Page 14 of Love Unwrapped
Martha, still hovering beside them and ushering them slowly toward the door of the restaurant, said, “We’ve got a private staff bathroom in the back office. You can get cleaned up there. All the employees do. Tomato sauce happens, you know.” She let out a belly laugh at what must have been a running joke. “Come. Come. We’ll fix you right up.”
Andi slumped again in his arms, giving up her fight and shivering slightly. The night was cooling off fast and no doubt that puddle hadn’t warmed up much today, even with the direct sun. Having a wet foot wasn’t doing her any favors. “Fine. Get me to the bathroom so I don’t track mud, but that’s it.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Blake bounced her a little higher in his arms, as though he needed a better hold on her, but he just wanted to hear her squeal and have her tighten her arms around his neck.Mission accomplished. He grinned at the scowl she sent his way.
They headed through the restaurant to the office in the back, Martha leading the way. She opened the door for them and then opened the door to the small bathroom. Blake let go of her legs and slid her down his front, maintaining an arm around her mid-back until she settled onto her one clean foot. Andi patted his shoulder and hopped to the sink.
She glanced up in the mirror and met his gaze. “Uh… I think I’ve got it from here.”
Blake cleared his throat and closed the door behind her. Something had shifted between them with the drama out front. He wasn’t sure what, but she didn’t look at him with irritation when she’d returned his gaze in the mirror. That had to mean something.
He turned around to find Martha hovered nearby. “Hal should have had signs up for that hole. I’m so sorry your girl almost got hurt.” She wrung her hands, clearly distressed over the incident. He’d probably feel about the same way if someone were injured in front of his bakery.
He touched her hands to stop her worrying them. “It’s fine. No harm done. Just a little mud.”
“Well, the pizza will be free.” Martha nodded definitively after that proclamation.
“That’s not necessary, but thank you. Our friends called in a to-go order for Manly Cakes. It should be ready.” Blake glanced around the office and nodded toward one of two chairs in front of the desk. “I’ll just wait here for her, if that’s all right with you.”
“Of course. Of course. You wait. I’ll get your order together.” With renewed purpose and direction, Martha fluttered from the office.
About ten minutes later, Andi came out of the bathroom with one shoe on and one in her hand. She had paper towels and was scrubbing remnants of mud off the tennis shoe. It looked like she’d gotten most of the mud off her jeans already. She glanced up and stopped midstep with a gasp.
“Oh. I didn’t know you’d be in here. You scared me.” She plopped down in the chair near him, still working on the sole of her tennis shoe. Again, the scowl she reserved for him was notably absent. Heaving a sigh, she set the shoe on the floor. “Well, that’s about as good as it gets, I think.”
Blake shifted forward in his chair, then said, “Let me,” as he lowered himself to one knee on the floor in front of her. He picked up her dirty tennis shoe and unknotted the damp laces.
He glanced up. Andi’s eyes widened. “You don’t have to—”
“Oh, I insist.” He smiled.
“Fine.” She thrust her foot his direction, but with a small smile, and he put her shoe on and tied the laces. Then he placed his palm around her ankle. The moment their skin touched, she gasped. His skin prickled with awareness as he lowered her foot to the floor. He slowly moved his gaze up her leg to the body, all the way until he met her gaze. There was a question in her eyes he couldn’t decipher, but he sensed interest there too.
When he placed his hands on her knees, she didn’t look away. He couldn’t be imagining the flare of attraction shining at him, could he? Blake leaned forward, waiting for her to complain or swat him away, but she sat frozen. Her parted lips and shallow breaths drew his gaze to her mouth. She licked her lips, but still didn’t move a single inch, as though waiting to see what he’d do. He placed his hands on the arms of the chair and leaned in farther, wedging himself between her knees. His lips were a feather width away from hers. Butterflies banged against his belly with the rat-ta-tat-tat of a machine gun on rapid fire. Still she didn’t move, but her small sigh drew him to close the distance.
The moment his lips touched hers his world exploded in a kaleidoscope of colors. Andi finally moved, bringing her hands to his shoulders. He worried she wanted to push him away. How could she not feel their chemistry, the practically electric connection drawing them together? But she surprised him, curling her fingers in to pull him closer. She sighed and they melted together into the kiss. He shifted to put one hand on her waist, tugging her forward on the chair until she practically straddled him where he knelt in front of her. The other hand, he placed behind her head, intensifying the angle of their lip lock.
Andi brought her arms around his neck, clutching his back. He was desperate to get closer to her, even though not an inch of space remained unspoken for between their bodies. Lightheadedness assailed him and he pulled back enough to get oxygen into his lungs. Andi’s matching pants drew his attention, and he kissed down her jawline before pulling back enough to catch her gaze.
Though she had a little furrow of confusion marring her brow, she touched his cheek a moment before pulling him into the kiss again—a request he’d never deny her. He’d never felt such passion from merely kissing another person. He didn’t know what this meant for their future, but he’d worry about that later. Much later.
~~~
The way Blake’s velvety tongue slid eagerly across hers had Andi wrapping both arms around his neck, pulling him closer as she melded her body against his. Her fingers slid through his silky hair, and she angled her head, taking the hungry kiss deeper, a move he seemed more than willing to accommodate. Having Blake in her arms, kissing her like his life depended on this embrace, was about the headiest moment in her life. They fit, just like he had said, and it felt exhilarating, every one of her nerve endings springing to life for the first time in her experience. Oh God, had she been attracted to him all along? What else would make her insides melt like butter on a griddle at the mere touch of his lips?
Blake’s strong fingers stroked down her back until those muscular arms wrapped tightly around her waist, easily pulling her off the chair, plunging his tongue deeper inside her mouth. The moments of her having control of the kiss were gone, Blake wrapped a hand around the back of her head, tangling his fingers into her ponytail and kissed her with such force it stole Andi’s reason. She was helpless to this man.
Her body came down on his. Blake settled back on his heels and held all her weight. She straddled his thighs, her feet barely touching the floor behind him. He crushed her against his chest, his arm at her waist tightening like a vise. There was no denying that those jeans covered a thick arousal rubbing and pressing against her center. She was lost as he conquered her, plundering her mouth like he plundered her judgment.
“Oh my,” Martha said.
When Andi reared back, the hand at her head locked her to him, his tongue sliding across hers one last time before he broke from the kiss. His face was inches from hers, his gaze holding such intensity that her fingers dug into his shoulders to help steady her.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt. You two continue. Your pizza’s ready.” Martha walked back out the door muttering, “Young love. Young love.”
She couldn’t tear her gaze away from Blake, and he didn’t seem able to do anything more than blink as the door separating them from the kitchen clicked closed again.
“That might’ve been worth the wait,” Blake finally drawled.
