Page 21 of Wine and Research
“Is that what you think?”
His intimidation tactics weren’t going to work on her. Okay, they so were, but she never was good at backing down.
Elle shrugged. “It’s what I know.”
Jeremy took another step closer, and with her car at her back, escape wasn’t an option. But the thing was, Elle didn’t want to escape. She wanted to see just how far Officer Mercer was willing to go.
“Is that right?” the gorgeous, smug man repeated, this time softly.
“Yes,” she replied, just as softly.
He closed the distance between them, and their bodies touched. The man was in her personal space, so she set her hands on his chest, but the feel of all that hard, warm strength kind of blurred her reasoning. She didn’t push him away, nor did she pull him closer. Instead, Elle stood there in a heated, foggy limbo.
It was extremely fascinating and rather amazing.
Good thing the car was behind her, because her knees threatened to wobble.
“What if I told you that you know nothing, Ms. Hudson?” The timbre of his voice lowered an octave, as he brushed the back of one of her hands with his thumb.
The man was good and potent.
“I’d say prove it,” she replied, fighting a threatening tremor. “But that’s not something Officer Mercer would do, is it?”
He stared at her for a long moment before a sinful grin tugged at his lips. “You seem to forget one important thing.”
She blinked, having trouble remembering what the heck the point was, anymore. “What’s that?”
“I’m not wearing a uniform tonight.”
With that, he cupped her jaw, then leaned in until their lips nearly met. Hovering there, Jeremy waited a moment, holding her gaze while her body hummed to life. Try as she might, Elle couldn’t stop her eyes from drifting shut in an open invitation.
His lips brushed hers then, once, twice, before settling full on, causing breath to hitch in her throat and a tremor to break loose. Their kiss grew stronger, and when his tongue slid inside her mouth and touched hers, she moaned. Elle couldn’t help it. She’d never been this turned on so soon. An answering low sound rumbled in his throat, then he shoved his hands into her hair and deepened the kiss.
Not to be outdone, she slid her hands up his chest and around his neck and melted against him. His hot, hard bodymade her feel soft and feminine. The sensation was new and addicting and dangerous. But a second later, someone passed by and blew a horn. Jeremy released her, and she reached for the car behind her to steady herself. The same couldn’t be said for her breathing. It was far from under control.
“Okay, what…just happened?”
“Some yahoo thought he was funny blowing his horn,” Jeremy replied through ragged breaths.
She snorted. “I didn’t mean that. I meant the kiss.”
“A mistake,” he said, without hesitation. Ouch. He blew out a breath and shoved a hand through his hair. “You drive me crazy.”
A half bad and half good answer. She did her best to take it at face value and not to heart. Mostly because she was in complete concurrence.
She lifted her chin. “Then I guess we’ll pretend it never happened.”
Not that she’d ever forget an incredible kiss like that.
Their gazes met and held for a few unnerving seconds.
Then he nodded. “Good.”
“Good,” she said back and got into her car, digging out her key and shoving it in the ignition a little harder than necessary.
He was quite the sight as he moved in front of her open door, muscles flexing as he set his hands on the roof of her car. Those delectable creases in his jeans were practically at eye level. The man was virile, dangerous, and sexy as sin.
He leaned down into her open door. “Sweet dreams, Ms. Hudson.”
