Read Online An Irresistible Impulse by Barbara Delinsky - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barbara Delinsky
Ads: Link
had stepped forward to lean against the doorjamb. “Your room’s very much likemine,” he observed as his eye skirted it. “Different colors perhaps, different artwork…and of course,” he pushed himself from the jamb and walked toward the dresser, “there isn’t a bottle of perfume in sight.”
Abby watched as he lifted the decorative bottle, unscrewed its cap, and inhaled deeply. Then, as deliberately, he set it down and turned to her, his mien suddenly more alert, his features tauter. His eyes told the story though, warm to the point of smoldering.
At a strange loss for words, she snapped back to tying her laces. When her fingers stumbled, she had to start again; the simple process seemed to take forever. When she straightened, Ben was directly before her.
“Don’t look at me that way,” she half-teased, but her voice was shaky. “ I didn’t tell you to walk in and smell the stuff.”
“But you’re sitting there so damned appealing…” he said in a tone that held its share of accusation. Reaching down, he drew her up. She couldn’t have thought to resist the gentle strength of his arms. It seemed that she’d wanted him to touch her all along.
Her eyes met his, and once more she felt that same silent force. She tried to remind herself of the time and place, that they were two people thrown together for an intensivethree-week trial. But nothing could cool the heat she felt radiating from him, into her, and back.
Slowly he lifted his hands to frame her face. His fingers wove into her hair, savoring its dark luxuriance. His thumbs lightly explored her lips before falling back to clear the way. Abby heard the catch in his breath, felt its warmth against her mouth. Yet he held back, not quite kissing her, sampling the excitement to be gained from the waiting.
She’d never known such sweet anticipation. It was as though they had all the time in the world to enjoy the small pleasures of life. Perhaps it was the situation; perhaps the thought of pain between man and woman, the trial’s main concern, had given them a greater appreciation of something each had taken for granted before. She didn’t know for sure. But she surrendered to the pure delight she felt as he grazed her cheeks, her chin, the tip of her nose. It was only when her lips parted in warm invitation that he finally gave in to his own ardent need.
His kiss was full and rich, as heady as any wine she’d ever drunk. It seemed to consume her, to draw her into him just as his gaze could always do. Weak in the knees, Abby clung to him, unaware that she’d touched him until her arms met each other atthe nape of his neck. She moaned against his mouth when she felt him complete the embrace.
“Oh, Abby…Abby…” Tearing his lips from hers, he crushed her against him. “Why here…why now?” he rasped against her hair.
But she had no answer to the anguish in his voice, nor did she fully understand it. And she was too overwhelmed by her own emotions to do much more than tremble silently against him.
Gradually the ragged tempo of his heartbeat eased, and she felt his tautness relax. Only then was she able to look up at him. “What happened to that walk?” she whispered hoarsely, her own pulse still erratic.
Ben cleared his throat. “Good thinking…. That walk.” In a deliberate motion he set her back, then raked his hands through his hair, looked down at the rug and frowned. “Look, Abby—”
“No, Ben,” she began, holding up a hand for his silence. “Please don’t say anything.” Some tiny part of her wasn’t sure she wanted his apology. That would imply he was sorry he’d kissed her…and she wasn’t.
But he was determined. His fingers grasped her shoulders with a strange fierceness. “That shouldn’t have happened. Notwith what we’ve got ahead of us. But, damn it, I’ve wanted to kiss you since I first saw you yesterday!”
Stunned by his begrudging admission and the force behind it, she stared mutely up at him.
Abby watched as he lifted the decorative bottle, unscrewed its cap, and inhaled deeply. Then, as deliberately, he set it down and turned to her, his mien suddenly more alert, his features tauter. His eyes told the story though, warm to the point of smoldering.
At a strange loss for words, she snapped back to tying her laces. When her fingers stumbled, she had to start again; the simple process seemed to take forever. When she straightened, Ben was directly before her.
“Don’t look at me that way,” she half-teased, but her voice was shaky. “ I didn’t tell you to walk in and smell the stuff.”
“But you’re sitting there so damned appealing…” he said in a tone that held its share of accusation. Reaching down, he drew her up. She couldn’t have thought to resist the gentle strength of his arms. It seemed that she’d wanted him to touch her all along.
Her eyes met his, and once more she felt that same silent force. She tried to remind herself of the time and place, that they were two people thrown together for an intensivethree-week trial. But nothing could cool the heat she felt radiating from him, into her, and back.
Slowly he lifted his hands to frame her face. His fingers wove into her hair, savoring its dark luxuriance. His thumbs lightly explored her lips before falling back to clear the way. Abby heard the catch in his breath, felt its warmth against her mouth. Yet he held back, not quite kissing her, sampling the excitement to be gained from the waiting.
She’d never known such sweet anticipation. It was as though they had all the time in the world to enjoy the small pleasures of life. Perhaps it was the situation; perhaps the thought of pain between man and woman, the trial’s main concern, had given them a greater appreciation of something each had taken for granted before. She didn’t know for sure. But she surrendered to the pure delight she felt as he grazed her cheeks, her chin, the tip of her nose. It was only when her lips parted in warm invitation that he finally gave in to his own ardent need.
His kiss was full and rich, as heady as any wine she’d ever drunk. It seemed to consume her, to draw her into him just as his gaze could always do. Weak in the knees, Abby clung to him, unaware that she’d touched him until her arms met each other atthe nape of his neck. She moaned against his mouth when she felt him complete the embrace.
“Oh, Abby…Abby…” Tearing his lips from hers, he crushed her against him. “Why here…why now?” he rasped against her hair.
But she had no answer to the anguish in his voice, nor did she fully understand it. And she was too overwhelmed by her own emotions to do much more than tremble silently against him.
Gradually the ragged tempo of his heartbeat eased, and she felt his tautness relax. Only then was she able to look up at him. “What happened to that walk?” she whispered hoarsely, her own pulse still erratic.
Ben cleared his throat. “Good thinking…. That walk.” In a deliberate motion he set her back, then raked his hands through his hair, looked down at the rug and frowned. “Look, Abby—”
“No, Ben,” she began, holding up a hand for his silence. “Please don’t say anything.” Some tiny part of her wasn’t sure she wanted his apology. That would imply he was sorry he’d kissed her…and she wasn’t.
But he was determined. His fingers grasped her shoulders with a strange fierceness. “That shouldn’t have happened. Notwith what we’ve got ahead of us. But, damn it, I’ve wanted to kiss you since I first saw you yesterday!”
Stunned by his begrudging admission and the force behind it, she stared mutely up at him.
Similar Books
