Page 34 of Color of Love

“Maybe,” Beau grunted. “You seem to like him a lot, that’s for sure.” There was a hint of accusation in his tone, but Taylor didn’t shy away from it.

“We just understand each other, that’s all,” she replied smoothly, not allowing him to ruffle her feathers.

“Like in the biblical sense?” Beau shot back, and Justine would be lying if she said she hadn’t thought about that herself, but she knew that if Taylor was trying to set her and Blake up, there was no way they’d been intimate together.

“Is that any of your business?” Taylor replied calmly, and the air crackled between them. It was too much for Justine, this whole night was too much. She went inside, needing to splash some water on her face. She ran through the kitchen, like a coward, not wanting to see Blake and headed upstairs to the bathroom. She kept running, turned the corner on the landing and smacked into Blake.

“Whoa, slow down,” he said, placing his hands on her shoulders to stop her from stumbling. The heat from his large palms setting her aflame. She placed her hands on his chest to balance herself and felt the hard muscles bunching under her touch.

“Sorry,” she said, not meeting his eyes as she took a step back.

“Everything okay?” he asked, looking down at her. Concern furrowed his deep brow.

“Yeah, fine,” she replied, her tone clipped. He removed his hands and her skin felt bare without his touch.

“I’m sorry about your date tonight,” he said gently. The pity in his gaze was too much for her.

“Are you?” she snapped, and then immediately regretted her display of temper. There was a deep pause between them where she considered whether to apologize or not.

“No, I’m not,” he replied, shocking her. The words hung heavy in the air between them, he stepped forward and crowded her against the wall.

“Why are your friends asking about my love life?” he asked. She swallowed thickly, embarrassed to admit what they were doing but he needed to know as she doubted they would stop.

“They’re trying to set us up,” she replied, reaching up to push him away. Was he trying to intimidate her? “Blake, please,” she said, pushing but he didn’t move.

“Why would they do that?” he asked. He reached up and brushed an errant lock of hair over her shoulder, allowing his hand to trail over her hot skin. She felt tingles ignite where he touched her, she was so sensitive and receptive to him. She tried not to close her eyes in bliss. Why was he touching her so intimately, did he like her? Could he? The knowledge consumed her, filled her up.

“Because they don’t know that nothing can happen between us, because you’re my client,” she answered, her voice rasping from her, her mouth running dry as those tingles spread through her whole body.

“Is that the only reason nothing could happen?” he asked. Justine’s pulse pounded, she needed to get out of here, fast. He pressed his entire weight into her, pinning her to the wall like he’d read her mind. He bent his head and brushed her hair away from her ear before he whispered.

“Do you think I’m pretty, Justine?”

She fought a groan at the sensations tearing through her body, her breathing deepened as she tried to fight her arousal.

“What?” she asked. He nuzzled her ear, the scrape of his beard electrifying her nerves and she fisted her grip on his shirt as her core started pulsing with need. He ground his hips into her, hitting her just right. He was fully aroused, the knowledge flooring her. Had she done that to him?

“I asked you a question. In our second session, you asked if I attacked Beau because he was prettier than me. You said prettier. So, I’ll ask you again, Justine, and I expect an honest answer. Do you think I’m pretty?” his voice grating out from him. She opened her eyes, and he was all she could see. His gaze turned to molten silver, daring her to defy him. She swiped her tongue over her bottom lip and heat flared in his eyes at the action.

“Yes.” The word ripped from her throat before she could stop it and then he was crashing his mouth to hers. His lips were so soft, not at all hard like she’d imagined. He sipped at her, coaxing her, working her until she was moaning, her stomach clenching in need. He tilted his head to deepen the kiss and when she opened her mouth, his tongue found hers. She touched hers tentatively to his and an answering rumble echoed in his chest. Her body exploded with pleasure when he stroked her tongue languidly.

His beard grazed her, the rough feel igniting her desire. What would it feel like between my legs? He cupped her jaw, stroking his thumb over the delicate bones of her face, and she sank into him. He worked her mouth expertly, feeding her kiss after kiss until she was arching against his body, trying to pull him closer to her. He wasn’t close enough.

His taste was dirty, carnal just as she’d known it would be, and something inexplicably Blake. She grabbed onto his strong shoulders and held on as he worked her, showing her his passion, a level of passion she hadn’t expected from him. A level of passion she’d hoped was hidden under his rough exterior.

She was feeling everything he’d told her passion would be when he had been in her office and as the thought crossed her mind it was like a bucket of ice had been poured over her. She shoved him away, placing a hand over her mouth. He looked wild and fierce with his desire, every inch the alpha male she knew he was.

“Blake, I can’t, you’re my client, it’s so wrong,” she gasped. What have I done? Fighting down a sob, she ran into the bathroom and locked herself in. She waited until she heard his footsteps pounding down the stairs before she turned to splash some water on her face.

She was shaking, her body still running on the adrenaline from that kiss. That amazing kiss which was everything romance novels had said it would be when you met the right man. That scared her. He couldn’t be the man for her, he was all wrong for her and hello, they couldn’t even be together!

She splashed some more water on her face and waited for her shaking to subside. Her body was still humming with arousal, she had to wait until she felt like she could rejoin everyone downstairs. She went back outside, nervous about seeing him but he was chatting with the guys and didn’t even look her way when she reappeared.

---