Page 20 of Séance

Before he can pull away, I grab the material of his shirt, then push up on my toes and kiss him.

My first kiss.

I’m done waiting for life to happen. I want to experience everything.

He freezes for a moment, and my stomach cramps with dread. Just as I pull back, he moves his lips against mine, and I sink into the kiss, loving the way his lips gently caress mine. My soul seems to soar under his light touch. If he hadn’t been holding me, I’m sure I would have floated away.

He pulls back much too soon for my liking, but I don’t protest. I savor the taste of him for a few seconds longer, wanting to remember this moment, before I slowly open my eyes.

To my surprise, he’s staring at me like it was just as magical for him.

Logically, I know he’s probably kissed plenty of girls before me, but I can’t help the way my chest puffs up that I was able to draw that reaction from him.

With a secret smile, he lifts my hand and kisses the back of my knuckles. “The others are probably waiting. Should we join them?”

Feeling more confident, I smile up at him, then I gently smooth out the wrinkles I placed in his shirt where I grabbed him. “Sure, if you promise we can do that again.”

A husky chuckle escapes him as he guides me toward the house. “I can guarantee it will happen again. Any time you want a kiss, you are free to take one. I offer them to you freely.”

The back of my hand brushes his, and he captures it before slowly threading our fingers together. As we head up the steps to the house, I can’t help but admire the way he dressed up for the evening, wearing dark slacks and a white button-down shirt that has the first couple of buttons undone. I was so nervous, I didn’t even notice until now, and I can’t look away, enchanted by the sexy view.

Something about the way his shoulders fill out the fitted shirt is distracting. My eyes are drawn to the nearly hypnotizing flex of his muscles along his back, absently tracing the line of his broad shoulders before they narrow down to slim hips. I’m so preoccupied with my gawking, my steps slow until I fall a few paces behind him.

My attention naturally falls lower, and I nibble on my lip when I see the way his pants tightly cup his ass. My fingers twitch to reach out and touch him. The movement must catch his attention, because he pauses to look back at me and catches me blatantly staring at his ass.

He stumbles, almost tripping over his own feet, and I smile sweetly up at him, blinking innocently. “Everything okay?”

To my shock and enjoyment, a blush darkens his cheeks, and he nods. “Yup! Of course. Everything is fine.” He clears his throat, his voice gruff. He’s so focused on me that he’s not even aware the door opens before we reach it. His arm is outstretched, like he’s reaching for the doorknob, and he almost crashes into the four guys watching us with smirks on their faces.

Jameson is the first to speak. “Dude, while I like you and everything, if you grab my dick, my fist is going to meet your face.”

Ellis whips around to face the others, and he rolls his eyes, then mutters, “You’d probably like it.”

Jameson looks like he’s considering it, but then he shakes his head. “Nope, the only time you’re allowed to touch my dick is when there is a woman between us.”

Images of the two of them in bed, very much naked, fill my head, and my breath catches when I can so easily picture myself between them. My gaze jumps between the two of them, only to find them looking at me in a way that would have a nun fanning herself.

Jameson smirks, while Ellis seems to be considering it, his pupils widening until his eyes appear almost black.

“You’ll have to excuse them,” Hicks says, glaring at the guys in warning before shoving them aside and opening the door for me to enter. “They forget their manners when they are around someone as stunning as you. They are harmless, I promise.”

Harmless is the last thing that comes to mind when I look at them. Trouble pops into my head, so does dangerous and sexy, but harmless? Nope.

I smile lightly, battling a pang of disappointment as I enter the house, but maybe it’s better if the attraction is one-sided. I wouldn’t have a clue how to handle any of them anyway.

Against my better judgment, I’m drawn to all of these strange, mysterious men. Each one is as fascinating as the last, and I wouldn’t be able to narrow my attraction down to just one.

As the door closes behind me, I’m curious to learn everything about them. For the first time in a very long time, I’m excited about what the future might hold, and it’s all because of them.

I blink back tears, fiddling with my purse as I struggle with the impulse to hug them. I’ve never instigated physical contact with anyone, but they make me want so much more than my lonely existence. Hope lightens my steps, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the night will bring.

Chapter Six

JAMESON

As the door closes, an awkward silence fills the space. Not wanting to risk scaring her off, I bow dramatically to Rue, giving her my most charming smile. “Welcome to our humble abode. It would be our pleasure to show you around the place.”

Unable to tear my eyes off her for even a second, I peer up at her from under my lashes. Her grateful smile is so dazzling that I straighten and take a step toward her, barely stopping myself from reaching out to touch her, as if I could capture her joy.

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