Page 11 of Undercover Billionaire

He gave her a small smile, like he knew exactly what she’d meant but that he’d found her slip of the tongue amusing. ‘Thank you.’

‘And how was your first evening meal on your first ever cruise?’

They passed ten minutes with inane chatter about the dining room and his trip to the casino like they hadn’t kissed in this very room a handful of hours ago. In fact, between trying not to think about that and her ears straining for noises in the passageway, she barely took in a word he said.

The second it fell quiet outside, Kelsey stood, placing her barely touched shot of whisky down. ‘I think it’s all clear now.’

Manoeuvring around the table, she headed for the door, aware that Ari had also stood and was following close behind. Heat radiated from his body and her heart fluttered as it surrounded her, her legs turning to rubber. She reached for the doorknob the same time he did and their fingers connected.

A spark flared at his touch and it took all her willpower not to turn around and find out where that spark might lead because she’d already broken enough rules for one day.

She pulled at the doorknob. It didn’t budge. ‘Wait,’ he said, his hold tightening around her hand. More voices became audible. They were further down but they’d no doubt see her if she tried to leave now.

Her heart beating like wings in her chest, she stood, straining her ears, praying for whoever it was to move on quickly as the heat from Ari’s body both warmed and intoxicated in her in equal measure.

There was probably a foot between them but he might as well have been jammed against her. She could smell maple syrup and hear the unsteady timbre of his breathing.

Or maybe that was hers.

‘I really am very sorry about the kiss,’ he said, his voice low and husky, as the voices outside drew closer.

Kelsey shut her eyes.God, that kiss. It had been crazy. Sweet and simple. Innocent, almost. But it had lit her up. Just like she was lit up now.

She could only imagine how anotinnocent kiss could be between them. How a full-on open-mouthed, head-rocking, lip-crushing kiss could be.

She wished she didn’t want to know. But she did.

She really did.

3

Before she could stop herself, she turned and her pulse lurched at his nearness. Her legs shook and her hands shook and the sound of her heartbeat was so loud in her ears it drowned out the voices passing by in the corridor beyond the door.

Kelsey couldn’t lift her eyes to him. Admitting her desire was bad enough – she couldn’t be any bolder. Her gaze fixed on the uneven movement of his chest, the bob of his Adam’s apple in his throat.

She should turn back. She should open the door. She should leave. The voices were hardly discernible now. But everything inside her burned to feel his mouth on hers again.

No matter how many rules she was breaking.

To pull him closer, not turn away. To throw caution to the wind like so many other staff members did and break a rule for once. Indulge herself a little in this private cocoon where nobody need know.

In seven years of employment, she’d never gone there. But maybejust this once, she could? In a year she’d be out of here, living in a small town with an increasingly dependent mother where there’d be zero opportunities to kiss a hot Greek dude.

Was it wrong to want just one wild moment to look back on and remember she’d had a little excitement in her life?

‘Kelsey.’

It was a raw sound, a rumble delivered on a ragged exhalation. It could have meant go or stay or justplease,but whatever it meant she’d felt iteverywhere. Oozing like warm honey, caressing like cool silk, pulling like the tide.

The rough draw of his breath met the shallow husk of hers. Her knees wobbled. Her heart banged loud behind her ribs as she gathered the courage to meet his eyes. The hot spear of his gaze settled on her mouth and she was lost.

And hell… it was just a kiss.

She raised a trembling hand and slid it onto his shoulder.

Heat tingled in her fingers and danced up her arm as his muscles bunched beneath her palm. Then he took a step toward her, his body aligning with hers, pressing her into the door. He lifted his gaze, pierced her with a dark, unfathomable expression.

‘This is madness,’ he muttered.

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