Page 25 of Rich and Bossy

“There.” He finishes something on his phone before sliding it into his back pocket. “There’s an Uber on the way. It’ll take you to the store to get your car. I had something come up and I have to go the opposite way. I’m sorry about that.”

That shouldn’t make me sad. If anything, I should be happy about it. Even though I really want to ride in the Charger again. I won’t lie, it’s disappointing.

It’s better this way though. I’ve already spent too much time with him. This is already insane, what we’re doing here. But there’s no ignoring the way my heart sinks as we walk out the door. It’s gotten even colder, somehow, since we went inside,with clouds rolling in overhead. If I didn’t know better, I would think it was getting ready to snow.

The weather in this place. Sheesh.

He must notice the way I shiver. “Wish I had a coat to offer you.” He nods toward the Charger. “Want to wait inside? Or we can go back in?—”

Yes!

I shake my head, trying not to tremble. “No, this is fine.” Of course I want to. And that’s wrong. Maybe a little shivering is good for me. Maybe it’ll sober me up, after one whole beer, and I’ll stop wishing I could snuggle up against his big, warm body.

He glances at his phone one more time. “Car’s only a few minutes away.” He’s wearing his sunglasses again, so I can’t see the look in his eyes, but there’s genuine warmth in the upward curve of his lips. “I really need to get going. But thanks for talking to me.”

“Did we accomplish anything?” I stare at him likeyeah, you’re hot, but this was stupid.

“I think so, from my perspective.”

“And what would that be?”

He slowly takes off the glasses, and the intensity of his gaze smacks right into my chest.

He walks over, incredibly close to me. “What do you think?”

Good God. I look anywhere but at him because holy hell, it’s like he grew twice as big when he’s standing right in front of me. “I don’t know.” So lame. It’s like my brain doesn’t work when he’s all broody this close to me.

I could literally reach out and touch one of those arms of his. Squeeze one of the biceps.

Now, he’s getting closer to my ear.

“Yeah, you wouldn’t, would you?” He inches even closer, the toes of our shoes touching. He’s overwhelming, filling the entire world around me with his scent and his warmth and those eyesof his, eyes I could drown in. My heart’s racing a million beats per minute. Everything else fades away. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something. Something in his look, something in the air. I don’t know how to describe it. He leans down next to my ear. I can feel his breath on my neck.

“I’m not a reckless man, Hazel. But you make me do reckless things.”

Holy crap.

I don’t even know how to respond, but I try. My mouth is so dry and my palms are so sweaty, even in this frozen tundra wasteland weather. “Y-you want me to apologize?” I do my best to put some attitude in it, but it’s weak. We all know it’s weak. My knees could buckle any second.

Where is the Uber!?

I can feel him smirking. He knows how nervous I am. I know he knows it.

“Would you apologize, if I go first? Start this all over?” His face is back in front of mine now, and he looks totally sincere. His eyes travel down to my mouth and linger, before coming back up to mine. The way he just stared at my lips, tells me that’s what he’s here for, right now. That’s what he wants. And the second his eyes come back to mine, they tell me he’s about to take what he wants.

Holy hell. Is he about to kiss me?

Am I about to let him?

How is this possible?

Yes, in fact! His head starts moving, like it’s in slow motion.

Yes! Yes!

Closer!

I start to lean out to meet him.

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