Page 19 of One Night in My Rival's Bed

Grayson opened a cupboard where glassware was kept. ‘What would you like to drink? Wine? Champagne? G and T?’

‘White wine would be lovely, thanks.’

He opened a bottle of French white wine and poured some into two glasses, handing me one across the wide bench. ‘Here you go. Cheers.’

‘Cheers.’ I clinked my glass against his, but I wasn’t sure exactly what we were toasting. ‘So, do you do all your own cooking?’

‘I eat out a fair bit.’

‘Yes, well, of course you do, being a playboy and all.’

He frowned and put down his wineglass. ‘You know, the press like to paint a certain picture of me that’s not always accurate.’

I toyed with the stem of my wineglass. ‘How long do your relationships last?’

‘Not long.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I’m not interested in settling down.’ He turned away to stir something on the hob. I studied his strong back and shoulders and had to stop myself drooling again. The food smelled amazing, but it was his physique that got my attention.

I took another sip of wine. ‘But you can’t deny you’ve had a lot of lovers.’

‘There’re no notches on my bedpost. You can check if you like.’

‘I think it’s best if I stay out of your bedroom, don’t you?’ Two sips of wine and I was tipsy. Or maybe it was his company that was making me lose my head.

He turned around and met my gaze and a hot tingle rolled down my back and fizzed like a firework at the base of my spine. ‘You don’t seem the type of woman to get involved with a playboy.’ He glanced at my empty ring finger before returning his gaze to mine. ‘Or do you crave a walk on the wild side now you’ve set yourself free?’

I could not tear my gaze away from his if I tried. But then I didn’t try. I wanted to stare into that blue-grey gaze and totally lose myself. Lose my sensible, rational side and play with capital D danger. There was a powerful energy crackling between his gaze and mine, an energy I could feel travelling through my body like a high voltage current. His gaze drifted to my mouth, and I couldn’t stop myself from sweeping the tip of my tongue over my lips.

‘How wild are you?’ Was that my voice? That husky femme fatale voice I had never heard come from my mouth before.

Grayson walked around to my side of the kitchen island bench. My heart rate ratcheted up with every slow and purposeful step he took towards me. He took the wineglass from my fingers and set it down in front of me with an audible clunk that sent a shockwave of lust through my body. He swung me up on the stool so I was face to face with him, his legs either side of mine, effectively caging me. He didn’t touch me, but he was close enough to and that was enough to send my senses reeling. I craved his touch like a drug addict craves their next hit.

‘I—I thought we weren’t going to do this.’ My voice was thready and breathless.

‘What do you think I’m going to do?’

‘Kiss me?’ I framed it as a question, almost like a command, only realising my mistake when he glanced at my mouth again.

‘Is that what you want me to do?’ His voice went down another couple of semitones.

I moistened my lips and swallowed. ‘I’m tempted.’

A gleam of satisfaction shone in his gaze. ‘So, what are we going to do? Stick to the rules or get up close and personal?’

‘You’re pretty close right now.’

‘I can get closer.’ The gravel-rough edge to his tone sent a wave of scorching heat through my lower body. Grayson lifted his hand to my face, one of his fingers tracing the curve of my right cheek all the way down to the base of my chin. His touch was light and yet electric and every nerve in my face reacted.

I closed my eyes as he sent his finger on a slow exploration of my lips. I tried to hold back a whimper of pleasure but wasn’t entirely successful. No one had ever touched me with such exquisite tenderness, with such slow deliberation. I had no way of handling it other than to enjoy it. My lips tingled with each faineant brush of his fingers, my breath stop-starting as I tried to control my reaction. I had never considered myself a particularly sensual person. I hadn’t hated sex with my other partners, but I hadn’t loved it either.

But I sensed I would love it with Grayson Barlowe.

He would make sure of it.

He tipped up my chin with one of his fingers and I opened my eyes to find his gaze locked on mine. ‘If we kiss, it’s just a kiss, understood?’

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