“Because,” I continue, pretending like this is no big deal at all, “I kinda liked your lips on mine. They were… You know. Nice.”
His eyes lift to mine, slow and sharp, like he’s trying to figure out if I’m joking or if his heart is about to detonate.
Without a word, he reaches forward, plucks the wine glass from my hand, and sets it beside his on the table.
Then he takes my hand.
My breath stumbles.
He stands, bringing me with him, and my pulse rockets as his thumb brushes over my knuckles—soft, steady, completely disarming.
“You don’t make this easy,” he says quietly, eyes flicking between mine.
“You want me to stop making it easy?” I tease, lifting a brow. “Because I can absolutely make things complicated if you—”
He snorts—an actual, flustered, can’t-hide-it snort.
It’s glorious.
Before I can revel in it, his hand comes up—warm, calloused fingers cupping my jaw with surprising gentleness. The other settles at my waist, grounding me.
“Lucky,” he murmurs, and the way he says my name steals the air from my lungs.
Then he kisses me.
Not like last night.
This time it’s slow. Intentional.
A deliberate slide of his mouth over mine that makes my vision flash white around the edges.
Heat curls low in my stomach and spreads like wildfire.
His arm tightens around my waist as my knees buckle—because of course they do—and he catches me without breaking the kiss, holding me firmly against him.
I melt.
Actually melt.
His lips move with a kind of careful hunger, like he’s been holding himself back for too damn long, and now he’s choosing—choosing—to let go.
One hand in my hair.
One arm around my body.
His breath mixing with mine.
His heartbeat pressed against my chest.
My hands fist in his shirt, clinging, pulling him closer because I suddenly need him like oxygen.
When he finally pulls away, just barely, his forehead rests against mine as we both try to breathe like normal humans.
He exhales softly, voice rough when he speaks.
“That,” he says, “is when I’m planning to kiss you again.”
I don’t think my knees will ever forgive him.
