beautiful than the women he escorted to New Yorkâs finest venues. What else had they put in her hair color other than truth serum? A dose of hear what you want to hear ?
âThank you,â she said for lack of knowing what else to say but knowing the situation called for something.She was imagining the softening of his gaze, the pressure of his hand holding hers. âThatâs a kind thing to say.â
âYou donât make me feel kind, Faith.â
She stared up at him. âNo?â
âNo.â Had his mouth moved closer to hers?
She licked her lips, nervously, yet even as she did so, sheâd instinctively known his gaze would follow her movements. She wasnât a fool, wasnât imagining this chemistry between them. Truth serum, gullibility, whatever, the sparks arcing between them would light up lower Manhattan. âWhat do I make you feel, Vale?â
Â
Great question and one Vale wasnât sure of the answer to.
He wanted her. Which surprised him. Usually he was either instantly attracted to a woman or he wasnât attracted at all.
With all women, he got what he wanted with little effort. Faith was different. Heâd spent more time with her than with any other woman, knew her better, had let her know him better, yet what did he really know? Not even the name of her mysterious boyfriend.
Vale immediately lowered his mouth to cover hers, telling himself the surge of emotion in his chest was not jealousy of a man heâd never met. Whatever, Faithâs lips were sweet beneath his and pleasure soon replaced the unwanted emotional surge.
Soft, full, yielding, yet demanding, she returned his kiss. If there was another man in her life, their relationship couldnât be too serious. Otherwise Faith wouldnât kiss him back. Yet she didnât do so whole-heartedly, which gave him pause. He could read her every thought,feel the conflicting sensations swirling inside that brilliant mind of hers. She wanted him, yet she didnât.
He understood perfectly because he felt exactly the same.
âI want to make love to you, Faith, but Iâm not willing to ruin our professional relationship.â
Her eyes widened at his admission, greener than the most precious emerald.
âYouâre more important to me than a quick rumble between the sheets.â His words said one thing, but he asked her a question with his eyes. A question he knew the answer to, but asked all the same in the hope he was wrong about Faith.
âProfessional relationship at stake or not, Iâm not willing to be just a rumble between any manâs sheets, Vale. Iâm not you. I donât do casual sex.â
Heâd known, but still disappointment filled him at her response.
âUnderstood.â He ran his fingers along her cheek, thinking her more beautiful than the sunset, more tempting than any siren of the sea, more precious than any gem in a treasure trove, loving how his name sounded on her lips. âBut another kiss wouldnât hurt anything.â
âNo.â Her lips hovered centimeters from his mouth, her breath warm, inviting, making him want more than she was willing to give. âOne more kiss wouldnât hurt, Vale. But just one more because I wonât be one of your girls. We arenât having a weekend fling or rumble between your sheets or whatever you want to call it.â
âOkay,â he agreed, breathing in her warm, vanilla scent, so clean and refreshing, like her. âJust one more kiss because you arenât one of my girls and donât want to be a rumble between my sheets this weekend.â
He continued to tell himself once more while hekissed Faith reverently, his hands cupping her face, his fingers partially threaded into her pulled-up hair, his gaze locked with hers.
The kiss was gentle, searching, desperate and yet lingering as if they had all the time in the world to explore each otherâs lips. It was a kiss
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