Page 32 of Knight's Fall

When she stood, her nose was inches from his muscular chest. He wore a plain white T-shirt, but she still remembered the hard plains of muscles that made her hands itch to touch. She pulled her hands from his and stepped back, taking a deep breath to calm whatever rush of emotion was brewing inside her. She grabbed her supplies and followed him silently to the sink.

The space was small, and they kept bumping into each other as they worked. Each brush against him had her body tingling with awareness. Once she finished, she stepped out of the room back into the kitchen and took a deep breath to calm her hormones.

“Can I get you something to drink? I’ve got water and beer. I should probably get to a grocery store soon.”

She chuckled nervously. “I know how that is. I’m behind on my shopping too. But I’m good now. Thank you though.”

Her awkwardness seemed to hum in the space around her, and she wondered if she should just leave before she did something embarrassing. They’d had a good afternoon, and she didn’t want to spoil the comfortable mood between them. Before she could make up her mind, he moved until he stood within her personal space.

“Hey.”

She raised her eyes to meet his, and her breath caught in her throat. His eyes swirled with pale blue fire. He touched her cheek, his finger sliding back and forth across her skin.

“You had some paint on your cheek.” His booming voice was low and husky, enveloping her like an embrace.

She flushed and lowered her eyes. “I’m sure I look a mess.”

“You look good to me.”

Jerking her head up, she searched his gaze to see if he was merely telling her what she wanted to hear. The icy irises darkened, captivating her. Her hand cupped his cheek, his beard surprisingly soft against her skin.

The voice in her head suddenly screamed that this was her shot, but that voice was not Olivia’s. It was her own, telling her to be bold and go after what she wanted. Her hand slid from his cheek to around his neck. She gently pulled him forward as she stood on her toes to meet him halfway. Her lips pressed against his in a gentle kiss meant to give her a taste, but instead it awakened in her a need for more.

She pulled away, dropping to her heels with a sigh. She watched him to see if he welcomed her advance or regretted inviting her over. Never one to be able to hide what she was thinking, she was sure her need shone through her eyes.

His hands settled on her hips. He held her stare for a minute before lowering his head. This time, when their lips touched, her lips parted of their own volition. His tongue snaked into her mouth, tasting and teasing, and she responded in kind. Their tongues danced, sending shock waves of pleasure coursing through her.

She grasped his shoulders, pulling him closer until his hard body pressed up against her. It seemed to be the only encouragement he needed. His hands lightly gripped her around the waist and lifted her as if she weighed nothing — not an easy feat since she knew she weighed a lot more than nothing. He settled her on the counter, which put their faces on a level plane.

She parted her legs, and he stepped between them. His hand buried in her hair and lightly pulled to angle her head. He deepened the kiss, and she whimpered at the surge of desire that shot straight to her core.

Her hands found their way under the hem of his shirt. When she felt his smooth skin under her fingertips, she allowed herself to explore the hard muscle of his abdomen. She traced the ridges of his six pack or eight pack or whatever it was that came from a life of working out and taking care of himself. She pushed his shirt up higher without breaking the kiss. She needed more access; she needed to feel more.

She felt him pull away, and her lips chased his, not ready to end the most amazing kiss she’d had in her life. But Wings simply reached for the back of his crew neck and pulled his shirt over his head in one swift motion, tossing it to the floor. His skin was tanned and smooth. Her fingers continued their exploration, and her lips followed their path. She dropped open mouth kisses on his pecks, and he hissed as his hand lightly held her head against him.

Tilting her head up, she focused on his exquisite mouth, and her lips tingled in anticipation. “Kiss me, Wings.”

His mouth crushed hers, and she loved it. She loved everything about him, his hair, his beard, his body, his eyes, his kiss…She could name much more, but her brain was clouded in a lust-induced fog. She had no idea how long they kissed. She didn’t care. For once, she took a risk, and it was all she could have hoped for.

She felt something brush against her leg and heard a sound, but she didn’t realize what it was until Wings pulled away. Their breathing was heavy and in sync as they struggled to rein in their emotions. She looked down to see Mo positioning his body between the two of them. A smile touched her lips as she wondered if the German Shepherd was protecting her from Wings or the other way around.

“I’ve never been cock blocked by a damn dog before.”

She laughed and rested her forehead against his chest. “I think he’s just looking out for you. It’s sweet.”

His hands smoothed her hair as his lips rested against the strands. “Oh, hell no. This is because he wants your attention, not mine.”

“It’s still sweet.”

He released a long breath before placing his hands at her waist and lifting her from the counter to set her back on her feet. She reached the top of his chest, and she resisted the urge to rest her head against his heart. She could imagine how satisfying it would be to fall asleep to the rhythm of his heartbeat.

She gave her head a quick shake that she hoped he wouldn’t notice, but she needed it to clear her head from the lust still surging her body from their kiss. Trapped between his body and the counter, she stepped to the side to add some distance between them.

“I sh—”

“Listen, I—”

They started talking at the same time, and they both stopped abruptly at the same time. She uttered a nervous chuckle and motioned for him to continue.

---