Page 16 of Blazing Joysticks

Keir’s grin widened, and Cat felt a thrill go through her. As they talked about their childhoods and past experiences, she found herself opening up more than she had with anyone in years. There was something about Keir that made her feel safe and understood.

By the time dessert arrived - a decadent tiramisu - the air between them crackled with tension. Cat watched, mesmerized, as Keir took a bite of her dessert. He closed his eyes, savoring the taste, and let out a small moan of appreciation.

Cat cleared her throat, her mouth suddenly dry. “It’s good, right? Almost as good as my mother’s.”

Keir’s eyes opened, locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath catch. “Is that so? I’d love to try it sometime.”

“You should,” Cat replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

The walk back to her apartment building was charged with anticipation. Cat’s mind raced. What was happening between them? She couldn’t keep daydreaming about kissing her boss - it was driving her crazy. Maybe if she just got it over with, the reality wouldn’t live up to the fantasy, and she could move on.

As they reached her door, Cat made a split-second decision. Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was weeks of pent-up tension, but before she could talk herself out of it, she rose up on her tiptoes, fisted her hands in Keir’s shirt, and pressed her lips to his.

For a moment, Keir froze, and Cat feared she’d made a terrible mistake. But then his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him as he took control of the kiss. His lips were soft but insistent, coaxing hers open. Cat’s world narrowed to the points where their bodies connected, every nerve ending alive with sensation.

His tongue delved into her mouth, rubbing and caressing hers to the point she moaned into his kiss. His hands pressed her tightly into him and she felt his arousal hard, and thick between them. The kiss grew deeper, hotter, almost feverish as he continued to own her mouth. She clung to him, loving the feel of his lips, loving the way his hands squeezed at her ass. She’d never felt so wanted in her life.

She broke apart from him, knowing she should stop. They were both breathless. Cat knew with absolute certainty she fucked up. Big time. And yet she could not find it in her to feel bad. This was no fantasy - this was real, and infinitely better than anything she could have imagined. She kissed her boss. Her boss. HR would have a field day. She’d probably get fired in the morning. Still, she did not care.

“Wow,” she breathed, her hands still clutching Keir’s shirt.

Keir’s eyes, usually a warm hazel, now glowed with an almost otherworldly light. “Wow indeed,” he murmured, his voice low and deep.

“Keir…I…I should go.” What? No. Ask him to come in. Cat cleared her throat. She wanted desperately to ask him to come in, but she wasn’t sure what this was.

“Cat,” he pushed her up against the door, his hand cupping her cheek and lips mere inches from hers. “I want you.”

Oh, god. Did he really say those words?

He nodded, his intense gaze on hers. “I did. I want you.”

Wait, did she say that out loud? “Keir…you…we…”

What? What the heck could she say that wasn’t come in to my place and rock my world? Because that’s all her brain wanted her to say.

She didn’t get a chance to say anything else. Cat’s heart thundered in her chest as Keir’s eyes locked onto hers, the intensity in his gaze making her breath catch. Time seemed to slow as he leaned down, one hand cupping her cheek while he held on to her waist, drawing her closer.

“Stop me now if you don’t want this.”

She sucked in a breath and waited expectantly. The first brush of his lips against hers was soft, but quickly turned harder, deeper. Cat’s eyes fluttered closed again and she savored the pressure. Then Keir tilted his head, deepening the kiss, and the world around them faded away. All thoughts of work, him being her boss, and HR flew out of her mind to be replaced by the fiery desire in her veins for him.

His lips were firm, moving against hers with a passion that made her knees weak. Cat’s hands found their way to his chest, feeling the strong, steady beat of his heart beneath her palms. She sighed, and he slid his tongue against hers in a dance that sent sparks shooting through her body. Unlike the kiss from before, this one felt hotter, as if they’d both agreed they just couldn’t stay away from each other.

She loved the taste of him – a hint of the wine they’d shared, mixed with something uniquely Keir – was intoxicating. She didn’t know how this second kiss only moments later was so much better than the first. Cat’s fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, pulling him even closer as she lost herself in the sensations.

Keir’s hand slid from her cheek to tangle in her hair, cradling the back of her head as he angled her face for better access. His other arm wrapped fully around her waist, pressing her body flush against his and the back of her door. The heat of him seeped through their clothes, igniting a fire low in Cat’s belly.

As Keir nipped gently at her bottom lip, Cat couldn’t hold back the soft moan that escaped her. She felt him smile against her mouth before he soothed the spot with his tongue, the action so sensual it made her toes curl.

When they finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, Cat kept her eyes closed for a moment, trying to memorize every detail of the kiss. The lingering tingle on her lips, the warmth of Keir’s breath fanning across her face, the solid strength of his body against hers.

Slowly, she opened her eyes to find Keir watching her with a mix of tenderness and desire that made her heart stop.

“Cat,” he murmured, his voice rough with emotion. He rested his forehead against hers, their noses brushing. “That was...”

“Amazing,” Cat finished for him, her own voice breathy and low.

A slow smile spread across Keir’s face, making Cat’s heart flutter. “I was going to say ‘earth-shattering,’ but amazing works too.”

---