Page 12 of The Specialist

“Deep ones?” I whispered, pressing a kiss to her skin.

“Yes.”

“Deep enough you want me to kiss you?”

“Yes,” she repeated, the one word a soft breath over my skin.

I pulled her onto my lap. “Thank God.”

I kissed her face, tasting her tears. Her fear. Her body trembled in my embrace, and I tucked her closer, surrounding her. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and I held her, letting her feel me, giving her my strength, letting her lean on me. I would give her anything she needed, whatever it was. Whenever it was. As long as I could hold her, as long as I knew she felt something for me, we could work on this together.

Then I covered her mouth with mine.

Finally.

* * *

SOFIA

I had imagined kissing Egan for a long time. Tamped down every instinct to do so when it came to him. Ignored the flashes of lust, the desire that coursed through me when I would see him. I had to. I knew with Egan, it couldn’t be casual. Nothing between us was. It was intense and compelling. Overwhelming.

But the moment his lips touched mine, I knew it was something else.

Life-changing.

Explosive.

His full lips were soft, warm, and caressing. Tender and sweet.

Until his tongue flicked on my bottom lip, and I opened my mouth for him.

Then he became everything I secretly hoped him to be.

His mouth commanded. Controlled. Possessed.

What started as gentle and exploring changed.

It was carnal. Deep. Wet. Passionate.

He hauled me higher up his chest, then stood, turning and sitting on the sofa so I straddled him. He caged me in his arms, banding them around my waist like bars of iron. Our chests melded together, making me wish our clothing was gone. Even through the fabric, I felt his heat, the temperature warming me, making me pliable and soft. Making me his to mold and shape.

His tongue slid along mine in sensuous passes. He explored my mouth, his taste lingering. Brandy, mint, and Egan.

He was delicious. Addictive.

He made low noises in the back of his throat. His chest rumbled. He never stopped touching me, his hands delving under my shirt, dancing over the skin of my back, gripping my hips, pulling me closer, flicking over the sides of my breasts, his fingers caressing my nipples.

And all the while, his mouth making love to mine.

I had never been kissed like this. Never known a man to convey so much with his lips while not speaking a word. I felt his desire, his need, his want.

His love.

It settled into my bones, saturating my body. Spread into every crevice, drip by drip. Life-affirming. Life-altering.

He pulled back, dropping his head to my shoulder, turning his face into my neck, his breath hot on my skin.

“We have to stop.”