Page 60 of Icy Pucking Play

"Evan."

"Sorry." I clear my throat. “I’m not great at...this."

"This being?"

"Feelings. Talking about feelings. Having feelings." I meet her eyes. "Wanting someone so much it scares me."

Her breath catches. "That's not helping the professional boundaries thing."

"Maybe I don't want professional boundaries."

"Evan..."

"Maybe I want the family dinners and the math lessons and the way you laugh at terrible horror movies." I move closer, unable to help myself. "Maybe I want you in my clothes and in my life and in my…"

"Stop." But she's leaning toward me, not away. "We can't."

"Why not?"

"Because..." She swallows hard. "Because I have to write this feature. Because it's my job. Because Lexi wants to fast-track it and she loves how personal it is, and I can't tell her it's personal because I'm falling for…"

She cuts herself off, eyes wide.

"Falling for?" I prompt softly.

"Don't."

"Sophie."

"Please." Her voice breaks slightly. "I'm trying really hard to be professional here."

"And how's that working out for you?"

"Terrible." She looks up at me through her lashes. "Especially when you look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you want to kiss me."

"I do want to kiss you."

"Evan..."

"Tell me to stop." I'm close enough now to feel her breath on my skin. "Tell me this isn't worth figuring out."

"I..." She licks her lips, and my self-control snaps.

I kiss her, hard and hungry. She makes a soft sound against my mouth, her hands coming up to tangle in my shirt. I lift her out of her chair, papers scattering as I set her on her desk. Her legs wrap around my waist, pulling me closer.

"We shouldn't," she gasps as I trail kisses down her neck.

"Probably not."

"Anyone could walk in..."

"It's almost midnight."

"Still..." But she's already pushing my jacket off my shoulders. "This is such a bad idea."