Page 1 of There Are No Words

Chapter One

Allegra

six weeks ago

This was aterrible idea.

A horrible, no-good idea.

Yet it felt so right.

So incredibly right.

You see, it had been weeks in the making.

I only wished we’d move things along, but I could see the gears in his head spinning, turning, like he wasn’t sure. Well, guess what? I was sure enough for the both of us.

Then, finally, he said, “You.”

Kiss.

“Had.”

Kiss.

“Too much.”

Kiss.

“To drink.” He backed me up against the desk in his office and pulled me close. Closer.

Had I come to his pub, The Black Sheep, and sat at the bar, watching my male roommate (read: sinfully hot male roommate) serve drinks while I’d nursed a sherry cobbler for the better part of an hour? Had I worn my sexiest outfit that was perhaps a little too short, too tight, and hugged me in all the right places? Sure, but I knew what I was doing. Hell, I’d come here with the very intention of doing exactly that. If anything, I should’ve hadmoreto drink, but I knew I didn’t need liquid courage. No, I only needed one thing tonight. And his namestarted with “B” and ended with “rady.” You better believe I was going to get him.

Wait. Let me back up and explain how we gothere.

When there had been a lull at the bar (it was nearing closing time), I’d gotten up and walked myself behind the bar, straight back here, my eyes on Brady the whole time. When he’d caught my gaze, I’d only said, “Office. Now,” and had called him over with my finger.

Following, Brady had locked eyes with me. When he’d finally entered the dark space, I’d run my finger down his chest. His rock. Hard. Chest.

Which had brought us to thisexactmoment.

I was staring into his eyes, daring him to give in to the temptation we both felt. With a shake of my head, I pulled back so it was clear, so he had no doubts. “I’m not drunk.”

The gears finally seemed to have slowed. Whatever he was wrestling with coming to an end. He suddenly grabbed my wrist.

I froze. My heart was pounding so wildly it was all I could do to see straight. His facial expression changed, the shock wearing off and, in its place, pure lust forming. He yanked me closer to him. “Fuck it!” he said, slamming his mouth onto mine.

Brady kissed me. Like really kissed me.

But I was intent on more. I needed more. We’d been playing this little game for far too long, pretending we were nothing more than roommates. That there was nothing palpable between us. We both knew otherwise.

It was like he was starving, and my lips were the only food he’d had in days, my mouth the source of all nutrients. Hungrily, he pulled my lower lip between his teeth and into his mouth, sucking on it.

A low groan sounded in the back of my throat, but if I could have put words to that groan it would have gone a little something like this:yesss, never stop. In fact, you shouldmake how-to videos so everyone can be kissed like this. I was rewarded with a deep growl from Brady as he pulled my hair, changing the angle, granting him better access to deepen the kiss. I kissed him back just as hard. It must have been exactly what he needed to not only claim my tongue but entwine mine with his so expertly that I thought I was going to pass out.

This wasn’t just a kiss. Brady was all out devouring me, and damn if I didn’t want him to ever stop. I didn’t care if I ever got oxygen in my lungs again, didn’t care if I went just like this—with Brady cradling my head as I pressed my body forward, hoping to feel all of him against me as he continued to bite and suck, and damn he was hard. I’d never experienced a kiss like this. It was needy and desperate but also passionate and sweet. As his tongue practically reached the back of my throat, I decided I was wrong—this kiss was feral. No two ways about it.

“You want me to take it slow with you, Allegra?” he rasped, dragging himself from my lips much to my dismay.

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