Taking a steptoward me, his hand slipped around my waist. “No need.”
I looked up at him,amazed that he had initiated physical contact. We’d exchanged work emails and funtexts during the week, but there was nothing said that indicated whether ourkiss was a blooper or a prologue.
I’d tried to focuson work instead ofobsessthink about what this was with Ezra, but let’sbe real. Obviously, I was only human. And obviously, Ezra was more than human.Although I couldn’t tell you exactly what he was yet, I was positive it wasalong the lines of a Greek god or superhero, or maybe even a sparkly vampire.It didn’t really matter, because I was none of those things and it was hard tobelieve that our kiss had meant anything to him.
He probably hadepic kisses all the time. Like he was so sick of being kissed until the pointof orgasm that he was like,Yuck, stopkissing me all you beautiful women!
Me on the otherhand? The last time I had been kissed so thoroughly that my eyes crossed and mytoes tingled was… well… Okay, fine, I couldn’t remember ever being kissed likethat. And now I had to live with the very real possibility that I might neverbe kissed like that again. Ever. Which was a giant, ugly, bitter tasting pillto swallow.
Just when I’ddecided I couldn’t stand being this psychotic over one minormakeout, his expression flattened abruptly and he asked,“When you said bike gears, was that in reference to Vera’s brother?”
“Mmmhmmm. Vann.”
He rocked back onhis heels, but his hand didn’t leave my hip. “Should I have made sure you weresingle before I kissed you?”
“Do you mean Vann?”I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped. “No, no, no. No. I’m sorry, butno. We’re just friends. He’s like my big brother. I’ve known him all my life.”
He didn’t seemconvinced. “There’s nothing between you?”
“Would you dateDillon?”
His face scrunchedup reflexively. “No. Never. But she really is my sister. Half. By blood.”
“Maybe Vann and Idon’t share DNA, but he’s my brother in every sense of the word. He’soverprotective and annoying and wonderful all at once. There will never, ever,ever be anything between us. Ever.”
He thought over myanswer and then upped the ante. “What about Wyatt? Is there something going onbetween you two?”
My pulse pounded atmy wrists, nervous and uneasy. “Maybe you should just ask what you want toask.”
“Are you seeinganyone, Molly? Interested in anyone?”
My heart kicked andmy thoughts jumbled together all at once. He wanted to know if I was interestedin anyone? I suddenly felt like we were back in fifth grade and I was beingforced to face my crush during a tragic game of spin the bottle.
“You,” I saidtentatively, with my heart in my throat and my contingency plan to move toMexico in place in my head in case he shot me down. Head’s up, step one of theplan is me crashing through one of Bianca’s windows and stealingEzra’s Alfaa car. “Ezra there’s no one else.”
His entire bodyrelaxed, melting into me as he swooped down to capture my mouth in an immediatekiss. I sucked in a sharp breath of surprise, giving him all the incentive heneeded to tangle my tongue fully with his. His lips pressed against mine, notgently, not tenderly, but with hunger, purpose and wicked heat.
We picked up rightwhere we’d left off. Our mouths moved together with familiarity, learning eachother’s curves and tastes and needs. I clutched his polo with two fists,desperate to have more of this man that had driven me crazy for months and wascurrently driving me crazy in an entirelybetternew way.
But all good thingsmust stupidly come to an end. Our kiss was sensual and sexy, and way too short.When a chef walked out of the kitchen, spotted us and then walked right backinto the kitchen, Ezra pulled back, ending the bliss we’d only just begun toexplore. Although, he didn’t go too far.
“Sorry,” hemurmured with an annoyed glance over his shoulder. When he turned back to me,he said, “I’ve been wanting to do that all week.”
That made me grinlike an idiot. I rested my cheek on his chest to hide my red cheeks and sillysmile, listening to his sprinting heart and feeling satisfaction at how quicklyit beat. Because I was the reason it pounded so frantically. “So there’s no oneelse for you either? Girlfriends? Friends with benefits? Escorts you need tosettle your bill with?”
His chucklevibrated through his entire body, rumbling against my cheek. I closed my eyesand savored the sensation.
“There’s no oneelse, Molly. Not even a casual hookup. I’ve been single for over a year. Maybelonger. You’ve had a string of bad dates, but I’ve had a very long string ofvery bad relationships. I haven’t been interested in getting involved with awoman since… afterSaritaopened.”
I needed to see thetruth in his eyes, so I tipped my head back and let my gaze meet his. “Really?”
“What can I say? Ittook a feisty graphic designer biting my head off in my own, very successfulrestaurant to catch my eye.”
“You’re lying,” Iaccused him because I was terrified that he wasn’t. “You have not beeninterested in me for that long.”
“Intrigued,” heamended. “Absolutely. From the second I met you, I was intrigued. Although Ikept my distance out of respect for Killian and Vera. I wasn’t interested inanything serious and I didn’t know you well enough to feel you out. I couldn’thurt you and then expect everything to stay chill with Killian. I’ve beenattracted to you since the second I met you, but it wasn’t till later that Iwas willing to risk pissing him off to chase you.”
Chase me. Had hebeen chasing me? I closed my eyes briefly and imagined his car rides and emailsand hiring me for every possible thing in his life.Oh, my god, Ezra Baptiste had been chasing me!And I had beencompletelydensetotally oblivious! Could I get a life do-over to go back and savorthat time??? “When did that change?”
