Page 7 of Prelude To You

Our eyes met and he saw that I wanted it as much as he did, and we both knew we weren’t done with this kiss. Not at all.

Then he simply wrapped his arms around me, and as my hand slid behind his neck, he took possession of my mouth. The whole world stopped, making way for a few moments of perfection where the most exquisite feeling slithered down my spine, intensifying the needy ache between my thighs.

Our tongues were a tangle of chocolate, champagne and unrestrained desire, and it took my breath away. I could feel him getting harder against my belly, our bodies fusing until we were both drowning in the delicious sensation hurtling through our veins.

When at long last we broke from the kiss—it might have been thirty seconds, it might have been two minutes—he stood back, his elegant composure slightly ruffled and his eyes burning with desire. I didn’t doubt for a minute that I looked equally shameless and undone at the seams.

He combed his long fingers through his hair. “Well, you’re quite the kisser,” he said.

I was studying the carpet, and because I didn’t trust my voice, I kept to a low whisper. “I had excellent collaboration. So right back at you.”

His breathing was as shallow as mine, but at least he appeared more in control. “Christopher Marlowe said it best,” he said. “Was this the face that launched a thousand ships, and burnt the topless towers of Ilium—sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss.”

I smiled, meeting his gaze again, and maybe a little ashamed for kissing this man so vehemently on such short notice. But I felt compelled to finish the quote for him. “Her lips suck forthmy soul: see, where it flies! Come, Helen, come, give me my soul again. Here will I dwell, for heaven is in these lips…"

He looked at me as if etching me into his mind. “And she quotes Christopher Marlowe,” he said. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“Nothing like a good tragedy to teach us some moral lessons,” I replied. “It is however interesting that you would quote from Dr. Faustus.”

“And why is that?” he asked, genuinely curious.

“Faustus is about to meet his death before he realizes that selling his soul to the Devil for power and pleasure is probably not the best idea. He thinks a kiss from Helen of Troy will give him back his immortal soul, but it won’t. All he has to do to get it back is repent his sins. But being the shallow power-hungry idiot he is, he refuses, and has to face damnation because of his deal with the Prince of Darkness.”

Stranger’s hands were in his pockets now. He watched me, seeming completely immersed in my every word.

“That’s a pretty good summary,” he said. “What you’re saying, essentially, is that I’m not getting my immortal soul back with that kiss.”

I felt my cheeks flush. “Well hopefully you’ve never bargained with the Devil for your soul. So you should still be good, with or without the kiss.”

He half-smiled. And I noticed something else, a web of agony and regret pooling in his eyes.

“I have no idea why I just kissed you,” he said, tearing his gaze from mine. “No, I know why I kissed you. It was just not my place.”

I might have frowned, because it was an odd remark for a man to make after willingly kissing a woman with such raging passion. “Well, it’s not like you had to hold a knife to my throat,” I said, adding my two cents.

Before Stranger could answer, Rick walked up, carrying a bag and fake smiling from ear to ear. “Again sir, I just want to apologize—"

“It’s not me you have to apologize to, Rick,” Stranger said, in a tone suggesting you messed with him at your own peril. “I believe it’s the lady who deserves your sincerest apology.”

“Oh yes, right.” Rick turned to me and continued to grovel. “Ma’am, I apologize. I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”

I tried to smile at Rick, but it might have erupted into a derisive smirk. “I have no idea what has suddenly changed your mind about me, Rick, but know that next time you might be the person making or ruining someone’s day, so be nicer to people. Don’t be such a twit.”

Rick nodded with a fawning smile.

Stranger and I were still wallowing in the warmth of our close proximity, his hand lightly cradling the small of my back again. Obviously to reaffirm our alliance for Rick. “That’s all, thank you,” he said to Rick, dismissing him.

Rick placed the store bag at Stranger’s feet and scurried off.

And then it was me and Stranger, alone again. I expected him to introduce himself, or maybe suggest we have drinks at a ritzy bar or even just go for a walk. There was no explaining the sudden and incredible connection I felt with this man.

Sure, lust played a role. Well, a starring role to be honest. But there was something else. We clicked in a way I’d never experienced before. Or maybe it was all just my imagination. That and being a vulnerable mess just after getting fired from the job that I loved.

It was on the tip of my tongue to introduce myself, but the way he looked at me emptied the air of sweet promise and the prospect of another time-stopping kiss.

He cupped my face and looked deep into my eyes. For the first time, I saw uncertainty in his gaze. He kissed me tenderlyon the lips and whispered, “I have no idea where you came from, but you are simply exquisite. Take care. And enjoy the book.” He handed me the store bag and walked away.

He walked away.

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