Page 87 of Five Alarm Kiss

“Wouldn’t want that.” He rested his arm across the back of the couch.

Laurel couldn’t stop a nervous giggle.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

She motioned to his arm behind her. “Smooth high school move, bad boy.” Amazing how her voice sounded so much more relaxed than she felt.

Jake realized his position and smirked. “Juniorhigh move, thank you very much,” he corrected, cocky as ever. “This,” he explained, dropping his arm around her shoulders, “wouldn’t typically happen until the lights in the theater went down.”

She suppressed a smile. “Well, of course not. That would be bad form.”

“Damn right. And this…” He pulled her in and lifted her chin with his index finger. “Definitely wouldn’t happen until the previews were over, and the movie started.” He captured her lips with his own, waging a slow, seductive assault on her senses.

Laurel had never actually made out with a boy in a movie theater. If she had with Jake, something told her she wouldn’t have lasted until college to lose her virginity.

The man could kiss!

Jake pulled away too soon for her liking and studied her. Inhaling deeply, he gave a small shake of his head before letting out the breath, a mix of a hum and a growl.

“What?” Was he second guessing bringing her home?

“Nothing, just…” His gaze dropped to her lips a moment before rising back to her eyes. Another small shake of his head. “You.”

She was confused. “Me?”

Is something wrong with me?

He furrowed his brows and kissed her again before saying, “You aren’t like any other woman I’ve met.”

“Is that a bad thing?” she asked quietly.

“No, Princess. Fuck, no. It’s a good thing.” He hugged her close. “A really good thing.”

Part of her wanted to ask exactly what he meant, but another part was lost in the masculine scent of him. It was like a drug working to calm her. An aphrodisiac swirling in her gut making her hyper-aware of everything about him…. The beat of his heart beneath her palm, the heat from his skin seeping through the cotton of his shirt, the way he flinched and tightened his grip on her when she curled her fingers against his chest.

She felt the twinge of arousal. The tell-tale tingle in her core that made her squeeze her thighs together and scoot closer to the man hijacking her senses.

Jake slid a hand down to rest on the swell of her hip. When he started brushing his thumb back and forth across her hip bone, she held her breath.

“Do you wanna watch a movie or something?” he asked.

As if riding a runaway train that abruptly screeched to a halt, Laurel’s insecurities jerked to the forefront.

A movie? He’d just stoked the fire inside her, and now he wanted to watch a movie?

Doesn’t he want me?

All the self-doubt instilled by Ethan’s betrayal started seeping in. She didn’t think she’d read Jake wrong, but maybe she had. It’s not like she’d had a lot of experience deciphering men.

“Do you?” she forced herself to ask.

His answer was immediate. “Fuck, no. I want to ravage you.”

Relief washed over her as arousal flooded her core.

“But then, why did…?”

“I want to do whateveryouwant to do, Princess.” His eyes softened. “I know that scene with your parents was emotional. I don’t want you to have any regrets.”

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