Page 50 of Pulse

Did that mean he didn’t remember the kiss? Maybe he kissed a different woman every night. Perhaps she was freaking out over something he considered the same as a damn handshake.

As if she wasn’t humiliated enough.

Hell, the man was gorgeous, had a good job, and rode a motorcycle. He probably had women flinging themselves at him from all angles. A random drunken kiss was just another Friday night for him.

Get it together and be a professional.

“Thank you. I need five minutes to undo some of the damage I did last night,” she said as she waved at herself. There wasn’t anything she could do about wearing the same clothes as yesterday, but a thorough toothbrushing and face wash should make her feel more human. At least she wouldn’t be breathing dragon air his way.

“Take your time,” he said as he set the food on the table.

Talia escaped toward the bathroom. As she was about to shut the door, he called her name. “Talia?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sure you’re not comfortable wearing the same clothes you had on last night, but I can’t say I’m sorry to see you in those shorts again.” He winked, then turned his back on her to unpack whatever was in the bag.

Talia shut the door, encasing herself in the tiny bathroom. She sagged against it, staring at the ceiling as Pulse’s words curled her lips into a genuine grin.

This was bad.

This was so, so bad.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

THE ROOM FELT like a pressure cooker quickly rising to the blowing point.

They were attracted to each other and had been since they met.

Talia was his club’s attorney.

She was the only person who knew about his history with the DEA and the current mess that history brought to his life.

There were so many complicated factors to sort through and organize. It would be better for all involved to ignore their attraction and move on.

But then there was that kiss.

Goddamn, she’d taken him by surprise with that kiss. There’d been a desperation to it. An underlying hunger that led him to believe she was starved for the things he could give her. The things he could do to her. He was just as greedy for it. Hell, if she hadn’t come to her senses, he might have fucked her right there in the hallway against the clubhouse wall.

It’d been a long time since he’d had some action from anyone besides his own hand, and now that he’d tasted her, he couldn’t think of anything else. He’d spent the entire night hard and imagined how she’d look coming on his fingers, his tongue, his cock. He’d jerked off three times and still could have pounded a nail through a two-by-four.

One glimpse of her this morning, even hungover and awkward, and his cock was back at attention. This woman went to his head faster than any drug.

He unpacked the muffins he’d picked up on his way over and set them on the table. One giant cinnamon crumble, and an equally colossal chocolate chip muffin sat side by side. Talia could choose. He’d eat either with a smile. Thanks to Brooke, who’d visited Talia multiple times while she’d been home recovering, he’d learned she loved oat milk brown sugar lattes, whatever the hell all that meant. Thankfully, the barista knew because he’d have been out of luck if they needed clarification.

Talia emerged a few moments later, wearing soft olive-green sweatpants and a beige ACDC T-shirt. She still had a stiffness about her, but with last night’s makeup gone and her hair in a high ponytail, she looked fresh and fuckable.

Goddammit, his cock couldn’t catch a break. Not that it mattered what she wore. She’d need a damn hazmat suit to keep from turning him on.

Squaring her shoulders, she walked straight to him. Her lips compressed, and her eyes sharpened in a look of determination that could only mean one thing.

“Look, Pulse,” she said as she reached him. “I want to apologize for my behav—”

Nope, he wasn’t having any of that bullshit.

He grabbed the back of her neck and yanked her to him, crashing his mouth to hers. She let out a muffled squeak, allowing him to slide his tongue between her lips.

Her minty-clean flavor invaded his taste buds. Fucking addicting.

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