Chapter 7
Cobra wasn’t sure what he had expected when his lips touched Desiree’s, but it hadn’t been this—a sensual explosion that surged through his entire body.
Nor had he expected his arms to immediately wrap around her and bring her closer to him as their tongues began tangling in a dance so sensuous, he heard himself moan.
When had he ever moaned while kissing a woman?
But then, when had a woman’s mouth fit so perfectly against his and tasted so damn sweet? Better than sweet, it tasted smoking hot. And why did he suddenly feel engulfed by a wave of heated emotions so intense, he couldn’t shake them off, even if he wanted to.
He didn’t.
He was too busy experiencing everything—her scent, her taste, just…
her. It was like a high that he had never felt before.
Their mouths were perfectly in sync, just like the fiery heat that seemed to be devouring them.
At that moment, Cobra knew that he wanted this kiss to continue more than anything. He needed it.
He could feel the outline of her curvaceous body against his own, the feel of her breasts pressed against his chest, and her thighs cradling his. Every cell, molecule, and atom within him was in tune with the electrified mating of their mouths.
She suddenly pulled back, and he immediately felt a sense of loss.
He stared at her, at her mouth swollen from his kisses, at her eyes, still glimmering with the combustible chemistry that had surged between them.
Her scrumptious tongue had nearly been the death of him.
And how he was watching her using that tongue to lick those gorgeous lips.
Did she know that she was telling him that she’d liked his taste as much as he had hers?
“You got your kiss, Cobra. I hope you’re satisfied.”
If only she knew. During that period, while their mouths mated, he accepted that no amount of time with her would ever suffice.
Point blank, he doubted he would ever get enough of her.
And he didn’t like the thought of that. He shifted his gaze from her mouth to her eyes—those beautiful hazel eyes that were still filled with heat.
“Oh, I’m immensely satisfied, Desiree.” More than she knew and more than he had wanted.
“And I look forward to kissing you again.” However, he would not push his luck and try it again tonight.
He had to pull himself together, reevaluate the situation, and revise his strategy.
Because he’d discovered that Allison Desiree Sharpe was a woman who could hold her own.
“That won’t be happening,” she broke into his thoughts to say.
Cobra continued to stare at her, into eyes whose earlier heat now resembled chips of ice.
Maybe it was time she knew where he stood.
“The one thing you’ll learn about me, Desiree, is that I love a good challenge.
I’m going to make it my business to kiss you again—plenty of times, in fact—you will enjoy them as much as I will. ”
“You’re too arrogant for your own good.”
“And you taste too damn good for yours.” He glanced at her desk and took a step back. “You’re about ready to wrap up here?”
“Yes,” she said, looking at him curiously before closing the manual she’d been reading. She was probably wondering how he could switch focus so easily. Little did she know that he hadn’t actually. She was still the center of his attention.
“You look nice, today.” She was wearing a royal blue pantsuit that made her look stylish and sophisticated.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
They turned out the lights as they left her office, then strolled silently side-by-side to the elevator.
He wondered if, like him, she was thinking about their kiss.
He had five more months of priming her to go, and was convinced the end result would be worth it.
“What are your plans for the weekend?” he asked her.
She looked up at him as they waited for the elevator. “Why do you want to know?”
“Just curious.”
She didn’t say anything for a minute, then relented. “On Saturday, I tutor a group of adults who moved to this country and want to improve their English reading skills. And for some, their speaking skills as well.”
“How did you become involved in something like that?”
“I heard the group was looking for volunteers. I thought it would be a good way to stay busy on weekends. So far, I have nothing planned for Sunday.”
The elevator arrived, and they stepped inside. He tried not to notice how intimate being confined in such close quarters with her felt.
She glanced over at him. “What about you? Got big plans for the weekend?”
“I’m going home to Savannah. I have a second home there and often go back there to check on my family.”
“All your family is there?”
“Not all. Only the older ones. Those in my generation moved away after college, but most still have second homes there. To stay close, we have a family reunion in Savannah every summer.”
