A low moan emerged from Eduardo’s throat as his arms came around her, hauling her against him as his tongue slipped between her lips. She felt his hand press against the small of her back, slip around her waist, then move up her ribs to her breast. He squeezed, rubbing his thumb along her puckering nipple under the thin fabric.
Caught up in the blaze of feeling, she pressed herself against him and thought about taking him and being taken now where they stood, against the wall, climbing up him and riding him in mindless abandon, right there next to the small table by the door where she put her keys and the junk mail.
But then sense returned, stopping her from kicking off her shoes, hooking both legs around his hips, and riding him into the sunset. She didn’t even know what he did for a living. She’d enjoyed her fantasy about him being in law enforcement or international fashion, but what if he’d become some kind of lowlife criminal? What if he was dangerous?
That last thought didn’t have the chilling effect it should have. To the contrary; now she was licking his back molars. She didn’t care. She wanted to eat him. He was the most delicious man she’d ever tasted.
Dangerous…
“Melissa?” His deep voice rumbled in her left ear. His teeth caught her lobe lightly and nibbled.
Mmm. She melted into him. He smelled wonderful, felt even better.
“Is this going where I think it’s going?” he asked, dropping kisses along her throat to the hollow between her breasts. “Right now?”
She curled one of her feet behind the other, trying to kick off the shoe, imagining staying right here.
And then she realized she’d heard ambivalence in his voice—that magnetic, mesmerizing voice. She returned both feet to the ground and opened her eyes. He stared at her, tousled dark hair falling over his forehead.
At that exact moment, her stomach growled.
For crying out loud, as her grandfather used to say.
She moved away from him a few inches, trying to catch her breath. Nice of him to break the spell. What a gentleman.
That was even more dangerous.
“Well, that was nice,” she said with her usual seductive charm.
“Very nice.” His grin was brief, and she saw his jaw clench. “Melissa…”
Oh, God, now he’s going to apologize. “Maybe we were going a little fast.” She’d responded with the grateful enthusiasm of a desperate woman. Why did she always have to overreact? “Are you still up for dinner?”
He shifted his hips. “In a manner of speaking.”
“Great,” she said brightly. “Shall we go?”
They stared at each other in the dim hallway.
He shook his head. “We’re staying right here,” he said, and grabbed her again.
Eduardo kissed her without reservations this time, realizing this was the moment. She tasted like peppermint and smelled like the sweet jasmine he’d asked her to plant in his backyard. Her warm velvet skin was softer than the clingy fabric hugging her curves, and he wanted to expose all of it, lick her everywhere.
“Oh, thank God,” she moaned, snaking her arms around his neck.
Smiling as he kissed her, he pushed his hand under the neckline of her dress, drawing it sideways across one breast to expose a sliver of a black bra. The bed was under the window, too large for the small apartment but just right for lovemaking. He liked room to stretch out and be stretched.
He marched her there, hooking his leg behind her feet so she fell backward onto the mattress with a squeal. He climbed over her, pinning her beneath him, crushing her with another kiss.
He found the bottom hem of her dress and yanked it up, exposing pale thighs and dark underwear.
Those have to go.
That was the last coherent thought he had for a long time.
Breathing like an unprepared marathoner, Melissa unbuttoned Eduardo’s shirt with fumbling fingers until his chest was bare. She splayed her fingers against his abdomen, slid them up over the hair and muscles, so sexy, up to his broad shoulders. In a moment she’d shoved the fabric away and down. He leaned back, giving her a show of flexing pecs and biceps as he shook the shirt free and returned to his post pinning her to the bed. His jeans were rough against her naked thighs, his belt buckle rubbing her stomach.
“Let me up for a second,” she said, gasping.
He frowned but rolled to the side, sliding his hands up her leg and then stroking between them as she sat—tried to sit—up. His clever fingers nearly stopped her, but she was motivated.
Her dress came off with two jerks of the stretchy belt around her waist, and she removed her bra and underwear, too, as quickly as she could before attacking Eduardo’s dark jeans. When he realized what she was doing, he leaned back on the bed with his hands behind his head, lips slightly parted, dark eyes darting between her face and her hands.
She’d never felt so wicked. He was hard and huge under the fly of his jeans. Palming him slowly but firmly over the fabric, she met his gaze.
“I think I’m in love.” His voice was deliciously husky.
Knowing it was just the heat of the moment, she smiled, tilted her head to one side, and continued to stroke him. “Just you wait.”
He braced his feet on the bed, arched his back, and in three seconds his jeans and underwear were falling to the floor. He held a foil condom packet between his teeth.
Smooth.
That was the last coherent thought she had for a long time.