Page 32 of Doctor Grump

“I do,” he said. “Not just for today, but for…everything. And I’m also sorry I blamed today on you. That was just me being an asshole. You’re an amazing woman.”

I blinked at him, completely shocked by both the apology and the declaration. Not knowing how to respond, I threw back the glass of wine like a shot and coughed as it burned straight down my throat and in my chest.

“Careful,” he said. “It’s a lot more dangerous than it looks.”

“Yeah,” I coughed. “I get that now.” I was pretty much a lightweight when it came to alcohol, which was why I had chosen to only drink wine. But I could determine the high alcohol content by the slight wooziness that had already set in. I needed to go slow on this, or I would be messed up in the next few minutes.

Of course, slow was not what happened.

As we continued talking, it seemed that propriety and logical thought fell by the wayside as drinks after drinks kept being poured. In between our conversations, Ian realized that the bottle was empty, so he went to get another one. Ian was also in an oddly chatty mood, telling me a little about his childhood in Boston and then New York. He also told me a little about his relationship with Kendy’s mother, which was not as I expected. It was apparently an elongated one-night stand that led to Kendy’s conception, which her mother kept from him for the next few years.

“She showed up at my door later on with a kid,” he said, swilling the glass. “And she said that it was mine. I thought she was lying at first. She was the type to pull pranks like that, just to see what I would do.”

“What was she like?” I asked out of curiosity.

“A typical party girl. Beautiful. But not much else there.”

“Of course,” I said a little cynically. “But that's what you guys love, right? Every man’s dream girl.”

“Not even close,” he scoffed. “If I had to say my dream girl, it would probably be a lot closer to you.”

I froze when he said that and turned to look at him, startled. But there was nothing in his tone to suggest that he was joking. His countenance was still serious.

“That’s…” I shook my head. “Yeah, right. I’m no one’s dream girl. Dreamfriendmaybe, but not dream girlfriend or wife.”

I ended the statement with a short laugh to take the bite out of the words, but he did not laugh back at me. Instead, he watched me for some time, not saying anything, and then reached out a hand and caressed my cheek. “You have no idea how lovely and beautiful you are, do you?”

I choked. I had no idea what to say to that, especially when he said it in that tone with that expression on his face like he wanted to do something to me, something more than talking.

He looked like he wanted to kiss me.

No.

He looked like he wanted to devour me.

The air was suddenly heavy and thin at the same time, the silence amplifying the sound of our heartbeats. I couldn’t look away, couldn’t move, but he was moving. He had been sitting a few inches away on the couch, but suddenly, his body came closer and closer.

And then, slowly, his lips descended onto mine. A simple touch, then a lick, then a suck.

Ian was kissing me.

His lips brushed against mine, then pressed in once more, molding his mouth against mine, commanding me to give in to his control.

It was the best and worst thing that ever happened to me.

Stars burst behind my eyelids as the energy exploded through my senses. I didn’t know kissing could be like this, so lightly teasing and all-consumingly possessive at the same time.

It was the kind of kiss I read about in romance novels but never had in real life. It was the type that sent zaps through all my nerve-endings, the unhurried sensuous type that somehow also expressed that he couldn’t go another minute without kissing me. The kiss took over my senses, and I barely noticed that his hands were moving too until they were wrapped around my waist, yanking my body closer, flush against his. Lust pounded in my pussy at the move. I moaned as I squeezed my legs together, waiting in anticipation for the next move. What would he do next? Where would he touch? Oh God, could I take anymore?

“Fuck, you taste good,” he muttered, sounding almost angry at the realization. “Fuck fuck fuck.”

With that, his hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me onto his lap.

And then everything changed.

What had once been just a kiss became a full-blown onslaught, a conquering force as he began devouring my lips, groaning at the taste. Lust shot through me. My body physically trembled from the enormity of my dirty desire, and all my senses were instantly heightened. His lips tasted a little like coffee but also like him, gentle but commanding all the same. The heavy smell of oak and man surrounded me, and it was heady, dizzying. I couldn’t take this heat…I felt like I was about to pass out from it all.

And still, he took it up a notch.

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