I grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and the Cookie Crisp from the pantry. The moonlight streaming through the windows provided enough of a glow that I didn’t need to bother with the lights. I poured myself a generous serving, added milk, and by the time I took my first bite, my heart rate had almost returned to normal.
Almost.
At this point, I wasn’t even really hung up on the dodginess from the past two days. I just wanted to make sure my mouth was full, so I didn’t say anything stupid or embarrassing.
Jason strolled into the kitchen, now wearing a T-shirt that did absolutely nothing to diminish his appeal. If anything, the soft cotton clinging tightly to his chest made things worse.
“Feel better?” he asked as he reached into the cabinet for a glass.
My head bobbed as I took another bite while my entire body screamedNO!
On his way to the sink to fill his glass, he reached over my shoulder and snagged a cookie from my bowl.
“Hey! The box is right there. Youcanget your own.”
“I know, but it’s more fun to steal them from you.” He chuckled.
I scoffed in protest and turned, leaning my back against the counter. “Why is it more fun to steal from me?”
He mirrored me, leaning back against the sink as he took a sip of water, his gaze catching mine and holding it. “Because of that look right there.”
“What look?”
He wiggled his finger at my face. “That cute one.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not cute. I’m fierce.”
His lips lifted further. Another one of his incredible, make-my-skin-tingle smiles. “Fiercely cute.”
I huffed and turned my back to him, digging in again.
My flesh broke out into goosebumps as he slowly approached and stopped only inches from me. His hand snaked around me and plucked another cookie from my bowl.
“You know…” I turned and the sentence died on my lips. This beautiful man was mere inches from me, and heaven help me if I didn’t want to bury my hands in his hair and kiss him until I couldn’t remember my name.
His eyes found mine and when he spoke, his voice was low and husky. “Know what?” He popped the piece of cereal into his mouth.
He had to know what he was doing to me. Absolutely had to. No way would a man with as much sex appeal as Jason wouldn’t know the effect he had on a woman.
Almost like the universe put a finger to its mouth and whisperedhush, the world around me stilled, leaving only the sound of my rapidly beating heart.
His eyes roamed over my face, and it was like he was in a trance as he spoke in a near whisper. “I haven’t kissed you in two days and every second has felt like a lifetime.” With each word, he inched closer.
“I didn’t notice.” I tried to sound nonchalant and probably failed. The near dog-whistle-level octave gave it away.
Humor filled his eyes. “Yeah, you did.” He reached up and ran his knuckles under my chin. “I’ve missed you.”
Not as much as I missed him. We’d been in the same house. Mere feet away from each other at times, and it had felt as if he’d been on the other side of the planet. I’d ached for him. This time I didn’t even try to mask it. “I missed you too,” I whispered.
“I shouldn’t… shouldn’t kiss you. I don’t deserve the pleasure of your lips. The chivalrous part of me is telling me to walk away…”
“What’s the other part saying?”
“I’d rather be a villain.” The last word had barely left his lips when his mouth crashed into mine.
Not rough. Not careless. Just urgent and needy.
In one swift movement, he lifted me onto the counter. His fingers slid down my arms, then gripped my hips like he couldn’t bear to let go. He pulled me into him, hard, until there wasn’t a breath between us. I could feel every inch of him—hard muscle and hot skin.
