Page 48 of The Spark Between Us

Chapter Sixteen

Sarah

Braden wasmid-brownie when I spun back into the room like the Tasmanian Devil fueled by blood lust. Or, in my case, just regular lust. I strode toward him, balling my fists as though prepping for a fight.

“I need a better explanation.” I threw my hands on my hips and glared. He slowly chewed and swallowed the bite in his mouth and drank a sip of water. Maybe he was using the time to figure out why I was so worked up because he looked wide-eyed and clueless.

And a little scared. He took a few steps back from me, effectively pinning himself between me and the sink.

“Okay,” he exhaled. “What do you want to know? Why I ate a second brownie? They were damn good.” He folded his arms across his chest, and the bulge of his biceps momentarily distracted me. I found that annoying. And entrancing.

“What exactly was wrong with that kiss?” I hissed like a petulant child.

He cocked his head to the side the same way Bella did when she was listening but not understanding a word.

“You want a critique?” He had the sexiest and most aggravating smirk on his face. “Are you gathering data? I know you’re a scientist and all.”

I couldn’t believe him. “Yes, Braden. I’m all about the scientific method when it comes to kissing,” I spat out with a scowl.

He waited for more, but instead of explaining, I grabbed his face in both hands and crushed my mouth to his. At first, he froze. Then he relented, melting into my lips like I’d lit a match.

A guttural moan escaped him as I held his face close and pressed in deeper, sucking on his bottom lip the way I wanted to, biting down on it and challenging him to meet me there.

He responded with his entire body, cupping the back of my head in his hand as our mouths moved against each other in perfect rhythm. Leaning against the sink, he pulled me in hard, lifting my hips to his waist. I wrapped my legs around him and pressed closer, challenging his tongue to dance with mine, drinking him in because it made me feel alive.

Maybe he’d tell me again that it couldn’t happen. Maybe he’d reject me twice in one night.

I don’t care.

I just needed an explanation if he insisted it was wrong.

I pulled away and leaned my forehead on his. “That. What was wrong with that?”

His jaw ticked as he swallowed hard. Our eyes locked, and the heated look in his told me I was right—nothing was wrong with the way it felt. But...

“Fuck it.” His mouth crashed against mine, taking everything I would give and returning it in equal measure. The stroking, tasting, exploring, devouring.

After a frenzied few minutes, he slowed the pace of the kiss to a languid dance, brushing his lips across my jaw and sending shivers down my neck. He worked his way along my jaw with light kisses until I folded into his embrace.

Wordlessly, his mouth angled against mine and he drew out a slow, seductive kiss, sucking my bottom lip until I sighed against him.

His tongue licked the seam of my lips until I opened for him, desperate to feel the sweep of his tongue while his hands tangled in my hair.

There was nothing wrong with kissing him like that. I felt breathless and dizzy and I wanted more. How breathless and dizzy could he make me? I wanted to reach the edge where I was barely hanging on.

Our tongues swirled, his wrapping around mine in a lazy seduction until I was quivering.

We kissed until both of us were sweating, panting, and inches from ripping each other’s clothes off.

And I felt a little proud of myself. I wasn’t an experienced seductress but any stretch, but I’d come downstairs on adrenaline, and I didn’t wait for permission. I took what I wanted and didn’t apologize.

Except...

“We can’t do this,” he huffed again, sounding as frustrated as I felt.

Braden pulled away and rubbed a hand over his face. He looked like the grim reaper had just paraded through the kitchen with his name at the top of the list.

I gaped at him, still breathless, “Why the hell not?” My voice sounded high-pitched and frantic.

---