Page 9 of Unwrapping His Naughty Secret

“I can be gentle,” I promise her. “I do careful, precise work every day.”

“Don’t be too careful with me.” She licks her lips, leaving them shiny and perfect. Her eyelashes flutter against her cheeks, then blink open again.

She’s like an honest to God real life doll, and I want her so much it fuckinghurts.

I have never had this kind of response to a woman. Ever.

It’s dangerous.

“Drink your coffee, sweet girl,” I manage to say. “And then we’ll go for a walk and I’ll give you the first kiss you deserve.”

Chapter 3

Cara

When we leavethe coffee shop, Hunter takes my hand in his. It’s stopped raining outside, so it’s cool and damp, but his hand is warm and strong around my fingers.

I look sideways at him, taking in his strong profile, his heavy jaw and his silver-streaked hair, and I marvel at how and why he ever swiped on me in the first place. A Christmas miracle, maybe.

“Did you drive or walk?”

“I…” I have to swallow around a lump in my throat, that’s how nervous I am. “I walked. I live near campus.”

Dark red slashes across his cheekbones. Not a blush, exactly. Something much moremature and responsible than a blush. He glances sideways, and smiles slightly at my wide-eyed, unvarnished observation of him. “Would you trust me to drive you home?”

“I…” Again with that lump. “I’m actually expected at the library soon. Just…over there.” I point across Main Street. “I’m a community tutor. Every weekend, I set up at a table and school kids can come and do their homework with me.”

Something flickers in his gaze. “That’s admirable.”

I duck my head, hiding a smile. “Thank you. It looks good on the resume.”

He stops walking and lifts my face with the slightest of pressure, his fingertips under my chin. “It is. But it’s also a considerable investment of time in your community. Take the compliment, sweetness.”

I blush. It’s not mature or responsible. It’s girlish and silly to let the compliment and the endearment work their way under my skin like this.

He strokes his thumb across my bottom lip, his eyes darkening as I sway toward him. “Not here,” he murmurs. “Let’s keep walking.”

He takes my hand again, tugging me against him. Even though he’s taller than me, we fall into a natural pace, and before long we’ve circled the block and we’ve arrived at the wide alley between the library and the community theater.

Picnic tables dot the space, and overhead there are strings of white lights, although this early in the morning, they aren’t turned on yet.

Right now, we have the whole space to ourselves.

Main Street is just steps away, but Hunter has found me a private little nook for my first kiss.

Slowly, he backs me up against the brick wall, his gaze searching my face the whole time.

“Hunter,” I breathe.

He strokes his knuckles along my jaw, then brushes his fingertips over my hair. Soft. And then his hand pushes into my hair, his hand closing around the loose strands, hisfingers caressing my scalp before he closes them in a gentle fist. “Hold still, Kira.”

“Cara,” I whisper, but I don’t think he hears me before his mouth descends on mine.

His lips are so warm in the cool misty morning, so strong and sure against my mouth that my heart leaps at the contact, flinging itself at this solid oak tree of a man who is giving me the soft, careful first kiss he promised.

Oh, how I love it.

He caresses my mouth with his, making me melt, and then he pauses. “More?”

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