Page 62 of Fall at Once

“Baked Alaska for dessert.” I waved a finger in the air. “Or maybe bananas Foster. Don’t say no.”

“Do you want to mess with me, or do you want me to kiss you? And a side note: I didn’t realize you were such a foodie, or maybe you’re an undercover firebug? But we have time to discuss that later. Now, what’ll it be? Kiss or keep messing with me? Or should we order the sushi and have dinner?”

“I want you to kiss me. But you should know that messing withyou is an unexpected pleasure. You get this adorable little smirk, and it makes me want to kiss you right here.”

I placed my lips near the corner of his mouth, where, when he was clean-shaven, I could see the cutest little dimple. I touched the tip of my tongue to it so he’d know exactly what I was referring to.

“I first spotted it during our Tres Chicas lunch meeting, but I managed to hold myself back.”

He grabbed my waist and hauled me against his chest. “I wanted to kiss you then, too.”

“Why didn’t you?” I breathed.

“So many reasons that aren’t important right now.” He hesitated, eyes on mine as he bit his lip. Doubt briefly replaced his smoldering look. “Just look at you. You’re so damn beautiful, Madi.”

My only response was the rapid thud of my pulse. As if he heard it, he lowered his face to mine and kissed me again.

His palm went to my throat as our lips met, wrapping around to hold me still as he gently stroked my jaw with his thumb.

My hands went to his waist to hold myself up because what had started as a brief touch of our lips quickly deepened and went wild.

“I want you,” he whispered, his breath hot against my cheek. “So much.”

“I want you too, Cole. Let’s go to the couch. Sushi can wait. Everything can wait. I need you.”

He swept me, weightless, into his arms to carry me throughthe living room. He sat on the couch and settled me on his lap with my knees bent on either side of his thighs.

His hands explored the length of my back, my hips, then up to my breasts. My nipples hardened beneath his touch, and I let out a gasp.

“Is this okay?”

“Yes. It’s my favorite.”

His eyes shot to mine in the dim light. “Yeah?”

Using his thumbs, he stroked me softly and then gave my nipples a little pinch.

“Mm-hmm…” Involuntarily, my back arched, and I ground myself down on his lap.

“You’re sensitive here,” he observed. He then tested that theory by pinching a bit harder.

Mindlessly, I nodded as he cupped my breasts and rubbed circles around my nipples.

“You could make me come just like this,” I whispered, lips parted, eyes at half-mast as I drifted along in the waves of pleasure he was giving me.

“I want to see. Arms up.” His hands went down to the hem of my sweater, tugging lightly as his eyes met mine.

My eyes burned into his as he lifted it over my head and tossed it to the coffee table. “You too, Cole. I want to see you.”

He leaned forward and tugged his shirt over his head with his hand behind his neck, letting it fall somewhere behind the back of the couch.

“Oh! Your tattoos!” I not quite shouted. “Let me see.”

With a chuckle, he raised his arm to let it rest on the couch and leaned back. On the left side of his ribcage were two tattoos—a mountain range on top and a line of spiky pine trees below.

“The kids drew them. The Rockies are Natalie’s, and the trees are Evan’s. They’re from our backyard along the fence line. You’ll see whenever you come over.”

“Oh, Cole.” My heart fluttered as I traced a fingertip along the craggy outlined form of the Rocky Mountains, smiling when a trail of goose bumps followed the path of my finger.

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