Nope, she had to be an adult, and her kitty would just have to behave her thirsty ass, because Tomasso was off limits.
He’d broken her heart once, and she’d be damned if she gave him the opportunity to do it again. Back then, she was young, and her heart eventually stitched itself back together after he’d smashed it with a sledgehammer.
Fortified with logic and determination, she started to pull away, but then he played dirty and did the one thing she hadn’t expected him to, at least not in a room full of their former classmates.
He leaned down, placing a gentle kiss at the corner of her mouth, just shy of where she wanted it to be.
She opened her mouth to speak but was distracted by the feel of Tomasso’s strong arm tugging Najah against his body.
And then, his lips were against hers.
His lips were soft and gentle against flesh. To anyone looking, it probably looked like a friendly peck, but when he let that deep moan of satisfaction slip into the air, heat rose within her and she lifted her hands to his face, loving the soft feel of his beard against her skin.
Tomasso Moretti was kissing her, and she was kissing him back, and they were both enjoying it.
When he finally set her free, Najah took a steadying breath before trying to step back, yet again. Well, she told her feet to move, but they’d decided now was the time they wouldn’t listen.
“Going somewhere, Sweetness?”
God that voice saying that name. It was smooth and rich like an aged whiskey that you wanted to sip and savor. And lord knew she wanted to sip and savor that man. He’d given her that name and she’d answered to it every time because it was a gift from him to her.
“Tomasso, I appreciate the apology. But you don’t have to pour it on that thick. We were over a long time ago. I don’t need this performance. It’s water under the bridge.”
“Performance?” He placed his finger under her chin, locking gazes with her. “There’s no act, Sweetness. I told you, I came here for you.”
“Tomasso,” she let her hands drop down to his forearms as she stepped out of his embrace. “I need to get back to work.”
He stepped into her personal space again, and it took everything she had not to retreat.
“You can’t run from me, Sweetness. We’re on a boat surrounded by water.”
He did have a point. They’d be at sea for the next two days until they returned to port.
She made the mistake of running her tongue over her bottom lip and now she could swear she could still feel the ghost of his kiss.
“Have dinner with me tonight, Sweetness, and I promise, I’ll explain all of it to you then.”
“And if I don’t?”
The corner of his mouth hitched up as he ran a careful hand over his beard.
“Well, if you don’t come to me, I’ll be forced to come to you. And I doubt you’ll get much work done with me underfoot.”
A quick glance around the room and she could see the attendees mulling around the room. She had to be on her A-game tonight with so much at stake with this account.
And Tomasso, with his big muscles and irreverent smile was one hell of a distraction she couldn’t afford.
“Fine,” she replied. “I’ll have dinner with you.”
Chapter 3
“Iseverythingtoyourliking sir?”
Tomasso looked at the elegantly set table near the large, windowed wall of his luxury suite. The suite was positioned at the bridge of the ship, giving the illusion that you were right on top of the water.
Tomasso glanced at the large silver serving platters and the champagne chilling in the ice bucket before he nodded, giving his blessing to the service butler.
The stately man dressed in an all-white suit lit the candles in the center of the table and left as quietly as he’d come.