The elevator reached the bottom floor, and after saying goodnight to the men at the security desk, they stepped outside. He was glad he had managed to park right in front of the building.
“I envy you, Cobra.”
He glanced at her as he opened the door for her. “Why?”
“There are advantages to having a big family,” she said.
“And there are disadvantages. Everyone thinks they have the right to get into your business.”
After snapping her seat belt in place, she pushed a lock of hair back from her face and looked at him. “Do you have family members who get into yours?”
He chuckled. “They try, but over the years, I’ve learned how to deal with it. I tell them what they need to know and nothing more.” Before closing the door, he asked, “Are you comfortable?”
“Yes. This is a nice car.”
“Thanks.” He closed the door of his black Porsche Macan, then walked around to the front to get in on the other side.
***
Desiree watched him, her lips still tingling from the raw heat of his kiss.
She had tried to downplay its impact on her senses, but it was damn near impossible.
The man kissed as if he was branding her mouth to forever be his.
As if he were learning every aspect of it, and hinting at the delights to come.
His taste was still on her tongue, and his scent overwhelmed her.
It seemed that after not engaging in any sexual activities─including kissing─for close to two years, every part of her had suddenly become revitalized.
It was as if Cobra had somehow taken the genie out the bottle, and now, she was going to have a hard time getting it back in. She didn’t like the thought of that.
As he moved around the car, it was like watching confidence in motion. Definitely a Barack Obama walk—relaxed and smooth. But with the perceptive way his head was aligned with his every step, she knew Cobra could claim it as his own. She would call it the Cobra Sexy Stroll.
When he opened the driver’s door and slid onto the leather seat, she noticed how the denim material of his jeans stretched across a pair of taut thighs—thighs she’d felt against hers when they had kissed. Why was that fact so solidly rooted in her mind?
“You good?” he asked her.
She slid her gaze from his thighs and met his eyes. Had he caught her staring at him? “I’m good.” Deciding that she would not let him get the best of her, she asked. “And what about you, Cobra? You good?”
A smile spread across his lips—a smile that could wet a woman’s panties. “Desiree, after kissing you, I couldn’t be better.”
If his words were meant to stir her, trigger strong desires within her, then their kiss had already done that. However, she would keep that to herself.
Desiree glanced out the window as Cobra drove through the streets of New York, headed toward Harlem. The car was a smooth ride, and the red leather interior spoke not only of luxury but also high energy. “This car suits you.”
He chuckled. “How so?”
She shrugged. He was conceited enough—she wasn’t going to add to it, even if, like his car, he was beautifully built and moved with effortless elegance. Instead, she said, “It gives a good ride.”
He brought the car to a traffic light and glanced over at her.
She had deliberately said something she knew nothing about, but wanted to shake him up a bit, loosen some of his smooth control by making outlandish statements.
Especially since she knew that he’d taken a vow of celibacy and could do nothing about it.
She met his gaze, and suddenly the car’s interior felt heated. “And how do you know what kind of ride I give?” he asked.
“I don’t. I’m just imagining what it would be like because of your personality and the image you project. But that doesn’t mean I want to find out,” she added quickly. Then, deciding to poke the bear again, she said, “Besides, I would hate for you to disappoint me.”
“Did I disappoint you with my kiss, Desiree?”
She decided to be honest. “No.”
“Trust me, I wouldn’t disappoint you in the bedroom. I’ve never disappointed a woman I’ve spent time with. No real man would.”
Aimery had. And he was rumored to be the hottest man on legs. “Let’s just say I’ve experienced the opposite.”
She looked away when she realized, a little too late, that she had given Cobra too much information.
“Trust me, Desiree, I don’t doubt my skills in the bedroom. And I don’t even have any doubts about yours.”
She shrugged. Then, thinking she’d poked the bear enough for now, especially when she had revealed more about her personal business than she should have, she glanced out the car’s window, appreciating the beauty of the night, as well as the silence between them.