“There’s a shelf life on that kind of existence. And I like my freedom.”
“So you don’t think you’re one of the crooks that’s too smart to get caught.”
“Nope. A million things can happen during any…transaction, and almost all of them are going to do you in. This gig came along at the exact right time for me.”
“Gig. Like it’s playing in a club with your band or something.”
He turned into Lot H, and I saw his car in the corner where Yvette had been parked. It hadn’t been there earlier. He must have had someone drop it off for him while we were at Caroline’s.
He pulled Yvette in next to his car and cut the engine.
“You know you can’t tell anyone, right?” he said.
“Who would I tell?” I said. Just as I said it, my mother’s face flashed in front of me. Oh, man, she’ddiefor this kind of information. Okay, bad word choice.
“I won’t tell her,” I said. “Anyone. I won’t tell anyone.”
“Nobody,” he warned.
“I won’t.”
He studied me for a second, then nodded, as if he was convinced.
Then his eyes dropped to my mouth. He ran his hand through his hair, looked away and out to the parking lot.
“Damn,” he said.
“What?”
He looked back at me as he said, “I swore to myself I was going to keep my hands off of you.”
And then he put his hands on me.
Chapter18
I could have stopped him.
There was a second or two, which seemed so much longer, as he moved his head to mine, as he lined up our mouths, as I felt his warm breath mingling with mine.
Yeah, I could have stopped him anywhere in there. Pushed him back, turned away, even gotten out of Yvette.
But I did none of those things. Instead, I leaned closer, letting the console push into my hip as his mouth came down on mine.
His usual peppermint taste mingled with coffee this time. Dark and rich yet fresh and light, all at the same time.
The thought that I knew what constituted a different taste of Stick, and how bizarre that was, briefly ran through my mind before he placed his hand along my jaw and deepened the kiss.
Then I lost all thought.
But I could feel.
And I felt the tug of his lips on mine, the way they fit, not perfectly with mine, but in a…quest. Almost a desire to conquer.
I totally got it. Because I felt it too. Not wanting to want like I did. Not wanting to enjoy the play of our tongues as they tangled. Not wanting to moan in delight when he pulled my lower lip with his teeth.
Not wanting Stick.
And yet…God, how I wanted him.
