Page 45 of A Christmas Bargain

As he backed up, I licked my lips and watched his hot gaze drop to my mouth again.

“Oh.”

“Oh?” he replied, huffing a laugh. “What does that mean?”

I smiled, feeling giddy and so desired with how he couldn’t take his gaze off my lips. As though he wanted to kiss them again. And again.

Heisinterested!I wasn’t wrong.

“It means… Oh, is that how we’re going to show everyone that we’re together?”

He smiled slowly, and I held in a breath at how sexy he looked with that smug expression.

“It was just an idea that’s been on my mind.”

How long have you been thinking of kissing me?

“What took you so long to act on it?”

He opened and closed his mouth, seeming stuck on deciding how to reply. I stole the moment, depriving him of speaking.Leaning close as I gripped the front of his shirt, I tugged him back down for another kiss.

A longer one, hot and urgent to the point that he groaned when I parted my lips. I hummed in pleasure when he spread his fingers back into my hair to secure me where he wanted me.

“Good evening. Can I— Oh.” The waiter stopped, stepping back when he realized he’d interrupted.

“Hi.” Derek smiled up at the man. Slightly out of breath, he let the moment end as I slid back against the booth to sit and pick up my menu.

Wow. And whoa. Andwow!

I blinked, squinting at the tiny font. As the waiter listed the specials, I sighed against Derek’s side.

We’d kissed.Kissed!Things were changing, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to consider pausing the momentum of this thrill. I hadn’t been this gaga and excited about being with a man in years, if ever, and now that he’d hinted at really being interested in me, I suddenly had no appetite for dinner.

I was left hungry and famished forhim.

Derek ordered drinks, and I asked for the same thing. Drinks, food, and all. I couldn’t concentrate on a damn thing but how hard and hot his thigh was pressed against mine.

The waiter finally left, and I didn’t waste a second to look up at Derek.

“Was that for show?” I asked.

His answer to that specific question was all I needed to know.

He leaned in to whisper in my ear, sizzling me with the smoldering stare he gave me as he approached. His hand slid over my leg, caressing me until he gripped my thigh. “Does this feel like it’s just for show?” he asked.

He turned closer, kissing me again. This was no rush. It seemedhewanted to savor every second of this romantic dinner he'd planned.

Once more, I was swept away with the sensation of his mouth hard and demanding on mine, the rough whisker burn of his facial hair on my skin, the sexy growls he emitted as he slid his tongue back in to explore and taste me.

I lifted my hands to frame his face, not wanting him to even think about backing up.

We are doing this.

All pretense was out the window.

We were all in, making outbeforeour date could really begin. Under the pressure of his mouth and caught in the strength of his hands on me, I tried to stay in the moment. Desire pummeled through me. Heat burned through my veins as I moaned and met him stroke for stroke, kiss for kiss.

And we were interrupted again. The waiter came to set our wine glasses down, prompting us to break apart for a nod of acknowledgment to him.

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