Page 63 of Reputation (Tempt)

“You’re right.” He softened. “I can’t stop you, but I would feel better if you’d let me join you. What do you have planned?”

I laughed, but he didn’t. “Oh. You’re serious.”

“Very.” He stepped closer, placing his hands on my hips.

“What are you doing?” I asked, again keenly aware of just how close he was standing. The way he was touching me. Looking at me.

God, he smelled good. His scent was layered with richness and complexity, much like the man who wore it. Fresh. Clean. Sensual. But then a hint of something else. Something more. Something mysterious. I wanted to drink it in.

I placed my hands on his chest, and I wasn’t sure whether it was to push him away or pull him closer. God, this was so messed up.I am so messed up.

He lifted a shoulder. “Kissing and making up. Isn’t that what couples do after they fight?”

I barked out a laugh, though nothing about the situation was remotely funny. It wasn’t the first time he’d suggested kissing, and since nothing had ever come of our almost-kiss at Brooklyn’s slumber party, I figured he was only doing it to mess with me.

“Maybe if we were a real couple.”

“To the rest of the world, we are.” His eyes danced between my eyes and my mouth. “Which brings me to my next point. We should practice.”

My mouth went dry. “Practice…what exactly?”

“Touching. Kissing. At least, if we want this to be believable.”

“Right.” I nodded slowly, my breathing turning ragged.Nate Crawford is talking about kissing me. Me!“Believable.”

He slid his hand into my hair. Using his other hand, he gripped my hip and pulled me even closer. With painstaking slowness, he traced my jaw, my chin. I was practically panting when he used his thumb to drag down my lower lip.

My heart raced, beating against my lungs as if I were running a full-out sprint. How many times had I imagined kissing him? And yet none of my fantasies could ever compare to this.

To the intensity with which he looked at me. To the way our breath mingled, the air sparking with electricity. To the feel of his lips as they finally, slowly brushed against mine for the first time.

Soft. Gentle. Sensual.

I melted beneath his touch. His lips. Even as I burned for him.

He slid his hand down my back, cupping my ass. Pulling me into him. And I couldn’t help it, I moaned.

I allowed myself to give in to the kiss. To him. Granting his tongue access when he nudged the seam of my lips. Rocking my hips into him just to feel more of that delicious friction.

It was nothing like I’d expected. And yet somehow, everything I could’ve ever wanted.

I didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want to face the consequences. I didn’t want to have to admit how much I liked kissing him and wanted to keep kissing him. How much I wanted more.

But then he gave my lips one last gentle peck, lingering as if he wasn’t ready for it to end either. I took a few steps back and gripped the arm of the treadmill, both to brace myself and so I wouldn’t try to jump him for more. If I thought our engagement announcement had rocked my world, it had nothing on that kiss.

I am so screwed.

“I think we can sell that.” His words were a powerful reminder that I couldn’t take anything Nate said or did at face value. This was fake, and I needed to get that through my head, even if our attraction felt genuine.

I sputtered, insulted by his word choice. I definitely wasn’t going to tell him it was the hottest kiss of my life. Fuck no. His ego was big enough; it didn’t need any help from me.

“Great,” I said, feeling completely out of control. I needed an orgasm. But since that wasn’t on the table, a workout would have to do. “Now, if you’re done trying to distract me, I’m going to work out.”

I couldn’t fall behind in my training, and it would help me clear my head. Especially after that kiss. Holy hell. My core was still tingling from it.

He gestured to my tablet. “We should get started, unless you’d rather talk strategy.”

“Later.” I typed in the code on my tablet where I accessed and logged my workouts. “After Brooklyn goes to Sophia’s.”

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