Page 63 of No One But Us

He nods. “I know. It just would have been nice to have youthere.”

I smile. “If Max wasn’t sitting in the kitchen, I’d suggest we go there rightnow.”

His eyes darken. “Max justleft.”

“Ginny won’t be up for hours,” Ireply.

He pulls me to my feet. With a quick glance inside, he puts his hand at the small of my back and hurries me to his room. The second we’re inside and the door is shut, he presses me to the wall. “This is better,” he whispers against my mouth. “Goodmorning.”

He kisses me sweetly, and then his lips part, as do mine, and we meet each other—slowly at first, our breath mingling, tongues gliding. But then he leans into me, all weight and heat, and something is triggered. There’s a low hum in my throat—a sound of desire, of acquiescence—and he is suddenly kissing me harder, his hands digging into my skin as if he can’t grip me tightly enough. He scoops me up and throws me on the mattress, and then he is above me, consuming me, pressing me into the bed with hisweight.

“Take off your shirt,” Idemand.

He hesitates for just a moment and then pulls it off, throwing it onto the floor behind him. I place my palms flat against his stomach—the smooth skin stretched taut—and watch the way his eyes flutter shut, as if he’s being absolved. He flips us so that I’m on top, and this time it’s my turn to taste his neck, to run my tongue along every line of definition in his chest. To go lower, pressing light kisses over his stomach as I slide, until my chest is pressed against his erection, my fingers at hiswaist.

“Fuck,” he winces. “Stop.Stop.”

I am sorely tempted to continue, but I give in, though not without intentionally grazing him with the flat of my hand. I know what he said last night was true. If we spend the next month sleeping together, I’ll convince myself of things I shouldn’t. I’ll start to believe we are a couple. I’ll fall deeper in love with him than I ever thoughtpossible.

The problem is, I’m pretty sure that’s going to happen eitherway.

Chapter 37

ELLE

“I feellike every time I bend over now you’re looking at my ass,” I tell him quietly as I pick up mydrinks.

It’s different, working with him now. His eyes follow me everywhere I go, with a tension between us that is intoxicating and grueling in the samemoment.

“Every time youeverbent over I was looking at yourass.”

I lean over the bar so my mouth is close to his ear. “Stasera voglio vederti nudo,” I whisper.Tonight I want to see you naked. “Two gin andtonics.”

He laughs. “You didnotjust ask for gin andtonics.”

“Reply in French,” Idemand.

“Mon crayon estgrande.”

I lean toward him again, keeping my voice low enough that we won’t be overheard. “Yes, James. I’m well aware of how large your crayon is. I think it’s the biggest crayon I’ve everseen.”

“You haven’t seenit.”

“Some things are pretty easy to assess in other ways,” I reply, glancing at his crotch. “Although maybe I should see it, just to besure.”

“Keep talking to me like that, and the whole bar will be assessingit.”

“Voglio vedere il tuo pene,” I reply as I head to thekitchen.

Two seconds later, he’s behind me with his hands on the small of my back, nudging me toward the supplycloset.

The moment we’re inside, he pushes me to the wall, kissing me softly at first and then harder, pressing the length of himself againstme.

“You’re making it impossible for me to work,” he whispers, his hands sliding low. I arch against him, giving him access he doesn’t take.Sigh.

“Because I’m such a bad waitress?” Igrin.

He laughs. “Yeah, there’s that too, but not what I was talkingabout.”

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