Page 61 of The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck

My mouth opens, but holy hell. “That’s what you took away from what I said, huh? That me needing a minute is all about you? That I’m doubting your prowess?”

“Answer the question, please.”

“Now that you mention it, I do only have your lofty opinion of yourself to go by. I don’t suppose you’ve made any home movies or have an ex you’d be comfortable with me having a chat with? A dick pic or two also wouldn’t go amiss. If you don’t mind, of course.”

We stand there and frown at each other. It’s a beautiful moment. Not.

“We’re not going to fuck tonight,” he says finally, his shoulders drooping with disappointment. Which is actually kind of gratifying.

“That’s right. We aren’t,” I agree, reaching for the door handle. “I’m seeing my mom in the morning. But I’m free after that. Let me know what time suits you.”

“Right. I’ll schedule you in,” he says dryly. “You still won’t let me drive you home?”

“No. Thank you.”

“Wait,” he says. “One more thing. You let Gael and Shane kiss you good-night. Don’t you think I should get the same consideration?”

“You want to kiss me on the cheek like them?”

He nods.

“As just friends.”

“Right,” he agrees. “Just friends. Who you are going to fuck tomorrow.”

“All right,” I say with a smile.

He steps closer and leans in, his lips brushing against my cheek. They’re warm as is his breath on my skin. I hold myself perfectly still, waiting to see what will happen. Anticipation might just kill me. Every hair on my body stands on end. He brushes the tip of his nose against mine before going in for another cheek kiss. Only it’s not really a kiss. It’s him lightly dragging his lips along my jawline and up to my ear. My very sensitive ear. He gives my lobe a gentle nudge with the tip of his nose as well. Like he’s just experimenting. Finding out the ways in which we can get close.

“You’re so soft,” he whispers.

“Mmm.”

“And you always smell so good.”

“It’s just soap,” I manage to say. “And perfume, a couple of face creams, and deodorant, of course. Guess you could include my shampoo and conditioner on the list too.”

“That’s good to know. But you’re overthinking it again.”

This is all very friendly and flirty. But he hasn’t yet strayed into straight-out seduction territory. Not yet. My stomach is already topsy-turvy. I’m standing in the open doorway, and my back is to the door frame, and he’s right in front of me. So close. And still only half dressed despite my very reasonable request for him to put on his shirt. I scrunch up my fingers into fists and touch nothing. Letting him set the pace. Though he goes no further and seems to be finished.

“Okay,” I say. “Good night.”

He pulls back a little and blinks.Oh, fuck.His eyes are such a hypnotizing shade of blue in this low light. The man and his intensity dazzle me. There’s no other word for it. And the expression on his face, like how dare I. “I’m not finished yet, Lilah.”

“Well, did you want to move it along a—”

“No.”

“I swear, you’re just like a toddler sometimes.Noseems to be the only word you know tonight.” I sigh. “When Shane kissed me on the cheek, it really was more of a there-and-gone sort of thing.”

“What about Gael?”

“He may have lingered a little.”

Alistair just grunts. Then he stops playing and angles his head and covers his lips with mine. Giving me a firm and insistent closed-mouth kiss. Chaste, but not really. His eyes are closed, and his dark lashes are so long. A vein of tension seems to be running through him, stringing him out from head to toe. Because his hands are curled into fists and hanging by his sides too. Just like mine.

He doesn’t stop or take a step back or any such thing. He just keeps kissing me. And this kiss is asking me a question. No. It is pleading with me. I open my mouth the smallest amount, and I can feel his smile rather than see it. His hands cup my face and his tongue traces over my bottom lip andwhoa. Off we go. My eyelids slide closed and my mind spins in dizzy circles. We have most definitely moved beyond friendly kissing.

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