towards his shoulder and he grabbed her hips convulsively as she started to rub herself against him a little. ‘I don’t think this is a wise idea. There’s obviously something troubling you...and using sex to obliterate issues isn’t a very good way to handle things.’

‘I promise I’ll be gentle.’ Her lips meandered back to his neck.

Sebastian chuckled. ‘That’s not what I’m worried about.’ Her mouth returned to the column of his throat causing a wave of goose across his scalp. Christ...where was he? ‘I’d hate you to regret this is the morning.’

She sighed as she lifted her lips from the thick pound of his carotid artery. ‘Your honourable streak is commendable but I’m a big girl, Sebastian. I know what I’m doing.’ She fingered his collar point rubbing it absently between her thumb and forefinger. ‘Or is it that a sexually aggressive woman threatens your masculinity?’

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