His smile was wonderful. It made her heart stumble and heated the sweet heaviness in her abdomen until nothing else existed in the world but his lips.
“You’re more like your brother than everyone thinks,” Lucas murmured after a while and his gaze locked with hers. “You play dirty.”
Dirty. The word hung between them, making the air crackle. It seemed to echo a hundred times.
“I just know what I want,” she replied softly, her hands clenching the hem of her dress. And that was the truth. Right now, she knew what she wanted.
And suddenly she felt brave. Carefree. Daring. Because when Lucas’ gaze wandered back to her lips, she knew that anything was possible. She knew she wouldn’t have to wait any longer to finally live a little. She knew that the time-out from her brain, from her life, the break she’d longed for, was sitting across from her.
She swallowed as Lucas gazed into her eyes again, his irises a dark gray that reflected the storm he had unleashed inside her.
“And what is that?" he asked roughly. “What do you want?”
“To kiss whoever I want. To go home with whoever I want. Because that’s my decision, right?”
“Sure.”
She slid off her stool, walked over to his…and pulled his head down to hers to press her lips to his.
She did it before she lost her courage. Before her exhausted brain kicked in and screamedDon’t do it!She did it simply because she wanted to. Adrenaline and desire had flushed the stress, the restlessness, and the panic out of her body. With just one look, this man managed to make her feel as if she wasn’t merely someone’s sister, but a woman. Nothing more, nothing less.
His lips met hers…and time stood still, crackling seconds that stretched into burning hours in which neither moved.
Then Anna felt his big, warm hand on her neck, his thumb pushing her chin up, his lips pressing against hers as he deepened the kiss.
Anna stepped between Lucas’ legs. She opened her mouth under his, tasted beer, man, and freedom, wrapped her arms around his neck, and let herself sink into his warmth. A long-forgotten feeling of lightness flowed through her, paralyzing herthoughts. For the first time in such a long time, she was beyond any worry. She wasn’t planning the next ten steps. For a few blissful moments, the weight lifted from her shoulders. The stress was replaced by heat and desire, and Lucas’ hands on her.
She dug her fingers into his hair as her tongue met his. The smell of something sweet – honey? – filled her nose. The whole world faded into the background, leaving nothing but his taste and touch, which left hot streaks on her skin – on her arms, waist, and the hem of her dress. It felt like they were both drowning — like they were the only reliable thing to hold on to.
It was perfect happiness, but short-lived.
“Fuck,” Lucas gasped against her mouth as he abruptly pulled away from her, his forehead just inches from hers. His pupils were huge and his breathing heavy. “No. Fuck, no. Not me.”
Anna’s lungs were working frantically. She blinked at him, still a little confused from the kiss. “What? Why not?”
“Because I’m not suicidal.” She heard him swallow before he grabbed her roughly by the hips and pushed her back, away from him.
“What? But…”
“You’re Dax’s sister,” he whispered hoarsely and closed his eyes.
“And? My brother told me to have fun today…”
He laughed dryly. “Not likethat.”
“How would you know? He was incredibly vague.”
“Anna…” His gaze darted to her lips again, but he shook his head. He clasped his arms around her shoulders and moved her a bit further away from him...as if he needed the distance.
The heat inside her didn’t subside, but changed from desire to anger.
So, she was merely Dax’s sister, after all.
“Ah.” She nodded briskly and pressed her lips together. “So you’re afraid of Dax after all?”
Lucas laughed hoarsely as if the idea were absurd…and suddenly, uncertainty crept up her ribs, her audacity from before evaporating. If he wasn’t afraid of Dax, then…
God, what was she doing here? Obviously, it had nothing to do with her brother and everything to do with her. He was a famous, hot hockey player and she…she was just the sister of one of his teammates who had thrown herself at him.
