Her anxiety disappeared as she lost herself in this moment that had been teasing her dreams for weeks now. His kindness had overwhelmed her judgment, and she couldn’t fight the need to kiss him any longer.
He still tasted of his minty toothpaste, and the citrusy scent that seemed to cling to him filled the small room. His hand rose to cup her cheek as she opened for him. His tongue darted out to flick against her lower lip.
With a moan, Elissa released her grip on his tie and tangled her hands into the hair at his nape, holding him even closer. She nipped at his retreating tongue, and Ryan’s other hand drifted up to hold her still. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, and she sucked on it.
As far as distractions, this was beyond anything she’d experienced before. Consumed by the need to be close to him, to drink him in, to press against him, she wanted nothing more than to ditch all propriety and do something she refused to regret.
“Elissa,” he groaned, breaking the kiss. He ran his thumbs along her cheekbones. “We shouldn’t?—”
She stood on tiptoes and kissed him again. He seemed to lose his train of thought as their tongues tangled and his hands wandered down her body. With practiced ease, he spun them so her back was to the filing cabinet and pressed his hands against the cool metal next to her shoulders.
A handle dug into her spine, but she didn’t care. Barely even noticed. For this brief, shining moment, her world centered on his lips, his taste, his scent, the roughness of his hands, and the softness of his hair.
Voices in the hall dragged her back to reality. She was kissing Ryan DeMarco, in the file room of DeMarco Property Management. What was she thinking?
A jangling sound brought Ryan’s head up, eyes round. Elissa took a step away, so the person opening the door wouldn’t immediately see her, straightening her clothes and patting her hair into place. He took three steps to the side and jerked open a cabinet drawer as the door to the file room opened.
“Hey, Ryan. Did you get locked in?” A woman about Elissa’s age took a step in. His cousin, if she recalled correctly. Her gaze found Elissa and her eyes went round. “Elissa, right? What are you doing here?”
“Yeah, Trinity. Elissa stopped by for some missing paperwork.”
“Guess it’s a good thing I went to break room first. Are you okay?”
“Um, yes, yeah,” Elissa stammered, hoping against hope her face wasn’t beet red. “Just found the last file, anyway. I’ll gather the rest. We’ll start work on your taxes later today.”
Elissa took the few steps to the table and picked up the files.
“Okay.” Trinity didn’t look convinced. She pulled the keys out and tossed them at her cousin, who snatched them out of the air. Then she left, the door still wide open.
Elissa concentrated on putting the files into her bag, his warm presence at her back.
“It can’t happen again,” she said. “It’s unprofessional. I can’t be making out with a client in the office.”
“Not a client,” he murmured, his breath hot on her neck.
“Close enough.”
“If you’re sure.” He ran a finger down her spine, and shivers of desire coursed through her.
“I’m sure.” She was sure she wanted him even more now.
He stepped back, and she missed him. He was right there, but she missed his touch, his breath, his scent.
“Did I just fuck up getting help on my business plan?”
He was a temptation she wasn’t sure she could handle. But he was a temptation she couldn’t turn down, either. The mere idea of spending an hour or two with him in the library filled her with more joy than a day filled with numbers that all added up the first time. More joy than a cold margarita on a hot summer day. More joy than Christmas morning. She was a freaking goner.
A conversation with Karina was in order, and soon.
“No, of course not. Thursday, right after work at Himmel Library?”
Heat flashed in his eyes, letting her know developing a business plan was not the only thing on the table. “I’ll see you out, then.”
He followed her out the door, down the hall, and held the front door open. She had to pass within inches of him, and her skin knew it. Heat flowed over her, through her, and she panted like she’d run a mile.
“Goodbye, Elissa,” he said. “I’ll see you Thursday.”
Her brain painted an image of him, shirtless in the file room, and the flush bloomed on her cheeks.
