Page 23 of A Break in Communications

“Wondering if it’s self-assured bossy blondes who like to give you a hard time.”

“Everything that’s the exact opposite of that,” she said, smiling to herself as she sipped her wine. “I love a small, nervous brunette who’s too shy to say what’s on her mind. Not a blonde. Cannot stand blondes.”

“And you made an exception for me. I’m touched.”

She turned to me with something I’d never seen before—a glimmer in her eyes that looked almost playfully fond, and a real smile on her lips, a little lopsided, and she pushed my hair out of my face. “Don’t take it for granted, gorgeous.”

I faltered, and I felt my face prickle, thoughts lost for a second, and she laughed, taking a step back.

“Cute when I get to see you flustered. You really can dish it out but can’t take it, huh?”

“You’d… I think you’d be surprised just how much I can take it, Anna, darling.”

“Hm. Don’t tempt me.”

I laid a finger under her chin, tilting my head and looking through my lashes at her, before I’d stopped to think through the implications of it. “Isn’t that what a girlfriend does, beautiful?”

She stopped, studying me, and my stomach fluttered at the sight of that gleam in her eyes again, before—

She slipped her hand to my cheek, and my heart stopped beating when she leaned in closer, closing her eyes and tilting her head to the side, and my mind shut down completely enough that the only thing left for me was my body reacting, eyes fluttering shut, tilting my head to meet her, and—

She stopped just shy of my lips, hovering there, before she laughed, softly, her breath tickling my lips. “You’re breathing so erratically.”

“What?” I opened my eyes to where she stayed just short of me, eyes cracked, that gleam in them again as she looked at me—challenging me.

“Now I’m starting to thinkyou’rethe one who hasn’t kissed a girl in some time… really that nervous just from being close to a woman, Masters?”

Not justa woman,from having the most beautiful and perfect being ever to exist hovering just inches from my lips. Yes, I was nervous. I think my heart had actually exploded and I was just running on fumes. “Do youwantme to kiss you, Preston?”

“Just figured you’d be too scared to. You talk a big game.”

If we kissed here, I wasn’t making it out of this building alive. “You explicitly told me you don’t consent.”

A smile quirked on her lips. I couldfeelit this close—so close to Anna Preston’s lips that I could feel her movements. I was going to pass out. “And that’s the only reason.”

“It’s enough reason in of itself.”

“So if I changed my mind, you’d do it, huh?”

“Only one way to find out, Preston.”

She narrowed her eyes, smile still playing on her lips. “You’d really lower yourself to anything just to make a point. Or to keep up appearances? You don’t have scruples, huh?”

Lower myself?Lower myself?To kissingAnna Preston?“Scruples?” I said. “Sounds like a self-esteem issue on yourpart… are you such a bad kisser that you’d describe it as a punishment?”

She laughed. “You wouldn’t do it.”

“Only one way to find out.”

“Would you?”

“Only one way to find out.”

She smiled wider, eyes narrowed, studying. “Fine. You have my permission. What’s your move, Masters?”

My move? What would be my move if I was offered all the money in the world? If I was offered eternal paradise?

Eternal paradise was chump change. This was Anna Preston we were talking about.

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