Page 22 of Worth the Fall

I reach behind her without breaking contact, tugging her body tightly against mine as I slip my tongue farther into her mouth. The way she tugs me closer by my tie pulls a growl from deep in my chest. This woman is going to be the death of me.

"You drive me crazy," I confess, trailing kisses down her throat. The professional facade she wears like armor is cracking, and it's the sexiest thing I've ever seen. "Looking so put together in those suits, all I can think about is messing you up."

Her breath catches, and I feel the way her body responds, arching into mine. "Then do it," she challenges, nipping at my bottom lip. "Make me forget all about being professional."

Something dark and possessive coils in my gut at her words. "Careful what you wish for, Counselor." I know I'm playing with fire, that this crosses every line we've drawn, but with her pressed against me like this, I can't bring myself to care.

Her hands slide up my chest, and I can feel her heart racing to match mine. Every rational thought I have is drowned out by the need to taste her, touch her, make her come apart in my arms.

"What I wish for," she says, her voice low and full of promise, "is for you to stop thinking so much and kiss me again."

Who am I to deny such a compelling legal argument?

She tastes like the most delicious fucking temptation, and when her hands slide up my chest to grip my tie, I forget every reason why we're supposed to be taking this slow.

We break apart only when a car alarm startles us, both laughing breathlessly.

"Seems fitting," she says, smoothing my tie where she'd gripped it. "Our moments keep getting interrupted by emergency responses."

"I'm starting to think it's our thing." I press one more quick kiss to her lips, unable to help myself. "Good night, Mia."

"Good night." She smiles that smile that's been haunting me since the pickleball courts. "Call me tomorrow?"

"Count on it."

I help her into her cab and watch the car drive away, already missing her warmth, but feeling more certain than I have in a long time. This thing between us, it's worth the risk. Worth the complications. Worth figuring out how to balance everything.

My phone buzzes with a text as I reach my car.

Mia

Made it home. Thank you for the "contract review." Though next time, maybe we skip the professional pretense?

I grin as I type back.

Me

Next time?

Her response is immediate.

Mia

Definitely next time.

And just like that, I'm already planning how soon I can see her again, how to introduce her properly to Felicity, how to do this right. Because something tells me this is just the beginning of something amazing.

Felicity’s voice carries across the preschool parking lot, loud enough to draw a few smiles from other parents at morning drop-off.

“Daddy! Look!” she shouts, waving her sparkly tiara in the air as I crouch to help her out of the car.

“You’ve got to keep this safe, princess,” I tell her, tucking it carefully into her cubby bag. “Remember, no tiara during finger painting.”

“I know, Daddy,” she says with exaggerated seriousness, giving me a thumbs-up.

As we head toward the school entrance, I spot Celine’s sleek black car pulling into the lot. My jaw tightens reflexively. She doesn’t usually do morning drop-offs, but it’s not unheard of. Maybe Felicity left behind one of her favorite stuffies at her mother’s house.

“Mommy!” Felicity squeals, dropping my hand and running toward her mother.

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