Page 10 of Prelude To You

But I was hugely unsuccessful in my effort to maintain proper decorum, and I could think of nothing else but dragging her behind a bookcase and kissing her. And indulging in whatever spontaneously followed as a result of said kiss.

My eyes dipped to the hollow in her throat, her quivering pulse an indication that perhaps she might be entertaining the same impure thoughts I did. That mouth of hers alone begged to be kissed until dawn.

Her breathing became shallow, like she was getting hot, and she suddenly shed that unattractive coat like an old skin and my God, all I could do was catch my breath. She had a dancer’s body, a body that was an ode to the gods.

I couldn’t help but notice her pebbled nipples straining against the soft cotton of her white shirt, just pleading for my touch, her small breasts the perfect size to cup in the palm of my hand.

Once again I had to ask myselfwhat was happeningandwhat the actual fuck was I doing.

I’m not a religious man, but I might have patched together a short, powerful prayer to whoever might be listening to help me ward off The Dancer and please make her dull as a stump. Because if there was one thing I couldn’t stand, it was a dull or shallow woman.

And if I could catch a break, then The Dancer would be extremely dull. She didn’t even have to be shallow; just dull would do fine.

Although perhaps I would still want to touch her.Yes, I was prepared to ignore some dullness for a kiss.

I reluctantly dragged my gaze away from her and diverted my attention to the matter at hand. I waved the store security guards away and whispered in The Dancer’s ear, telling her to play along.

And getting so close to her, I got a whiff of her delicate scent, which nearly pushed me over the edge. My hand lightly touched the small of her back, forging this alliance. And then I felt it, the most delightful tremble darting through her body and settling back under the palm of my hand.

All the impure thoughts came rushing back with a vengeance, adding new ones I hadn’t yet contemplated.

There was no way I could afford this to be happening in my life right now.

Her calling the store attendant a “little troll” to his face took some self-control on my part, not to laugh out loud. But I finally had the chance to see the book that had demanded The Dancer’s undivided attention. It was an antique French cookbook, with elementary drawings and fine cursive print.

I gave the book back to the troll and told him to take care of it. He scurried away, leaving me thrilled and somewhat at a loss, being all alone with The Dancer.

Her eyes were still alight with fury, and I wanted to fold her into my arms and tell her it was okay. But she didn’t appear to bethe helpless type, and I was afraid she’d take any show of pity as an insult. I had to keep reminding myself that I was getting her a book she really wanted, which I highly doubted she could afford—and that this was my only intention.

Of course I wasn’t prepared for how smart, sassy and funny she was, and the air was ceaselessly charged with sexual tension.

So much for being dull.I crossed my fingers for shallow.

Shallow would do fine to block this raging desire I was suddenly nurturing for a strange woman. But even then I wasn’t a hundred percent sure I wouldn’t put up with a bit of shallowness, if only I could steal a kiss.

There was a speck of what looked like chocolate on her cheek, near the corner of her mouth. As a gentleman, I would naturally make an effort to remove any blemish that threatened to devalue a lady’s beauty. I stood corrected when she told me it wasn’t just chocolate but“brandy-infused, chocolate-mousse-with-hazelnut-truffle.”

Once again I had to remind myself that my gentlemanly duties would come to an end as soon as the precious book was in her possession. No one can say I didn’t try to ignore the insane effect she had on me. For one thing, it wasn’t a feeling I was remotely comfortable with.

I’d been told that my habit of always being in control was frustrating to some, but it worked for me as a safeguard. In life—and business was my life—I found it beneficial when people couldn’t read me. But here I was in real danger of being exposed by The Dancer for having some vestige of real emotion.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a few store attendants watching us. It made The Dancer nervous, and I couldn’t allow that.

“What are they looking at?” she asked. “They’re going to figure out this whole thing is a sham.”

I wanted to reassure her that they were simply curious. Even though the attendants knew who I was, this scenario with a woman by my side was definitely new to them. I wasn’t exactly known for cavorting around town with my dates. Probably because I never did.

Apparently it was of utmost importance to The Dancer that she be able to return to the bookshop. And I was nothing if not a man in desperate need of making her happy and content. “Well, then why not reaffirm our alliance?” I said, and lifted her chin toward me.

Her wide emerald eyes flicked up, her mouth soft and inviting. Everything in me that was willing to resist her a moment ago now failed me miserably, and I threw all caution to the wind.

“But only if you want to,” I warned. I wanted her to reject my proposal and save herself from my advances. But vivacious woman that she was, she did not avert her eyes. Instead she dared me. “What did you have in mind exactly?” she breathed.

My thumb involuntarily traced the outline of her lips. “I don’t know,” I whispered. “But I feel like I’ve missed out on the brandy-infused-chocolate-mousse-with-hazelnut-truffle you mentioned. Maybe there’s a hint of the taste left in your mouth.”

She might have mentioned that she didn’t know my name, but she moved closer, her thigh touching my leg, her wide eyes expectant and gleaming into mine. Not even a saint could resist that, and I was no fucking saint.

An unfamiliar bolt of electricity shot through me when our lips touched. Her mouth was closed, making me work for it by parting her lips with mine. I immediately got the lingering taste of chocolate sweetness on her tongue, and something deep inside me knew this was the Rubicon. If I continued with this kiss, there was no going back.

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