Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
But what was she risking? He was right. It was hard for her to connect. She’d had a couple of boyfriends over the years, and she had to hold back so much of herself to even have a chance at making the relationship work. She couldn’t talk about what her father did, couldn’t mention her own work. Wouldn’t it be refreshing to have no secrets between them?
Well, maybe one, but hopefully that would be resolved soon.
“Did I make you uncomfortable?” Drake asked. “Because we can pretend like I didn’t say anything. This snow is going to stop soon, and I should be out of here in a couple of days.”
She reached for his hand. “You didn’t make me uncomfortable. I’m glad you were honest with me. The last couple of days have been…nice.”
A slow smile spread across his face, and he threaded his fingers through hers. “Nice? Awful sexual tension is nice to you?”
“I wouldn’t say awful. Anticipation can be fun.” It was good to know she hadn’t been the only one who felt the heat between them. “Besides, we’ve run through most of the good movies. I think we’re down to Dude, Where’s My Car.”
“Are you saying yes?” Drake asked.
Did she want to let him walk out of here and never know what it felt like to be in his arms? They’d been thrown together for a reason. It couldn’t be some random thing that they’d met again. She would hate herself if she didn’t give it a shot.
In a couple of months she would be out of this life and might be able to find some kind of normalcy. Maybe it was time to take a chance.
“Yes,” she said.
“Then come here and let me kiss you and tell you how the night’s going to go,” he said in a commanding tone.
Her whole body responded. She moved, standing and twisting so she sat on his lap. “How is my night going to go, Drake?”
One big hand cupped the nape of her neck while his other arm wound around her waist. “Let’s find out.”
* * * *
This was a huge mistake, and he couldn’t quite stop himself from making it.
Days of being close to her had made him soft. It didn’t matter that he’d been warned to be careful around her. All that mattered was the fact that she was sitting on his lap, and nothing in his world had ever felt as right as being here with Taylor Cline. A couple of days with her had erased years of being taught how to be alone.
He didn’t feel alone with her—even when she was quiet. Even when she was ignoring him because she was so involved in work she’d barely looked up from it all afternoon.
She was a distraction to a man who was considered so focused nothing fazed him.
She fazed him. She made his brain go fuzzy and his dick go hard.
And she’d told him yes.
He tightened his hold on her, drawing her in and bringing their lips together for the first time. Soft. She was so fucking soft, and his world had been hard lately. This was what he’d needed forever.
He’d needed her.
He brushed his lips over hers, ignoring the urge to brand her as quickly as possible. He might never have had a long-term relationship with a woman, but he knew how to do this, knew how to slow the world down and drown his partner in sensuality.
Her hands found his shoulders and she leaned in, opening her mouth slightly.
It was an invitation he wasn’t about to refuse.
Somewhere deep down an alarm bell was going off, but he ignored it. It was so much nicer to focus on her.
She was perfect. She was getting out of the Agency, but she knew what his work meant. He wouldn’t have to hide from her.
His body went hot as their tongues brushed together, and he took control of the kiss.
He let his fingers find her hair, sinking into the soft silk and gently tilting her so he had more access to her mouth. He stroked her tongue with his, felt her tightening around him.
She pulled back slightly, her breath ragged. “Drake, I should make myself clear. I don’t want to just have sex. I like you. If you aren’t interested in anything but sex, I’m going to ask you to tell me so I can take the night and decide what I’m willing to give.”
He wanted everything she had to give. “I’m interested in pursuing this thing between us, Taylor. No matter where it leads. You live in DC, right?”
“I have an apartment there,” she acknowledged. “I was planning on going to school there. Technically I’ve lived there for most of my life, but I barely know the city.”
Because she’d traveled the world with her father. She wanted roots, wanted some normalcy. He wanted that, too. She could give him a place to be himself. She could be the one person in the world who knew both sides of him. “I know it well. When you get back, I’ll take you on a proper date. One where you don’t have to cook, and then we’ll find a bar and drink and talk and stay so long they’ll have to kick us out.”