That man had a love for reading. He would have been in her store as much as Lizzie. He’d have her ordering all the classics that he hadn’t been able to get his hands on.
“I would have loved that,” Brice said.
The apartment grew quiet again. Outside the snow continued to fall. It had picked up a bit and was coming down heavier. She glanced around the apartment and realized that for the first time in a long while, she wasn’t counting the minutes untilshe could leave. She wanted to stay exactly where she was.
Beside the fire.
Beside Brice.
The realization stole her breath. She turned without thinking. Brice had tucked one bare foot beneath the opposite knee and was absently tracing the rim of her mug with her thumb while she gazed into the fire. Firelight painted her brown skin in warm amber tones.
She was beautiful.
Not because her wolf was declaring it, simply because she was.
Brice looked over at her suddenly. Their eyes met. Neither of them looked away.
“What?” Brice asked softly.
Keena realized she’d been staring. She should apologize or say something.
“You’re beautiful,” she whispered. Neither of them moved. The fire crackled softly behind them. Donny Hathaway’s voice floated through the apartment. Keena’s heart pounded. Her wolf had gone utterly still.
Keena slowly set her empty mug on the floor beside the pillow. With a tenderness that surprised even herself, she reached up and gently brushed herfingers along Brice’s soft cheek. Her fingers lingered there. Brice leaned into the touch.
“So soft,” Keena murmured. Brice smiled, her eyes locked in with Keena’s.
“I’ve been keeping up with my skincare routine better lately,” Brice whispered. Keena bit back a chuckle. It was obvious that Brice was nervous, but hell, so was she.
Keena closed the last inch between them. This time, when she kissed Brice, she meant it.
Keena couldn’t stop kissing Brice if she tried. This time when they kissed, it was less restrained. At some point Brice’s mug found its way to the floor, or the table, Keena didn’t know where. She only knew that Brice’s arms were wrapped around her neck to anchor them together.
This was the type of kiss that she’d thought of ever since the last one.
Hard, deep, and passionate. Brice kissed her back with an eager desperation. There was a fire inside of Brice that Keena wanted to uncover. Therewere no other thoughts in her mind but of the woman currently in her arms.
Even her damn animal had gone silent.
Her hands slipped from Brice’s face to the back of her neck. She tangled them into Brice’s hair and pulled Brice even closer to her. Brice shifted and straddled her hips.
Keena gave a pleased little growl as Brice’s soft body settled on top of her much harder one. Keena tilted her head and deepened the kiss. Brice tasted just as sweet as she had outside. Her tongue slid along Keena’s, hot and eager and a small sound escaped her that sent an electric current straight to Keena’s core.
Keena’s free hand slid down and cupped Brice’s ass. It was plush and ample. She gave it a squeeze eliciting another groan from Brice.
She needed more.
She wanted to see Brice naked. Wanted to taste her. Hear her scream. Her hand moved up to the bottom of Brice’s shirt. She paused and tore her mouth from hers.
“Brice,” she gasped.
“Please,” Brice whimpered. She nipped at Keena’s bottom lip with her blunt teeth. Her bodywrithed on Keena’s lap. She rotated her hips and ground down against Keena. “Please don’t stop.”
“Are you sure?” Keena rasped. The heat in the room had intensified and she wasn’t sure if it was just her overheating from having Brice on her lap, or if the fire in the hearth had grown.
“Yes.” Brice reached down and tugged her shirt over her head. She tossed it somewhere behind her. Keena’s eyes dropped down to Brice’s laced covered breasts. The bra barely hid anything. She could see the outline of Brice’s areolas and her nipples that pressed against the sheer material.
A growl rippled from Keena’s lips.
