Page 9 of Thunder

"Are you always so philosophical?"

"Only when I'm trying to impress someone," Marcus says with a wink, making my heart skip a beat.

"Oh?" Looking into his eyes takes my mind off work in a way that the wine and too-many crab puffs don't. It lets me think about other strenuous, but far more pleasurable, things. "Well, perhaps I could use a lesson or two in that. Do you offer tutorials?"

"Only for the truly committed," he grins.

Then he steps closer. So close our bodies nearly meet. I can feel the heat from him, heat that blooms inside of me, making my heart race.

"I'm committed."

He takes my hand, his calloused fingers brushing gently against my skin.

"Then consider this your first lesson."

"And what's the homework?"

Marcus leans even closer, so that his lips are almost touching my ear. "To not overthink and to allow yourself the freedom to feel," he whispers. His words send a shiver through me, igniting a fire I so desperately want to let consume me. A fire that I didn't think I could feel on a night like tonight. “What do you feel right now, Lia?”

I breathe in his scent. Masculine. Pine. Beneath that, the faint scent of sweat in an intoxicating way. His thumb caresses my hand and I shiver.

"Yes, I feel something."

"Which is?"

In a grip that shakes with excitement, I take his hand. Squeeze it tight and look into green eyes that hold me captive, at least for tonight.

"I feel like getting out of here. With you."

Chapter Four

Amelia

A motorcycle ride that leaves me vibrating with the feelings of the road, as well as tingles of excitement that surge through me, ends in the parking lot of the hotel that my firm, SSR, is paying for. I slip off the motorcycle and onto wobbly legs, with Marcus catching me quickly with one of his powerful arms.

I turn into him, press my lips to his and feel an incredible sensation of being so distant from my problems, of only having to worry about who gets to be on top first, surge through me.

"Since I'm feeling free to feel things, I felt like kissing you," I say, when I take my lips from his and look up into two very startled, very captivating green eyes. "That's part of the lesson, right?"

"It is.” He chuckles and kisses me again, his beard tickling me in just the right way. It's like every time I touch him, in any way, my body feels more alive, more awake, more free, than it's felt in a long time.

This could be dangerous. I can't get too comfortable with him. Too close.

This is only for tonight.

Only because I need it.

"Listen, Marcus, before we go any further, I have one condition." My words come out in a rush, as if they're trying to keep up with my racing pulse.

"Sure, what is it?" He raises an eyebrow, curious and still smirking.

I take a deep breath. "I want this to be a one-night stand. No more personal information, not ever seeing each other again." Then, because I sometimes doubt myself way more than I should, I add, "I hope you don't mind."

His green eyes lock onto mine, searching for a moment before he nods.

"I understand. You just want tonight, nothing more. I can do that."

Still, it's almost as if he looks disappointed. As if he wants more.

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