Page 24 of Redemption's Inferno

“Chains, what—”

“Don’t think,” he said gruffly, bending his head towards hers. “Just enjoy.” Artificial relationship or not, when his lips found hers there was nothing fake about the way it felt. Her soft, sweet lips parted for him without hesitation and he waited until her tongue sought his, giving her the opportunity to end the kiss before he took over. When she didn’t, he assumed control, possessing her mouth with a fervor that surprised him. His mother thought showing Emilie genuine affection—even if it was a temporary romantic arrangement—would give her something she desperately needed; instead, it was fueling a fire inside him he’d had no idea had been dormant. Their mouths moved together hungrily, yet they were gentle, exploring each other the way only new lovers could.

* * *

Every swipe of his tongue had Emilie yearning for more, her body molded against his as his strong hands kept her close to him. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d wanted someone to just keep kissing her, with no desire to go further, lost in the way his lips felt and his tongue tasted. Was there still a trace of coffee? Cinnamon? The flavor seemed to permeate her mouth, so delicious she couldn’t stop the moan that escaped her.

“You taste lovely,” she whispered as they finally pulled apart, their faces still close together.

“Do I?” He smiled down at her, lost in striking blue eyes that seemed to mesmerize him no matter how many times he looked at them.

“I don’t remember enjoying the way a kiss tasted before,” she murmured.

“Nor do I,” he said, reluctantly removing his hands from her waist. Damn, he wanted to kiss her again, feel the way she shivered against him…and hear her tell him he tasted good. No one had ever said that before but it made him hard hearing her say it.

“I think we’ve drawn attention,” she said at last, noting a teenage boy watching them intently.

“I’m hungry,” Chains said finally. “Ready to get something to eat?”

“Sure.” She was surprised when he reached for her hand again, but couldn’t find a reason to stop him. It felt natural, as though they’d been dating for a while, and she wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Kissing him had been delightful, and she’d even cried out with dismay when he’d stopped. She wanted to ask him what they were doing, but she was afraid it would break the spell and this was the most fun she’d had in forever. She and Viggo had never dated; they’d had plenty of sex, then they had a child and they’d abruptly gotten married. There had been no romance, no dates, none of the excitement that came with a new relationship. Whatever this was, even if it wasn’t a real relationship, it was definitely fun and exciting. For today, she wouldn’t question it. Was it too much to ask to celebrate her birthday with an attractive, sexy man who made her feel good? One day, she told herself. Tomorrow they would have a discussion about setting some limits for the rest of the week.

* * *

The afternoon went quickly. They had a late lunch and then walked along a cobblestone road in Derby with shops on either side. Though she didn’t buy anything, she was content to look in the windows and enjoy Chains’ company. She’d known he was bright and well-educated, but she’d had no idea how much he knew about so many things. He talked about art and music, travel and the different places he’d visited on assignment as a spy. He didn’t talk about his missions, but he told funny stories of civilians he’d encountered that had them both laughing. As the sun began to droop in the sky, she stopped walking and leaned up against him, one arm circling his waist.

“Why are you still pretending to like me?” she asked abruptly. “Tell the truth—you can’t lie to a lady on her birthday.”

He smiled. “I’m not pretending to like you,” he answered, fixing her with a gaze. “I’ve always thought you were beautiful and now that I’ve had a chance to know you outside of the club, I like you even more as a person than I did as a boss.”

“But we’re having a date even though we’re not dating!” she protested. “The hand-holding and kissing and—”

“It’s like a first date,” he interrupted, knowing she was right and not wanting to talk, or even think, about it. “People who have great first dates usually go on more, so we’ve just combined the first few into one!”

She let out a little breath of exasperation even though she was smiling. “In a few days we’re going our separate ways…and this is beginning to feel real. I don’t fancy the idea of a broken heart while I rot away in prison!”

He shook his head. “You’re not going to prison, and if you absolutely must, you’re not rotting anywhere—it’ll be for a short time. I researched the laws regarding involuntary manslaughter and it’s going to be okay. I want you to trust me, Em.”

“But—”

“It’s your birthday,” he interrupted her yet again. “No bad thoughts allowed. Only fun and happiness. Now, let’s get going. Mum is getting dinner ready.”

“She shouldn’t have!” she protested. “I’d have liked to take the two of you out to repay you for your hospitality.”

“Another night,” he said firmly. “Come on.” He laced his fingers with hers and they headed back in the direction they’d come.

* * *

It was dark when they got back to the house, but there were lights on all over and a wonderful aroma hit them as soon as they walked through the doors. There was music playing on a stereo somewhere and Dolores called to them as they walked into the kitchen.

“Hello, loves! How was your day?” She turned with a big smile and Emilie was startled to see her wearing a dress, low heels and makeup, and her somewhat frizzy hair had been tamed into a nice bob.

“You look lovely!” Emilie said. “You didn’t get dressed up for me, did you?”

“Well, not exactly.” Dolores winked. “But your birthday gave me a good excuse—Nate, have you got the champagne?!”

“Who the hell is Nate?” Chains demanded, his eyes narrowing as a man came up from the cellar with two bottles of champagne in his hands.

“Here they are, love! Did you want—” He stopped abruptly when he saw Chains and grinned. “You must be Darryl! Good to see you, son!”

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