He whistles under his breath. “Wow.”
It suddenly occurs to me that he probably has plans with his family for Christmas and isn’t available for Delia’s wedding. “I suppose you have family obligations on Christmas yourself?”
He shakes his head. “My parents decided to take a cruise this year. They left right after Thanksgiving and won’t be back until after New Year’s. And I’m an only child.”
“So, you can do it?” I can’t hide the relief in my voice. “I must admit that it won’t be very fun. My family isn’t the, um, easiest to be around. But I can pay you… just name your price.” Despitepreferring to pay my own way with my teaching salary, I do have a sizeable trust fund I can dip into. And no price is too high for the favor I’m asking of him.
One corner of his lips twitch into a half smile. “I’ll do it for the perks alone.”
I fiddle with a straw wrapper nervously. “The perks?”
His face splits into a grin. A ratherwickedgrin. “The perks of being your fiancé. We’ll be sharing a hotel room, I presume?”
“Yes,” I say, my voicemuchsqueakier than usual. “I suppose we should.”
“And a bed…?”
Is it getting warm in here?“A king-sized bed.”
He nods. “In order to be a convincing fake fiancé, we’ll need to get to know each otherintimately.”
“Oh…” I say, loosening my scarf.It is definitely warm in here.
Mitch leans onto the bar so that we’re at eye level. “But first, we’ll need to make sure we’re compatible.”
“Wh-what do you mean?”
“A kiss.”Is his voice huskier than it was before?He looks over my head and waves at someone. “Jared! Can you cover the bar for a few minutes?”
Jared must nod in agreement, because the next thing I know, Mitch has hopped over the bar and is standing in front of me. “You and I need to step outside for a moment.”
“O-okay,” I say, reaching for my coat.
He pulls my coat away from me and drops it behind the bar. “You won’t need that.”
I won’t?But it’s December. There’s snow on the ground.“It’s freezing outside.”
“We’ll only be a few minutes… and if my kiss doesn’t warm you from your head to your toes, then we’re not compatible.” He leans down to whisper in my ear, and the heat of his breathsends a shiver down my spine. “And sweetheart, I’d bet my last dollar that we’reverycompatible.”
He laces his fingers in mine and leads me to a door in the back of the restaurant. It saysNo Exit,but he pulls me through it to an empty alley.
He pushes me against the brick building and lowers his mouth to mine.And oh, my God, I have never been kissed like this.
He was right about the cold—I don’t feel it at all. His kiss is searing hot, heating me from the inside out. I wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him with reckless abandonment, using my tongue in a way that I never have before.
Normally, when I kiss a man, I’m self-conscious, lost in my own thoughts, wondering if I’m doing it right.
But there’s nothinkingwith Mitch. There’s justdoing.
And judging by the feel of his hard cock grinding against me, I must be doing just fine.
He fumbles with the hem of my shirt with one hand, shoving a hand inside. I tremble as his fingers trail across my ribs as they move up… up…Oh, God.
He slides his hand into my bra, cupping a breast. I gasp, thrusting my chest outward to press into his palm. He kisses me even more deeply, more recklessly, moving his free hand down to grab my ass as he strokes my nipple with the other.
I feel his kisseverywhere.In the sensitive spot between my legs. Deep in my bones. Down to the depths of my very soul.
I’m powerless in his embrace. Despite the snow and the cold and the public setting, I’d let him fuck me right here, right now, without hesitation. I wouldn’t just let him… I’d beg him.
