Page 10 of Unzoned

"Nights all week, except New Years, I'm off for once." She walked Carissa to the front door unbolting it and opening it. "Hey, what about Jamison, the guy from the party. Did he call you?"

Carissa shook her head. "Not gonna work out." She heaved a heavy sigh. "No big deal."

"What's no big deal?" Garrick's deep voice signaled his arrival.

"Nothing. That's why it's not a big deal. Duuh." Carissa winked in Jade's direction then pushed past Garrick to head down the stairs.

"Such a brat, that one." He jerked a thumb at the departing Carissa and stepped into the apartment. "Hey, there." He leaned in and brushed his lips across Jade's. A quick touch but her toes twitched none the less.

"Hey, yourself." She closed and locked the door, leaning against it to take him in as he unraveled from the cold. Still donned in his business attire she admired the narrow tapering of his waist where his belt was secured. He slung his suit jacket over the arm of the couch and turned back to her, looking every bit the business tycoon she'd read about in her romance novels.

"Uh, is this okay? I mean, like do I need to greet you in some special way?" Remembering Carissa's words, she decided to go all in. If everything was already mucked up, no sense in not giving it her all.

He smiled. The gentle curve of his lips gave her the idea he'd found her question sweet. Did she want to be sweet? Or was she supposed to be sexy? All the photographs she'd seen of the woman naked and kneeling and looking all sorts of hot. Maybe that's what he wanted from her. She immediately regretted the jeans and t-shirt she'd changed into before his arrival.

"No." He shook his head and walked to her, picking up her hands in his. "Things will change on their own, Jade. We don't need to push. Right now, we are just going to talk, be with each other. When something pops up and I want a certain behavior, I'll teach you. Just be you, it's who I've been fantasizing about for years."

Her hands could have melted in his hold, his words heated her so much.

"Right now, though, I want to kiss you. Really kiss you, so you're going to stand there, and you're going to let me. Got it?" He let go of her hands, and took a step closer, pressing her against the door without even touching her.

She clamped her hands-on Garrick's hips as his hands came up to her face, framing it and pulling her toward him as he lowered his head. A quick brush of his lips, then a harder one, until finally he pressed his mouth over hers, capturing her body and her mind in one passionate, demanding embrace. His thumbs ran along her jaw, coaxing her to open for him, and when her lips parted his tongue swept in, claiming her. Her hands lost their grip, and she now merely rested them on his belt, feeling the leather beneath her hands.

When he broke off the kiss, his quick breath pelted her, mingling with her own pants. She'd been kissed before, but never had her mind completely blanked out from the sheer force of it.

"There." He planted a quick peck to the tip of her nose and released her. "How was your visit with your father?"

The change in topic threw her. How the hell was she supposed to answer him when she was still recovering from the whirlwind his kiss plunged her into?

"Jade?" he gave her a knowing grin but didn't try to touch her.

"What? Oh! Dad. Yeah. Fine." She swallowed and fought back the urge to touch her lips. Were they actually swollen, or did he just make her feel that way? "You want some coffee or something?"

"Something, but we can get to that later. Coffee for now would be great."

She blinked at his meaning and turned away from him before he saw the hot blush taking over her entire face. For years, she'd been able to mask her feelings for him, and now that they both admitted to them it seemed her body was hell bent on betraying her every thought.

Once in the kitchen, she swept the dishrag she'd been using into the sink and went about getting a pot of coffee brewing.

"So, any big news from his neck of the earth?"

Her father travelled a lot with his new wife. She couldn't bring herself to call the woman her stepmother, considering she was only two years older than herself.

"No. He's going to be in town for a little while. His rentals are up for sale, or the associations are trying to make him sell, not sure. Something with the condos." She waved a hand through the air and went about getting the cups and creamer out.

When she had it all set up, she faced him. He'd gone all quiet on her.

In his hands, he held up two empty wine bottles. She'd forgotten about them tucked in the corner of the counter.

"I thought you stayed in last night."

His voice went all tenor, and she swallowed.

"I did." Somewhat true, the girl’s night had taken place at her apartment.

"By yourself?" He held up the bottles higher. She might be able to polish off one bottle of wine on her own, but never two.

"Uh." She licked her lips.

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