Chapter 7
CHAPTER 7
REID
H er lips are even softer than I remembered. I shouldn’t do this, but I need it. I need her. And she’s so responsive my blood is on fire. Her lips are spring water to a man who’s been in a desert for too many years. I brand her mouth with mine as if that might keep any other man from having her. In truth, I fear she’s branded me instead, but I don’t care.
You’re leading her on, says a faint voice in the back of my mind. Even if you wanted to start dating again, you know she deserves more than you can give.
Ignoring my weak conscience, I skim my mouth across her cheek and down over the edge of her jaw, caressing her madly beating pulse-point with my lips. I breathe in, filling my lungs with her mouthwatering essence—so exotic and sweet, it’s intoxicating.
“Reid,” she says in a hoarse whisper. “What are we doing?”
The fog rips out of my mind, and I jerk my head away.
“I’m sorry, Syanne.” I hold her shoulders as she sags, her knees buckling. “I don’t know what I was thinking. ”
“No.” Her chin trembles. “It was as much my fault as yours.”
The tears glistening in her eyes tell me all I need to know. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m no better than your ex. Maybe worse, because I took advantage when you were vulnerable.”
Her back stiffens as she wipes her sleeve across her eyes. “Why do you think I’m vulnerable instead of you?”
“Uhm—” Her ire catches me off guard.
“ You were the vulnerable one, mourning your family. I knew you were feeling emotional, and I should’ve said no when you asked to kiss me. I’m the one who should apologize.”
She’s adorable, her blue eyes blazing with righteous anger over this ridiculous situation.
“Instead of assigning blame, what if we declare this another one of those crisis situations that doesn’t mean anything?” I’m biting back a smile.
“Emergency situations do call for extreme measures.” Her mouth twitches, then her lips curve into a sheepish grin. “Anyway, it was only a kiss, right?”
“A short one, at that.” I retrieve my hastily discarded gloves from the snow. “Though it was fairly amazing.”
“You really think so?” Color creeps into her face. “I thought it was even better than the first one. Not that I mean anything by that.”
“Same here. Simply stating the facts. You have very nice lips.”
“Thanks.” As she ducks her head between her shoulders, she licks her lips, and my gaze rivets to them.
“Irresistible,” I murmur, hopefully too soft for her to hear.
What am I doing? I can’t say or even think these things when we have no future together. Syanne deserves someone who will put her first in his life, and I could never be that man.
Could I?
I give my head a shake to clear it. “I say we declare the kiss an emergency and move on.”
“Good idea.” Relief in her expression, she rubs her gloved hands together briskly. “Let’s move on.”
Am I moving on if I’m wondering how to create another emergency?