Maybe that was laying it on a bit thick. Eden apparently thought so because her eyes widened, and her fingers dug into his leg.
He doubted a quick peck on Eden's lips would satisfy Oliver. No, this needed to be a genuine kiss. The kind Rudy had dreamed about giving Eden. The kind that would drive him crazy, leaving him wanting more.
Eden's tongue darted out, moistening her red lips, and Rudy's breath hitched. He took a moment to stroke his thumb across her cheek before slowly lowering his mouth to hers. Her eyes drifted closed, and he closed his own.
I can't believe I'm doing this.
Her lips were every bit as soft as he'd imagined, and the moisture that remained there only ramped up his desire. He did his best to tamp it down by reminding himself this wasn't real and that they had an audience.
First kisses were often awkward and hesitant as each participant wondered whether the other one truly wanted this, and how deep did each expect the kiss to be? First kisses in front of an audience were even worse.
Did Oliver—or Eden for that matter—expect this kiss to be close lipped or open-mouthed? He doubted either of them expected tongue action. But when Eden's grip on his leg tightened, and she leaned into the kiss, he found his lips applying enough pressure to encourage hers to part. When they did, he couldn't help himself; he claimed her mouth in a kiss that could be classified as anything but sweet.
His hand slid from her cheek into her thick hair of its own volition and with gentle pressure against the back of her head, he guided her mouth more firmly against his and deepened the kiss. He was vaguely aware of her gripping his tie and tugging. A rush of sensations swept through him. The foremost was a surge of warmth and electricity that consumed him, making his whole body feel tingly and aware.
The hint of chocolate and cinnamon on her breath only made him eager to taste more. The moist warmth of her mouth yielding to his, her lips shifting and moving under his, amplified his hunger. And her smell... Not just her coconut shampoo, but the subtle scent of her floral perfume mixed with her natural feminine essence created a fragrance that he wanted to surround himself with forever. Like snuggling up under a fleece blanket on a cold winter day.
Except today wasn't cold. It was hot outside. And it was roasting in here, despite the air conditioning that his dad kept at sixty-nine degrees. Heat continued to build in him as his blood pumped harder and faster in his veins, and his breath grew ragged.
It was exactly as he'd feared; he never wanted to stop kissing Eden.
A loud guttural sound filled the room when Oliver cleared his throat, reminding Rudy they had an audience.
He broke the kiss and sucked in a deep breath. His gaze darted to Eden's eyes before he pulled his hand from her hair. Her wide pupils suggested she felt the same desire that coursed through him, but he feared he'd been too intense with the kiss.
She gave him a faint smile before turning her head and coughing twice.
As the fog of their kiss lifted from his brain, he registered pain in his leg where Eden's hand had previously burned a hole. He looked down to find her fingernails digging into his thigh. He covered her hand with his and discreetly pried her nails away, holding her fingers captive with his.
"You obviously have chemistry and have done that more than once."
Guess we fooled him.
Oliver's eyes again bore into Eden. "You're sure this is what you want? I raised you with wealth and financial stability." He waved a hand at Rudy. "You'll never have that with him."
A different type of heat rushed through Rudy now. He was about to lean forward and give Eden's pompous father a piece of his mind when her movements distracted him.
She scratched her neck again and tugged at the collar of her T-shirt. "I want to make my own choices." She said the words firmly before clearing her throat again.
Rudy studied the woman beside him. Her neck showed angry red marks, and the edges of her eyelids appeared red, maybe even a little puffy. It reminded him of how she looked after the bee stung her two weeks ago.
Something's wrong with her. This isn't just agitation from lying to her father.
Oliver stood and made a scoffing sound before Rudy could ask Eden if she was okay. "Fine, but don't expect financial help from me." He walked straight to the door.
Rudy rose too. He was torn between wanting to smack Oliver for not noticing his daughter's dilemma and getting the man out of the house as quickly as possible. After making sure the door was closed tightly behind the man, he spun to face Eden.
"Are you okay?"
"No." Clearing her throat, she pushed to her feet and headed to her room. "I'm having an allergic reaction." Her cheeks now sported small red splotches.
With his heart lodged in his throat, Rudy followed her, fearing she might go into full-blown anaphylactic shock again. He watched from her doorway as she pulled her inhaler from her purse and inhaled a puff, followed by another. She sat on the end of her bed before opening a tiny box and slipping something into her mouth.
He stepped into her room. "Are you going to be okay? You kind of look like you did after that bee stung you." He dropped onto the other corner of her bed.
"I feel like it." She cleared her throat again and fanned her face. "I'm not sure what's causing it." Her eyes narrowed on him. "Did you eat something with nuts this afternoon?"
Rudy's stomach bottomed out, and he tugged on his collar as heat rushed to his face. "Um... I ate a cookie as I left work. I think it had walnuts in it."
