Erik sighed, rubbing his chin. “Like I said, she wasn’t what I was looking for.”
“But you two seemed so great together.”
“Maybe that was the issue. I think we were better on paper than in practice. But I’m past the point of checking off boxes, you know? I want someone who’s passionate, someone who inspires me. A partner. She wasn’t it.” Again, there was a deafening pause, although Cierra and Erik looked straight into each other’s eyes. He was clearly trying to tell her something, but it just didn’t seem like it was possible. Erik Lawson, the same man who just turned down someone like Nadine, couldn’t be seriously interested inher.
Cierra had unwittingly leaned closer to him throughout their conversation and felt keenly aware of their close proximity. Then, suddenly, she recalled how Julian had looked at her just a couple of weeks ago in what felt like a similar way. Deep eye contact with intoxicating words. Is this what men did? Made you feel special and seen only to set a distance at their first chance? Her recent love life setback snapped her back to reality.
Looking around, she swatted at her legs. “I think the mosquitoes are eating me alive. Do you think we should head back?”
“Funny, I didn’t feel anything,” Erik said, but stood up all the same. “But I guess we should try to get some sleep, anyway.”
He helped her up from the grass, and the two quietly made their way into the mudroom, where they slipped off their shoes, giggling at the small bumps and noises they inevitably made.
Cierra looked up at him, not realizing until now just how tall his stature was. His hazel eyes gleamed in the nighttime light. God, he really was handsome.
He caught her stare and, after a few moments, raised his right hand to her cheek, outlining the shape of her jaw. Cierra closed her eyes, and against her better judgement, let her cheek rest in his hand, giving Erik the go-ahead he desperately wanted to proceed.
Not everything has to be serious, she told herself. Being caressed by him just felt too good.
Wrapping his hand behind her neck, he leaned in, his breath landing on her sensitive ear.
“What do you want, Cierra?”
With those words, an electric pulse seared through her core. She slightly bent her neck, their cheeks grazing each other. “I . . . I . . .” she began, but was quickly immobilized by his hands returning to her body, one now wrapping behind her lower back and the other at the base of her neck, tilting her head upwards.
“When I was quiet this morning,” he said in a low, almost gravelly voice, “I was thinking about what I was gonna do. About you.” He paused and pulled his head back, ever so slightly, leaving enough space to look into her eyes. “It wasn’t right for me to keep dating Nadine. Not when the thoughts I kept having about you didn’t stop.”
Her lips trembled, but she didn’t dare move. “Erik . . .”
“Yes, Cierra . . .”
She again went silent, letting the sensation of his touch take over.
“Cierra . . .” he crooned, not advancing further, “I won’t do anything you don’t want. But I need you to tell me. Is this happening?”
And in that moment, she was fully present. She wasn’t thinking about being snubbed by Julian or herPlatedapplication or her conversation with Zelda. All she could think was that she didn’t want this moment to end.
“Yes,” she replied.
He grabbed both sides of her face, kissing her forehead and nose before slowly kissing her deeply on the lips. Her eyes closed as she let him envelop her in the kitchen, trying her best to keep quiet.
“You were killing me today by the pool, you know that?” Erik grabbed her ass and hoisted her onto the countertop, taking off his sweater to act as a cushion between her and the cupboards.
Their bodies ground against each other as his hands roamed down her collarbone to her full breasts.
“Cierra.”
“Mmm,” she moaned.
“Grab onto me.”
As she wrapped her arms around his back, he greedily pushed her dress upward, unbuckling his belt while resuming his attention on her breasts and biting her neck softly.
Trying her best to suppress her moans, she breathed hard into his shoulders.
With a smile of satisfaction, he wrapped both arms around her waist as she did the same with her legs around his back. The only sounds from the room were sighs of ecstasy, and the backdrop of the nighttime symphony.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
