Page 8 of True Soil-Mates

“Jasmine,” he breathes, pulling me onto him so that I’m sitting on his lap. We’re heart to heart as he stares into my eyes. “This is…” The pure, fiery longing of his expression sends my arms around his neck and my mouth crashing back to his.

We both moan at the same time, the kiss becoming deeper, hotter. We shift, getting as close as possible. His firm hand is still on my back, the other one clutching my outer thigh. My fingers grip his shoulder and thick arm. His mouth demands mine with a surprising hunger.

I can’t help wondering if Alex has been starved for touch. For intimacy. From what I’ve seen so far, he seems completely dedicated to work. This physical closeness feels healthy and right for both of us.

He slowly sinks back, pulling me with him until I’m lying on top of him. Now his hands run up and down my back, the right casually skimming along my hip, not quite touching my ass, teasing me.

My breasts press down on his huge, hard chest. My fingers slip up the back of his neck, tangling in his hair. I feel like I’m floating.Alex wants me.

As our mouths move together, I feel even more proof of this physical connection. Not just the spring coiling tightly between my thighs, making me want to rip his clothes off. It’s the feeling of him…rising to the occasion. The thick, firm pressure growing and building between us.

Alex’s eyes snap open, then he rolls me to the side, cradling my body with his arm. “I’m sorry,” he pants, nearly breathless. “I didn’t mean to get, ah, carried away.”

“It’s fine.” My fingers brush back the hair from his temple. “I like it.”

“I likeyou.” The words are the faintest whisper, but they trigger an explosion of emotions inside me. “I’ll drive you home?” he offers, propping himself up on an elbow.

“Cool. Thank you. Hey—” I tap his nose with my fingertip. “I didn’t even get around to showing you my ideas!”

His chuckle resonates low in his throat. “You know what? I trust you. Just go for it. Everything you’ve said makes sense. We have the budget. Go nuts.”

I laugh, and instantly feel his arm tighten around me and his thigh brush against mine. “You’re tellingmeto go nuts? Careful what you wish for, buddy. I’ll have so much greenery in this place you’ll barely be able to walk through the front door.”

He chuckles again. “Don’t care. Do what you like. Honestly, I’m curious to see what you come up with.”

His faith in me is delightful, just like this adorable floor picnic, and the way he insists on boxing up the leftover pizza for my breakfast.

Alex is thrilling, yet also comforting. Exciting, yet levelheaded. He’s a straight arrow – a sexy, businesslike, yet open-minded straight arrow.

And he’s already shot me straight through the heart.

6

ALEX

Ishould be working. Instead, I keep pacing back and forth across my office. It’s like I can’t sit still for more than ten minutes, or my entire body feels jumpy.

I honestly think I’m having withdrawal symptoms from Jasmine. Not knowing when I’m going to see her again fills me with a dark cloud of anxiety. I like things laid out simply. Black and white. In chart form. Better yet, with bullet points.

Jasmine seems to be a clear communicator, but she also seems… I’m not sure. Confused by me. Like she’s trying to figure me out but doesn’t know what to do with each new piece of information she gathers.

I hope that’s a good thing. I want to figure her out as well. Want to know everything that is swimming around in her delightful brain.

Finally, I give up the pretense that I’m going to get any more work done today and send Jasmine a text.

Hi. I hope your day is going well. Do you have plans tonight? If not, I’d love to give your ideas my full attention over dinner, if you’re interested.

Crap. Is that too forward? After the way we connected last night, she must have guessed that I’d be asking her out again as soon as possible.

Jasmine: I’d love to.

Hungry for anything in particular?

Jasmine: I think I could go for a really good burger and fries. But if there aren’t any burger joints on your approved list of restaurants, I’m happy with anything.

Honestly, I would be willing to take the chance go somewhere off the list if Jasmine really wanted to. Fortunately, for burgers we don’t have to.

I know the perfect place. Pick you up at 6?

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