Chapter 21
21
C ool air brushed her bare breasts as Carlisle began to gather her thoughts.
He was close, so close. She could smell him and the scent of fresh sex lingering in the air between them. She tried not to let it show that it turned her on.
Her head still rested against the wall, and she let it roll to the side, only to jerk upright, grabbing at the front of her shirt. “The door is open!”
That was why she’d felt the cool air.
His hands still braced against the wall, bracketing her into place but allowing her room if she wanted to duck away. She didn’t. She didn’t know what the hell she was doing but . . .
“No one can see in.” His words were soft, melodic as if he, too, were still recovering.
That hadn’t been her concern. It wasn’t wide open, maybe just a foot. “But the neighbors probably heard us!”
Tugging the front edges of her shirt together, she realized her bra was still hanging open underneath. Holding her shirt in her fist, she tried to reach up and put herself back together. But his fingers brushed against hers, not making her do anything, they asked her to stop.
Simon leaned in close, his breath warm and seductive. “Don’t.”
Don’t put herself back together? Don’t what? And if she didn’t do that, then what was she supposed to do?
He traced the back of his hand lazily up her arm as she fought to stifle the sigh that wanted to escape. She also wanted to rip the shirt off so she didn’t have to feel his touch through the fabric. When he reached the bare skin at her neckline, her eyes fell closed and her head tipped to the side.
If he wanted to touch her like this, she was going to let him.
She didn’t see him move, but she felt the heat change as he slid in closer, his arms coming around her, his lips brushing the side of her temple. Was he smelling her hair?
“Stay.”
Her eyes opened. This wasn’t what she’d planned to do tonight. How long ago had she been walking away, canceling everything? But now she was here, and her panties were on the floor between them and nothing else was.
He leaned in, the hard planes of his chest teasing at the tips of her breasts. She wished she could feel his skin, though the soft touch of the t-shirt wasn’t bad. She wasn’t thinking clearly. Probably she should get herself together before she made any other decisions.
She wet her lips and pushed out the reasonable words, even if she had just been not reasonable . “I think I should?—”
“Stay.”
He traced his hand slowly down her arm. She could have responded if she wanted to. But she didn’t want to pull away.
“If you leave, what are you going home to?”
Well, that was a good question. But mostly: sanity. Here she was swimming in pheromones and getting seduced by just the sound of his voice and the languid feeling in her bones. She’d come so hard she’d cracked her head against the wall. If she left a dent, it would be his fault. But her release had sent some rush of hormones and adrenaline and dopamine, and she was feeling no pain and very interested in a repeat performance even if it might not be in her own best interest.
“I may not have much furniture, but I do have a nice big bed. The sheets are fresh.”
Oh, hell.
“I want to take it slower this time.”
His fingers laced through hers and he tugged her away from the wall. She almost melted into a puddle right then. Simon pulled gently, letting her know that she could easily break his grasp, that she would be the decider. But it was clear what he wanted.
The problem was the whole world was unclear because of the way he wanted her.
She hadn’t planned for this. Wasn’t ready for him.
She couldn’t keep hold of her job. She was starting a business, and she didn’t know how. Her best friend was relying on her to do her part to make that business a success, and Carlisle would feel so guilty if they bankrupted Jane in the process.
But Simon? It felt like getting hit by a Mac truck.
Her own fault. She’d seen him coming from miles away. How many soft kisses had they shared this last week? He’d been roaring at her, headlights blazing. She hadn’t stepped out of the way.
And what had she thought would happen on the date tomorrow night with the man she was realizing she wanted more than she’d ever wanted anyone? This was barely twenty-four hours earlier than she’d thought it might happen.
He tugged a little harder, her fingers warm in his grasp, her body still languid. “Come on.”
“You’d better close that door.”