Read Online Hunk for the Holidays by Katie Lane - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Katie Lane
Ads: Link
the act down cold. But what I never figured out is why you used all your skill on me, then when I fell for it hook, line, and sinker, dropped me for Mattie.”
“Dropped you?” She stopped scrubbing and stared at him. “How could I possibly drop you when I never even had you in the first place? You were dating, soon to marry Tess. Or don’t you remember? And she made it perfectly clear you weren’t about to have anything to do with someone like me.”
“She what?”
Amy clamped her mouth shut and went back to wiping off the table. There was one very stubborn spot of plant fungus that refused to come out.
Before she could get it, Rory grabbed her hand. “Answer me. Are you telling me Tess warned you against dating me?”
She stared at the hand that completely covered hers. It was dusted with freckles and there was a scab on one knuckle. Inside the cocoon of his warmth, her hand thawed like a Popsicle on hot pavement.
“It doesn’t matter, Rory… not anymore.” She tried to pull her hand away, but he refused to let go. Instead, he stood and pulled her to her feet.
“It matters to me.”
He was so close she could smell the clean, fresh laundry scent of him. See the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes. Feel the heat that emanated from him like a fire on a cold wintry night. Funny, but even with him being a good head taller, she didn’t feel claustrophobic. She felt happy and content. All she wanted to do was wrap her arms around his broad shoulders and melt against his chest. Instead, she lifted her gaze and melted into the green of his eyes.
It took her a moment to find her voice, a moment when she remembered who she was and who he was. “Yes, she warned me against seeing you. She said you would never be interested in someone like me. And she was right. You were never really interested in me, Rory. I was just the new girl at work. Someone to pass the time with.”
There was anger, confusion, and a touch of something else in his eyes as he stared down at her. Need? Desire? His mouth opened, then shut. His hands tightened into fists at his sides as the color of his face deepened. She didn’t know what she expected him to say, but it certainly wasn’t what he ended up saying.
“Shit.”
Then he jerked her up to meet his descending mouth.
There were kisses, and then there were kisses. This was a kiss that completely obliterated all other kisses that had come before it. Passion, heat, and urgent need were all communicated through a set of firm, wet, devouring lips. There was no mistaking the message they sent.
Rory wanted her.
Now.
Balanced on the toes of her high heels, Amy absorbed all the heat and need like a dry sponge dunked in hot, soapy water. She slipped her hands beneath his jacket and sent back a message of her own.
Take me. I’m yours.
Except he didn’t.
Take her.
Instead, he pulled away.
Slowly she drifted back to earth and opened her eyes.
Rory was no longer looking at her, but at something behind her. His hands tightened convulsively on her arms as if they were having trouble releasing her; then they dropped to his sides, and he took a step back.
“Amy?”
It took a few seconds for her to realize it wasn’t Rory saying her name. She turned to see Derek walking toward them with a puzzled look on his face.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his voice no longer puzzled. Just angry.
“Nothing,” she croaked. It didn’t sound very convincing, especially when her hands still rested on Rory’s chest.
She removed them. But before she could stop herself, shestraightened his tie, brushed off the shoulders of his jacket, and reached up to smooth back the strand of strawberry-blond hair that fell across his forehead. He caught her hand in his before she finished the task. His gaze fused with hers a second before he released her.
The spot where his hand had touched hers felt branded. No, correction. Everywhere he had touched her felt branded. She jerked her gaze away from him,
“Dropped you?” She stopped scrubbing and stared at him. “How could I possibly drop you when I never even had you in the first place? You were dating, soon to marry Tess. Or don’t you remember? And she made it perfectly clear you weren’t about to have anything to do with someone like me.”
“She what?”
Amy clamped her mouth shut and went back to wiping off the table. There was one very stubborn spot of plant fungus that refused to come out.
Before she could get it, Rory grabbed her hand. “Answer me. Are you telling me Tess warned you against dating me?”
She stared at the hand that completely covered hers. It was dusted with freckles and there was a scab on one knuckle. Inside the cocoon of his warmth, her hand thawed like a Popsicle on hot pavement.
“It doesn’t matter, Rory… not anymore.” She tried to pull her hand away, but he refused to let go. Instead, he stood and pulled her to her feet.
“It matters to me.”
He was so close she could smell the clean, fresh laundry scent of him. See the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes. Feel the heat that emanated from him like a fire on a cold wintry night. Funny, but even with him being a good head taller, she didn’t feel claustrophobic. She felt happy and content. All she wanted to do was wrap her arms around his broad shoulders and melt against his chest. Instead, she lifted her gaze and melted into the green of his eyes.
It took her a moment to find her voice, a moment when she remembered who she was and who he was. “Yes, she warned me against seeing you. She said you would never be interested in someone like me. And she was right. You were never really interested in me, Rory. I was just the new girl at work. Someone to pass the time with.”
There was anger, confusion, and a touch of something else in his eyes as he stared down at her. Need? Desire? His mouth opened, then shut. His hands tightened into fists at his sides as the color of his face deepened. She didn’t know what she expected him to say, but it certainly wasn’t what he ended up saying.
“Shit.”
Then he jerked her up to meet his descending mouth.
There were kisses, and then there were kisses. This was a kiss that completely obliterated all other kisses that had come before it. Passion, heat, and urgent need were all communicated through a set of firm, wet, devouring lips. There was no mistaking the message they sent.
Rory wanted her.
Now.
Balanced on the toes of her high heels, Amy absorbed all the heat and need like a dry sponge dunked in hot, soapy water. She slipped her hands beneath his jacket and sent back a message of her own.
Take me. I’m yours.
Except he didn’t.
Take her.
Instead, he pulled away.
Slowly she drifted back to earth and opened her eyes.
Rory was no longer looking at her, but at something behind her. His hands tightened convulsively on her arms as if they were having trouble releasing her; then they dropped to his sides, and he took a step back.
“Amy?”
It took a few seconds for her to realize it wasn’t Rory saying her name. She turned to see Derek walking toward them with a puzzled look on his face.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his voice no longer puzzled. Just angry.
“Nothing,” she croaked. It didn’t sound very convincing, especially when her hands still rested on Rory’s chest.
She removed them. But before she could stop herself, shestraightened his tie, brushed off the shoulders of his jacket, and reached up to smooth back the strand of strawberry-blond hair that fell across his forehead. He caught her hand in his before she finished the task. His gaze fused with hers a second before he released her.
The spot where his hand had touched hers felt branded. No, correction. Everywhere he had touched her felt branded. She jerked her gaze away from him,
Similar Books
