“That’s—that’s ridiculous,” I stammered. “And manipulative. And—”
“Tempting?” he supplied, the corner of his mouth quirking up.
My heart was doing gymnastics in my chest. I hated him for affecting me like this, and myself even more for responding to it.
“Don’t try to flirt with me,” I managed to say, though my voice came out embarrassingly breathless. “It won’t work.”
He licked his lips, and his eyes shot back to my eyes, burning into me like embers as his voice dropped an octave. “Seems to be working just fine from where I’m standing. It’s a tempting offer, don’t you think?”
Yes. God help me, yes.
Damn him for being right. I know I ought to have pushed him away, stepped back, and told him to go to hell.
Instead, I stood rooted to the spot.
“One kiss,” he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper now. “That’s all I’m asking for, Alisa.”
He said my name like he was undressing every alphabet, and I swallowed hard, my eyes drawn to his lips against my will. I remembered how they felt against mine, how he used to kiss me like he was drowning and I was air, and I’d never felt more alive since.
Just one kiss. How much damage could one kiss do?
“If I say yes,” I said slowly, “it’s just a kiss. It doesn’t mean anything.”
“Just a kiss,” he repeated his offer, his eyes never leaving mine.
I parted my lips and closed my eyes, leaning just an inch up to meet him halfway. My entire body felt like a magnet toward his, anticipating what I’d been missing for so damn long.
I felt him move closer and trembled at the gush of air that breezed past my hair as his one hand came up to cup my cheek. My eyes fluttered open and closed, to take in this unbelieve snapshot from my life. My brain scrambled, wondering if thisimpossible kiss I’d cried for in the months after he’d left could truly be real now.
I leaned into his gentle touch, felt his breath on my lips, and he hovered so close I could almost taste him.
And then—
Nothing.
I opened my eyes to find him clenching his jaw, like he was forcing himself to stop as he pulled away.
I stepped back, too, reeling from the hurt. I wanted to scream at him, and my heart was still racing from that near kiss, but there was something in his expression that told me he meant it when he asked, but something changed.
And now he thinks it’s a bad idea.
“What happened? Thought you’d disappoint?” I hissed, trying to cover my embarrassment.
He shrugged as he looked away. “Changed my mind.”
My cheeks burned from the stinging rejection. I gaped at him with mortification. “You arrogant ass! You think I was going to kiss you because I wanted to? I was just—I was just—”
“Desperate to get out of the house?” he asked calmly. “Don’t worry. We’ll still go to dinner.”
“I’d rather starve.” I shook my head and huffed.
He then let out a small, playful smile and motioned at his office door. “We’ll see how long that lasts.”
I received the message loud and clear. I had just been asked to get out of his office.
Fair enough.
Chapter 7 - Dante
