Not sure I’ve ever wanted to kiss a woman as much as I want to kiss Lila right fucking now.
Right before our lips touch, she puts both palms on my chest and gently pushes me back. “Whoa, horsey. Easy now. That wasn’t an invitation to a group shower.”
Why not?
A grunt-like chuckle nearly gets stuck on its way out of my mouth. I let my hands fall from her rosy cheeks. “Well, I wasgonna kiss you. Butnow, all I can think about is getting in the shower with you. How can I change your mind?”
She laughs, but it’s not her real one this time. This one is tight and entwined with ropes of nervousness. “Not happening, Reed.”
The heat of her splayed hands on my chest quickly seeps through my cotton shirt. If she doesn’t stop touching me, I can’t be held responsible for my actions. Like fucking her up against this wall.
Instead of doing that—regrettably—I encircle her wrists and tug her hands off my chest.
I’m finally able to suck in a deep breath. Big mistake.
Lila’s delicate scent fills my nostrils, her usual sweetness tinged with fresh perspiration. My eyes roll to the back of my head.Fucking hell.This woman has always had a mouthwatering smell. It usually reminds me of freshly baked cookies.
But tonight, she’s on another level. Her body heat must be amplifying her pheromones.
I need more.
I want to consume her, and if all I get is her smell, I’ll take it happily.
With my next inhale, I’m transported back to the night we shared. Our flesh slick with sweat as the minutes turned into hours. How we pasted our bodies together all night long. I didn’t want to shower the next morning out of fear that her scent on me would disappear. I convinced myself that it didn’t matter since there was no way I’d let her go. I figured it would only be a few days before she was in my arms again, and that heavenly scent would return with her.
That never happened, though.
Because it was all a lie.
The tainted memories douse my libido with a bucket of ice water.
Honestly, that’s for the best. I’m not here for a trip down tainted memory lane or to get her in the sack. This was exactly the reminder I needed to get my head on straight.
Focus on the job.
After retreating from her personal space bubble, I drag my hand down my face and slowly blink open my eyes. All remaining traces of desire are littered on the floor.
Her face falls, likely in reaction to my sudden mood shift.
I clear my throat and flatly ask, “Anyway... would you join me this evening for a date?”
“Reed, what just happened?”
I force my grin into place to restore some semblance of the mood. I am supposed to be wooing her, after all.“Are we back to this? Answering questions with more questions?”
“I don’t know. Are we?” she fires back, eyes dancing coyly.
“Did you just do it again?”
“Do what?” A cheeky smile joins her playful eyes, making her face light up. “Reclaimmyshtick? Perhaps.”
My grin slowly becomes more genuine.“Lila, you’re the queen of deflection. And I bow down to your perfection.” I tip my chin toward her bathroom. “Go shower. I’ll wait for you in the other room.”
She gives me a demure nod, taking a step deeper into her bedroom before pausing. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
With my thoughts squarely on my goals, I remind myself that I’m supposed to be getting her to trust me. “I’m fine. I was distracted for a minute. That’s all.” When her only reaction is a sharp narrowing of her eyes, I add, “It was something about a case. Nothing for you to worry about.”
It’s mostly true.
