Page 26 of Wallflower in Bloom

He stopped in front of her and grabbed her arms. He slid warm palms down to grasp her hands. Calm washed over her, and she looked up into his deliriously handsome face.

He wore a smile, but his eyes stared at her with concern. “You’re sure?”

“It’s just one lunch, right?”

“Right.” His thumbs stroked her wrists, and need pulsed through her at the touch. So intimate. He glanced at the window. “The entire café is staring, including Shay…”

Her stomach dropped.

Oh.

Shit.

She’d paced like a crazy person in front of the biggest picture window known to humanity. Of course, everyone was watching.

“…so I’m going to kiss you now. So she believes we’re dating.” His mouth quirked into a soft smile. He looked happy to do it.

Jack Grant was going to kiss her?

Her brain short-circuited, not knowing what to worry about first.

His hand moved to her cheek and threaded through her hair. His thumb stroked her cheek as his eyes connected with hers. His hands moved to cradle her face, and she felt cared for. Seen.

Safe.

Something spun up from her soul and connected with his at that moment. Into the crystal clear blue eyes she could trust.

His hands felt like heaven against her cheeks, and she let her eyes drift closed for a second. Every stroke of his thumb against her jaw was like a bomb going off. The reverberations of it fanned deep in her core.

“Just one lunch.” He dipped his head low, murmuring above her lips. “Just one kiss.”

Her eyes opened, and she nodded, entranced. She so desperately wanted to taste him, but a little part of her also hoped the ground would open up to swallow her whole.

Her heart beating a million miles an hour, he hovered over her mouth. Their breath intermingled; his spicy, musky cologne was torturing her.

His eyes dipped to her lips, mouth curled into a mischievous smile, and finally…

…finally, his mouth captured hers.

She sank into the kiss. Into him.

A sizzling need flowed down to her toes. She closed her eyes, and his arms wrapped her close against him. He tasted like mint and something darker, undefinable.

She craved more.

He angled his head, deepening the kiss, and she melted against him, giving him more of what his mouth asked for. Her hands grasped his shirt, all the tension she’d felt with him finally having an outlet. She needed him on her. In her.

Everywhere.

He tightened his arms around her, molding their bodies together as she opened her mouth, needing more of whatever heaven-sent torture this was.

He swiped his tongue over her top lip. Electric need ran from that one touch all the way down, straight to her pussy. Oh god. She wanted more of this.

She wanted to live right here in his arms. She heard a moan and realized it was her.

She teased his bottom lip with her tongue, exploring as his grip on her waist grew firmer. A hand dug into her hip, and he growled. Kissing her harder, he took more of what he wanted.

Their tongues touched for the briefest of moments before he stilled.

---