Desire flares inside me as my eyes devour those sweet, small lips.
"Why do you keep lying to me, Doc?"
"I'm not..."
"You bite your lips when you're lying." I reach out, thumb brushing the corner of her mouth. "Like you're doing right now."
She jerks back. "This is inappropriate."
“It’s only inappropriate if you don’t want me to.”
She presses back against the railing. Her hand lands on my chest, then slides slowly up—to my throat, my jaw.
“I already told you. Kissing again would be a mistake. It was a mistake then. And it would be a mistake now.”
“Are you sure about that?” I lean in, caging her against the railing, my arms braced on either side of her. “Because I’ve replayed our kiss about a thousand times—and it felt pretty damn right to me.”
"Declan..."
Her voice is husky, needy. Her hand touches my lips, I grab the opportunity and suck a finger. Her breathing quickens as she pulls her hand away.
"You need to stop."
"Why? Because your brother said so or because you're scared?"
"I'm not scared."
"Then what are you?"
“Confused!” The word bursts out of her. “You confuse me. One second you’re kissing me, the next you’re mocking my research, then you look at me like—”
She stops, shaking her head.
"Like what?" I ask.
"I don't know who you are."
"Yes, you do."
"I don't. You're a playboy who has kissed dozens of women with this mouth. You're standing here with me while your gorgeous date is inside waiting for you." Her voice breaks slightly. "I don't know what game you're playing, but I'm not interested.
"That woman inside is just..." I can't bring myself to call Evangeline my friend, so I change the words instead. "...she's not my date."
"Then why bring her?"
"Does that matter?" I ask, frustration bleeding into my voice. "I'm choosing to be here with you right now."
"Well, I'm not choosing you."
The words fill me with pain.
"Ivy…"
"Declan." Evangeline's voice cuts through the tension.
I turn abruptly in annoyance.
She is standing in the balcony doorway, backlit by the ballroom's golden glow. Her expression is perfectly pleasant, but her eyes hold a warning.
