Page 56 of You Cake My Breath Away

“Stop apologizing.” Archer laughs, rubbing his hand along his beard.

There are words stuck in my chest, all scrambling to climb up my throat and out of my mouth, but I can’t open my lips to let them out.

“We have unfinished business.” A tug on my space buns lifts my eyes to meet Archer’s. His lips are curved into a smile, and his tongue darts out to wet them.

My core twists watching his lips moisten. “I know,” I groan, hoping my voice doesn’t waver. “I have to finish the inventory, organize the metro shelves,and—”

Firm lips crash onto mine, stopping my list of to-dos and stealing my breath. Brain lagging to catch up, it takes a beat for me to realize this is happening. He’s finally kissing me. And it’s everything I expected it to be.

Demanding. Passionate. Consuming.

One hand cradles my head while his other pulls me closer. The cadence of my heart is erratic as he swipes his tongue across the seam of my lips, begging for access. My back meets the fridge, slamming the door as his tongue plunges into my mouth, tasting, teasing, claiming.

“Arch,” I groan, pressing my chest closer to him.

“I know,” he breathes, releasing my mouth and pressing heated kisses to my collarbone and up my neck.

My skin is alive, synapses connecting the nerves I’ve left to die because of my touch starvation. His fingertips digging into my hips are like kerosene on a bonfire, and my hands wrap around his neck, pushing into his thick dark hair.

Firm hands snake down my ass and grasp my thighs before I find myself lifted off the ground and my legs wrapped around Archer’s waist. The thick bulge pressing against my center rips a moan from my lips and I swear he growls as he sets me on the stainless-steel table.

“God, you smell like lemons,” he says in between kisses. “It’s always driven me crazy.”

I laugh and he nips at my neck, sending a thrill down my core. Our lips meet again, limbs tangled, touching, feeling, absorbing every movement. The burning sensation of my skin has changed into a throbbing hum as Archer’s hands skim down my sides before yanking me to the edge of the table.

A tub of sprinkles falls to the ground, exploding rainbow candies all over the floor, when Archer moves against me. His erectionbrings me closer to the edge of insanity. Stars dance in my eyes, and I nip at his lip to quell the rising arousal in my core.

A loud crack of thunder pulls us apart, chests heaving, lips red and swollen. Darkness envelops us as the lights go out.

Even in the darkness, the shame I thought I’d feel after finally kissing Archer isn’t there. Instead, a feeling of satisfaction fills my body. Like I’ve been dehydrated and have finally received the water I needed to live again.

Archer slides his fingers into the loops of my jeans as if they’re handcuffs preventing his fingers from roaming to other landscapes. His teeth close against the burning skin at my neck, and I can’t help the needy moan that spills from my mouth.

“More,” I whimper, confident in my need though my body trembles.

He responds by releasing the loop and moving his hand to the apex of my thighs. Over my jeans, his thumb rolls in soft circles, alternating light and firm pressure. With the lights out, no electricity humming in the room, all I can hear and feel is his breath against mine, his soft groans as he sucks on the flesh at my collarbone.

He captures my bottom lip between my teeth as he cups me, putting firmer pressure exactly where I need it. An atom bomb of pleasure explodes in my core, and I throw my head back, letting the euphoria wash over me. Minutes pass where nothing but our panting is audible, and before I have a chance to reach for Archer to return the favor, the lights return and he breaks the silence.

“We made a mess.” He chuckles, looking around at the sprinkle-covered floor before his eyes meet mine. They’re bright and blazing, and the smile he flashes me sends butterflies fluttering through my chest.

“I’ll get a broom.” Seeking a moment to process, I hop down from the table and scoot past him into a back closet. Placing my hand along thecool wall, I let my head fall back and inhale a deep breath. At the edges of my mind, fear and guilt try to breach the border of my happiness, but I push them back, not allowing them to sour this moment.

Another flash and bang shakes the building, dumping buckets of rain out of nowhere. I return to the front to quickly clean the floor and empty the dustpan into the trash, smiling as I think about what we just did—what I let him do—on my bakery table.

“I’m glad I got those sandbags.” Archer walks toward the door. “I’ll drive.”

“I’ll be fine,” I reply.

“The water is coming down too quickly, and you know the roads are going to flood.”

I sigh, but it doesn’t hold any weight. “Okay.”

I didn’t wear my rainboots today because as much as they say we’re going to get rain in San Antonio, it’s a rare day when it actually happens at the aforementioned time. Archer’s hand rests on the small of my back as I gather my jacket and purse. Even though we crossed a boundary tonight, I still fight the urge to pull away.

Sheets of rain pelt us as we run to Archer’s truck. He opens the door for me and lifts me up into the seat before running around to his side. Shaking the droplets from his hair, he turns to me with a bashful smile. The weight of holding myself back finally lifts and I return his smile. I wait for the awkwardness to settle in, to be knocked down by all the what ifs and questions of the future, the shame of finding comfort—and pleasure—in the arms of my husband’s best friend.

But it doesn’t come.

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