Page 53 of For Butter or Worse
She squeezed his bicep, then said, “Please.”
His fingers found their way through her hair to the back of her neck, where he held her steady. He leaned down and into her, his lips brushing against hers softly at first. He tasted cinnamon and the chocolate from the gelato. All he wanted to do was nibble and lick indefinitely.
Kissing Nina pushed the anxious thoughts he’d had into the background until all he focused on was her. He hadn’t been able to appreciate the warmth of her mouth, and the sweet way her tongue flicked against his, during their first kiss. He’d been too unsure of what to do or how to act around Nina. But she wasn’t the woman he thought she was—cold, calculating, ruthless. He’d been so wrong about her. And the way her mouth pressed against his lips made his body light up.
He pulled her into him, and she arched her hips in to meet his hardness. They stayed together, and his hands held her steady as she scratched her way across his shoulder blades. His tongue explored her, and she explored him right back.
Eventually, she peeled back from him and said, “I should go.” Her voice was throaty and her lips had bloomed from being pressed against his.
“Stay.” He practically growled the word. He didn’t want her to leave, not while his skin could still feel a burn from where she’d scratched across his back with her nails.
She opened her mouth, then closed it tightly. Her expression was pained as she stepped away from him. “I have an early morning.”
Had he completely misread the situation? A minute earlier, he wasn’t sure if there was anything that could pry him from her, but now there was enough room between them—physically and emotionally—to park a sedan.
She bit her lip, then walked out of the kitchen without so much as a “Hey, that was still some great kissing!” pity acknowledgment. He moved to follow, still drawn toward her like a moronic moth to the flame, but managed to stop himself. If she didn’t want him, he couldn’t chase after her. He’d tried to push the boundaries of what they had, and she wasn’t interested. Now he had to completely close himself off to the possibility of anything more.
LEO’S TEXTS
Donna:You’re gonna marry that woman.
Gavin:Ma, easy...
Donna:Don’t mess this one up.
Gavin:You’re scaring Leo. He’s not even answering.
Donna:Leo?
Gavin:Maybe he’s busy...
Donna:Use protection. I’m too young to be a grandma.
Gavin:MA.
20
NINA
Lately Nina’s life felt like it’d become a series of times where she needed a distraction. But after dinner with Leo’s family, she definitely required something to take her mind off of all the thoughts cluttering the pantry of her brain. She’d loved meeting his mom and brother—they were easy to talk to, adored good food and Donna was, well... She respected the hell out of any woman who spoke her mind. And then, when she was alone with Leo, he’d kissed her. Or she’d kissed him? Either way, those kisses led to feeling their way across each other’s bodies and...making out. They’d made out. She hadn’t made out with anyone and felt like she’d fallen into another dimension where only the other person existed in a very long time. But that was exactly what had happened. Leo pressing into her, and against her, had stopped time.
That sounded ridiculous, but she’d completely and utterly lost herself in his lips, and the smell of him, and the way his shadow of a beard scratched across her cheeks. How else to describe what had happened between them? Because she also had no concept of how long they’d been kissing. Not until the edge of the countertop bumped her in exactly the wrong place, snapping her out of make-out mode and back to reality. What were they doing? More importantly, what the hell was she doing in trusting him? She’d seen Leo, therealone, who’d gone out of his way to make her work life miserable.
Even if he was the most incredible kisser she’d ever encountered, she knew Leo too well to forget everything he’d done to her—not just calling her nasty, but every time he’d dismissed or intentionally hurt her. Treating him as anything other than part of her job would be a mistake.
So when she checked her phone and saw Jasmine’s name instead of his, she was more than grateful.
Jasmine:I don’t think I can do the gala. I just had to google “How to cater food for a big event”
Jasmine:This is not going well.
Jasmine:This is completely your fault.
Jasmine:HELLO??? What if I have to tell my parents they need to order Domino’s because I can’t get my shit together?
Nina:Was in the shower! You will be brilliant! Domino’s is delicious, worst-case!
Jasmine:All I have written down on this notepad is: Food?
