Page 31 of Brick

Brick obviously wasn’t happy, either. “You need to be able to protect yourself, Olivia. You’re not even close.”

She bit back her anger when she recognized his crazed expression for what it was: fear. Her hands crept up either side of his face.

He breathed in sharply, and his eyes drifted closed for a moment before he leveled his soulful gaze on her. His regard pressed against her like a physical touch. Though a real touch—one from those big hands—would be better.

“I know you live in a different world than I do. A scarier world. A violent one. But nothing is going to happen to me.” She’d already faced the reaper and won. “I joined this class to get stronger and to make my sister happy. I suck at it, which is okay. I’m not trying to become a ninja.”

Her fingertips traced his heavy jaw. “I’m a teacher. I grade papers. I go to the library. When I’m really living it up, I visit my brother or my sister at work.” She left out the part about jumping out of planes and off cliffs. “I’m safe.”

“Safe.” His lips moved, but he barely made a sound.

Her eyes locked on those lips, and her breath quickened as his tongue swept over the bottom one. Moving slowly, she inched closer until her body hovered less than an inch from his. As he exhaled, the heat of his breath washed over her, and butterflies took off in her stomach.

She swallowed against the rising thump of her heartbeat. The tips of her fingers now rested on his shoulders and her thumbs feathered across his collarbone. Want shaped an iron vise squeezing her chest.

Forcing her stare away from his pink, full lips, she took in his entire face. Her need reflected in his stark expression. Unable to wait one second more, she lifted onto her toes and sought his mouth with her own.

He froze at first, his muscles rigid. But he didn’t pull away.

She marveled at the softness of his lips, as she brushed her own across them, teasing, coaxing.

His pulse pounded beneath her hands. Was he breathing?

Was she?

Breaking contact with his mouth, she slid her cheek across his face, the stubble scraping gently against her skin. Her lips against his ear, she murmured, “Kiss me.” It came out more breath than sound, but the words electrified him like live wire.

Those big hands he’d kept at his sides now framed her face. Banked coals glowed in his eyes. He stared at her for a second—two—then pulled her forward to claim her mouth.

Her fantasies of him had nothing on the real thing. Brick kissed with more than just his lips; his whole body swept her up in passion.

The bulk of him overwhelmed her…exhilarated her. The heat and pressure at her mouth intensified with every breath, consuming her, burning her alive. He couldn’t get close enough.

Neither could she.

Her hands clutched his hips, gripping his jeans, crushing him to her. She moaned at the intensity of the contact.

When his tongue finally slipped between her lips, her knees went weak. One of his arms snaked around her back.

No way he’d let her fall.

All her senses trained on this man, on this moment, as she tried to stamp the memory into her mind forever. The trace of cinnamon on his tongue. The scent of soap and sandalwood.

Want.

Need.

Fire.

It was all perfect.

He was fucking perfect.

Her nipples grew tight against the pressure of his chest. And God, why had no one kissed her this way before? Her head swam, and she swayed on her feet, unable to breathe or think or function. She could only drown in his touch.

As he pulled away, she sucked in a deep breath and stumbled right back into his arms. Holding tight to his waist, she buried her head into his chest until the world began to right itself again.

The way his ragged breaths slowly turned heavy and even helped her find her center. His gentle strokes over her hair soothed her.

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