Page 18 of Fitting the Financier
CHAPTER TEN
NAOMI
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
I shouldn’t be kissing this woman. Not again. And my dick definitely shouldn’t be hardening. But her allure, the way she melts into me as though she’s my perfect match, is hard to resist. I take her lower lip between my teeth, gently teasing the tender flesh. When she gasps, I sweep my tongue into her mouth, determined to acquaint myself with her flavor.
Traces of spearmint from her toothpaste assaults my senses and only hardens my resolve. Spikes my jealousy. I should be the first and the last to enter every part of her each day. A groan rattles my chest at the possessive thought and I realize with clarity that I don’t just want this woman, I need her. Nor do I want to avoid this town anymore. Or bury the emotions I’ve tried to ignore.
Naomi brings me peace and calm comfort. They’re the missing pieces to a man who has everything else. After my wife died, I had fooled myself into thinking I didn’t deserve any of those things. Especially with a woman half my age. That had scared me the most, enough to stay away from the small town I call home. But not anymore. Not when Naomi is eagerly returning my kiss. Not when her fingers are gripping my coat as if I were her anchor and I want nothing more than to have her hands on my bare skin.
We’re both breathless when I end our kiss. Like before, I read desire and longing in her eyes, but there’s apprehension, too. Doubts I want to wipe away. In the last two days, I convinced myself that I’m only helping her business get off the ground — any good father would help his daughter’s best friend, right? But while my motives are sincere, they aren’t entirely honest. The moment I agreed to help, a sense of certainty washed over me. I stepped onto my plane, knowing Naomi would be mine.
“You shouldn’t have done that.”
She tries to back away, but my arm round her waist ground her against me. Now that I decided to seduce her, I want Naomi to come to me willingly, though I’m not above employing persuasion to get what we both desire. “Daily reminders are important in case you forget what a real kiss feels like.”
Naomi rolls her eyes. “I don’t need reminders.”
“I disagree.”
“I know how to kiss,” she says, sounding exasperated.
“Prove it.” Watching her eyes narrow and her lips part on a protest makes teasing her that much sweeter.
“Nathan.” This time when she shrugs away, I let her go. “I agreed to you helping me with my business, but maybe working together isn’t a good idea.”
“Why?” I damn well knew why, but I want to hear her say it. “Name one reason.”
“I can name five,” she grips her hips.
I’m both shocked and pleased she’s been thinking about me. Us. I quirk a brow in challenge, enjoying our little banter way too much.
“For one, I don’t want Charity getting hurt, and she will be when she finds out.”
“How so?”
“Because you’re her dad.” She folds her arms.
“So maybe she doesn’t find out just yet.” I definitely don’t plan on keeping us a secret from my daughter, but I’m not unreasonable. I can give Naomi time to wrap her pretty little head around the idea of us.
“And you’re old enough to be my father.”
A regular grizzly.“I prefer experienced or turn-key.”
“I bet you do.” She glares at me, but there is no bite behind the words.
“Twenty- six isn’t that old.” Taking her arm, I steer us toward her kitchen. “You said you have five reasons we’re a bad idea. Let’s hear the rest of them.” I unwrap the breakfast I made and go through her cupboards until I find everything I need.
“I don’t mix business with pleasure.”
“It’s good that I’m only here in a helping capacity.”
“Or have sex with people I’m working with.”
