I huff out a laugh.
His smile slips slightly as he leans in.“I meant to tell you earlier… You were good last night.Better than me.You handled those donors like you’ve been doing it for decades.”
His compliment catches me off guard.“It’s my job.”
He shakes his head.“It’s more than that.You made them believe.You made me believe.”
The sincerity in his voice makes my throat tight.I don’t know what to do with CJ Morgan when he’s like this, unguarded and honest.“So were you.”
“High praise from you, Walker.”He grins, then tilts his head.“Want to know a secret?”
I raise an eyebrow.“Do I?”
“I was terrified the whole time.”
“You?Terrified?”I ask in shock.“I’d think you would be used to things like that.”
“Nope, I’m never at ease with it.”He leans against the wall, arms folded.“Everyone watching, waiting for me to screw up.I kept thinking, what if I can’t pull this off?What if I make you look bad?”
Something tugs hard in my chest.“You didn’t.”
“Because you were there,” he says simply.
The words land heavier than they should.I swallow, looking away.“You can’t say things like that.”
“Why not?”
“Because it blurs the lines,” I whisper.
He slowly steps closer, like he’s testing the ice.“Maybe the lines are supposed to blur.”
I shake my head.My pulse is a drum in my ears.
“Olivia,” he says, voice low now, all the playfulness stripped away.“Tell me you don’t feel it, and I’ll back off.”
The air between us hums, electric and undeniable.I should tell him no.I should protect myself, but when I look up and meet his eyes, the truth slips out in a whisper.“I feel it.”
His hand brushes mine tentatively, and my breath catches.Then… he kisses me.
It’s not a show kiss.Not staged or careful.It’s hungry and soft all at once, his mouth capturing mine with a kind of reverence that makes my knees weak.
I clutch his shirt like I need something to hold on to.He deepens the kiss, one hand cupping the back of my neck, and for a moment, I forget my mom’s rule and every other rule I ever made.
I can’t remember why keeping my distance from CJ seemed like a good idea.
His body presses against mine, all hard lines and hot skin.I sink against him, loving how stable he feels against me.
He moans, his tongue slipping into my mouth, and I cling to him tighter, pouring every ounce of feeling inside me into our embrace.
“Liv,” he groans against my mouth.
I whine,actuallywhine, as I pull him back down to me.
He comes happily, kissing me back, his hands sliding down to my hips and squeezing as he tugs me closer.
I’m lost in him, in us, and I never want to find my way out.For the first time in forever, I’m doing something for me, and it feels damn good.
When we finally pull apart, I’m breathless, my heart pounding.
