She shot him a grin over her shoulder as she measured something into a pot. “When a cat adopts you, he gets the name he gets.”
“He adopted you?” Tugger rewarded him with loud purring when he stroked a hand down his furry back.
“He kept showing up at my door. He was thin and dirty, and no one answered the flyers I put up.” She shrugged. “If he’d been a tuxedo cat, he would have certainly been Mister Mistoffelees.”
Devon found himself smiling down at the cat. “You’re a sweet thing, aren’t you?”
“Be careful; he’s not declawed. He gets excited sometimes and he’ll put his claws in your leg.”
“We had a dog when we were young, but we never replaced him.”
Chloe came toward him with two steaming mugs. She set them on coasters on the coffee table and picked up Tugger, depositing him gently on the floor and sitting next to Devon.
“What? He’s in my spot,” she said when Devon looked closely at her.
“No, it’s just that . . . now that we’ve spent time together, I can’t . . . I can’t stop thinking about how it would feel to kiss you some more.”
“I’m not about to complain, Devon.”
He watched her eyes as he ran his hands down her hair, something he’d wanted to do for a long time. It felt as soft and thick as he’d expected it would. He pushed it behind her shoulders and cupped her cheek, still looking into her eyes. She sat patiently, letting him guide their interaction. He found he couldn't stop touching her face; her jaw to her ear, and back to her cheek, he caressed her skin and finally leaned in to kiss her.
Her lips were slightly parted this time, and he let himself go. He didn't need to be so restrained in private as he was in public. Slipping his eyes closed caused his other senses to heighten; the feel of her hand as it reached for the back of his neck, her warm body pressing closer to his. The beat of his heart in his ears as he moved his lips across hers. The chocolate was a subtle scent, but it reached him nonetheless. He heard the low moan in her throat and the sound of the wind as it picked up outside.
When he tilted his head to try a different angle, Chloe moved forward again, pressing against him until she was nearly in his lap. He gripped her hips, entirely aware of how hard he’d become.
“Chloe,” he said against her mouth.
“Mm.”
“You can’t imagine how much I want you right now.”
She eased back. “That’s a good thing.”
He didn't let go of her hips. “It is, but at the same time . . .”
“It’s too fast?”
He nodded. “But, uh, I wouldn't mind if you came back over here and let me kiss you some more.”
She grinned and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “How about some of that hot chocolate, some conversation, and then more making out?”
“I can get on board with that.” He didn’t let her go, though. She ran her tongue along the underside of his jaw and he moaned as flames sparked low in his belly.
From her hips, he moved his palms up her back, holding her tightly to him. Her nipples brushed against his chest, their hardness a clear indicator that she was turned on, too. He curled his fingers over her shoulders and leaned down to nip along her neck, finding her pulse beating rapidly under his lips. Her breathing became more erratic as he lowered her to the arm of the couch and shifted to find the sensitive skin of her collarbones. He touched her sides, letting instinct guide him as he ran his fingers under her shirt. He didn't go much further than skimming along the underside of her bra before he pulled her to a sitting position once more.
Devon touched his forehead to Chloe’s, his panting breaths matching hers. “I guess I lied.”
She chuckled. “I don’t mind, Devon. Whatever pace you’re comfortable with, I am too.”
“I swear it’s not because I’ve had an epic dry spell.”
Laughing again, she ran her hands through his hair and backed up enough to see his expression. “Maybe a little?”
“It’s you. I haven't noticed a woman in five years, but you knock me off balance.”
“I’ll catch you if you fall.”
“I’m counting on it.” Once more, he found her mouth with his. He risked sliding his tongue between her lips, and she rewarded him with a rumbling moan.
