“I don’t.I mean, I haven’t…”
Before she could comment further, Jace grabbed her, pulled her close to him, where she could finally pinpoint the irresistible scent of cologne and earth beyond the aroma of the flowers, the perfect combination of city and country, that wafted off of him in waves and made her dizzy.
“May I kiss you?It occurs to me I didn’t ask last night, and it’s all I’ve been thinking about since.”
“The lack of consent or the kiss?”she asked.Her smile, as he’d pointed out, was full.
“Yes.Both.Mostly the kiss.May I?”
She nodded, gazing into his crystalline eyes.Maybe it was a bad idea, but she needed a distraction, and that’s exactly what she got.
He wasted no time pressing his lips to hers, opening her mouth with the tip of his tongue.She tasted coffee and a hint of caramel as he explored, teased her tongue with his.It was dizzying, kissing this man that her body wanted but her mind had been fighting off since she’d met him.
His hands slid up her back until they were fisted in her hair, and she moaned against his full lips when a bulge hardened against her stomach.God, how he got right through to her, to her core, with something as sweet and simple as a kiss.Yet, as his teeth nibbled on her bottom lip, he was anything but sweet and simple.
Theclack, clackof high heels on the wood floors registered vaguely in Aurelie’s subconscious, the only part of her that wasn’t rendered stupid by this unexpected display of passion from the virtual stranger.
Jace pulled away.She was pretty sure the rush of air against her chest meant he’d moved away, but her eyes were still shut, and her brain was struggling to catch up to what had just happened.A loud cough from the doorway roused her from the standing coma she was in, and as if awakening from a dream, Aurelie slowly opened her eyes, a ridiculous smile plastered to her face.
Her gaze planted first on a confused-looking Paige in a sexy strapless top and black jeans.Paige stood, arms on her hips, gazing at Aurelie, a mixture of confusion and amusement muddled in her otherwise flawless expression.
“Are you okay?”her friend asked.Aurelie shook her head, then thought better of it and nodded.
Was she okay?What did that even mean?She’d just been kissed within an inch of her life and then left standing there looking like an idiot.Jace, who had a smug, tight smile on his face, his arms crossed over his chest, had already moved to the other end of the kitchen.
Had she imagined the whole thing?Had they actually kissed?She risked a glance down to the part of him that had been pressed up against her just moments before and saw the only real proof that the encounter was real.There, making a rather large tent in his jeans, was a bulge that filled Aurelie’s stomach with heat.Jace winked at her, a gesture invisible to Paige from where she was standing.Aurelie scowled back at him.He was making her look like a head case.
“Fine.Yep.Ready to watch the baby.Yep.”
“Just when I think I understand you, Aury… Anyway, what do you think?Is this shirt too much?”
It dawned on Aurelie that this was the first time her friend had gone out on a real date with her husband since Maddie was born.And damn if she didn’t look like she’d never been pregnant, with the exception of her gigantic breasts, which hadn’t been part of her anatomy before.
“You look fabulous,” Aurelie said, getting some of her wits about her again.“I’d swear you weren’t Maddie’s mum if she didn’t look like a clone of you.”
“Aww, you’re sweet.And you,” Paige said, dropping her overnight bag and running over to Jace, wrapping her arms around him, “are a saint.”
Owen walked in, another bag in hand, looking as dapper as his wife in a button-down black shirt and slacks.
“Ditto what my wife said.I don’t know how we’ll thank you, but I’ll think of something.”
Jace laughed.“Don’t worry about it.If anything, it’s barely enough to cover you for the help you’ve given me the past couple days.I think I just may have my renovation skills back under me.We’ll see how horseback ranching goes while you’re gone.”
“Dude, just tell one of us before you head up that ridge on horseback.It’s gnarly,” Owen said.Aurelie made a note to tell Jacethatstory over cocktails later.And to see the work he, Owen, and Brad had done.“And thanks again.”
“Yep.Have a good time, and promise you two won’t behave.”
“You clearly don’t know us that well, or you never would have had to mention that.This one here hasn’t behaved a day since I met her.”He winked at Paige, who blushed a shade of red that resembled a bad sunburn.
“Well, we should get going, then.Are you sure you’re okay, Aury?You still look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m okay.It’s just been a wild couple of days.”
“I’ll say.”Paige went to grab her bags, but before she could, Owen had them scooped up and out the door.
“Thanks, Aury.You, too, my man,” he said, shaking Jace’s hand on his way out.
Paige lingered by Aury, looking down the hall where her baby slept.
