Page 14 of The Friend

She gave it to him, yearning to feel the first tantalising sweep of his tongue in her mouth, relishing the low, deep groan coming from his chest.

She should’ve pushed him away, told him she’d been reminiscing about old times, and he’d got the wrong message by the expression on her face.

Instead, she complied without logic, amazed she’d been deprived of this incredible sensation for so long and knowing this delicious, forbidden taste of a guy she’d been platonic with for most of her life would leave her desperate for a lifetime more of his kisses.

He’s your friend. This is a mistake.Her voice of reason insisted, while her body happily ignored it and did its own thing.

He groaned again as she leaned flush against him, the kiss deepening as his tongue flicked to meet hers, taunting, teasing, like his words usually did.

However, his words never elicited this wanton urge to drag him back to her room and lose herself in him.

She wrapped her arms around him, wishing she could feel more, skin to skin, as he kissed his way across her jaw and down her neck.

Heat exploded between them, searing a burning path straight to her core.

Just friends, huh? They’d got a whole lot friendlier and she didn’t have a clue how to react. With one kiss, he threatened to consume every last shred of common sense she possessed.

Not that she cared. She’d passed that point about a minute earlier, the moment his lips touched hers and sent her straight to heaven.

When Judd stilled and pulled away, his stunned gaze locked on hers. She met his gaze unflinchingly, trying to read his expression in the twilight, wanting him to be first to break the tense silence.

“Take one sexy dress, a wicked cocktail, island heat, moonlight, a healthy amount of ribbing, and what do you get? Madness,” he muttered, before shaking his head and walking away.

Chapter Seven

Abby slid into the seat opposite Judd and dumped an armful of paperwork on the table, raising an eyebrow as she sent a pointed look at the three empty coffee mugs in front of him.

“Good morning.”

He cradled a fourth and shrugged, flashing a rueful smile. “What can I say? I’m lousy in the mornings without a caffeine hit.”

What could he say? He could start by explaining what that kiss last night was about. However, rather than broach the subject that had kept her awake for most of the night, she passed a folder to him.

“Here’s our schedule for today.”

She watched him sip his strong black coffee and savour every mouthful with a low, satisfied ‘mmm’ akin to a moan. She definitely didn’t need to hear that.

“Perhaps you should try a healthy breakfast to kick-start your day rather than all that coffee? The last thing I need is my photographer bouncing off the walls.”

“Did you always nag me like this or is it a new endearing trait you’ve picked up?” He smiled, the laugh lines crinkling at the outer corners of his eyes as he raised his mug in a ‘cheers’.

Though it had only been a few weeks since she’d last seen a photo of him online, he looked different: older, weary, like a guy in desperate need of time-out. The deep creases around his eyes, the groove between his brows, the odd expression she glimpsed at times…he had some major stuff going on and she wondered if she should pry as she usually did or wait until he told her in his own sweet time.

“You think I’m a nag, huh? Tell me again why you’re my best friend?”

She tried a mock frown and failed as they smiled across the table at one another like two people in perfect sync; which they usually were, and apart from that lapse last night, would remain so if she had any say in it.

His grin faded as he placed his mug on the table. “Speaking of friends, I need to apologise for last night. That kiss was way out of line.”

“You bet your sweet butt it was, Mister. Been spending too much time in the Sahara and I happened to be the first woman who came along?”

“I wouldn’t put it exactly like that…” He trailed off as she laughed, an answering smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “You could be right. It’s been a while since I’ve had a date, you looked incredible last night, and I lost my head. How does that sound?”

Plausible and probably what that kiss had been about, but she wouldn’t let him off that easily.

“Pretty pathetic actually, but then I’d expect nothing less from you.”

He clutched his heart as if she’d wounded him. “That hurts.”

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