Read Online Unfinished Business by Isabelle Drake - Free Book Online Page B

past each other as they whiz along.
    Clifford and I must look pretty dull.
    About the time a tiny, black-haired girl flies past, I’m starting to feel the need to fancy up my style. I watch her for a few minutes, then as we bend into the next corner, I place my right leg in front of my left, the way she does. Only when she does it, she zips around the corner.
    Me?
    Smack.
    That’s right, I fall flat on my face. Actually on my hands and knees with Clifford standing behind me.
    His eyes spark with sexual interest. “I guess it’s hard to skate in that dress,” he says without breaking his gaze from my ass.
    This is what I had to do?
    My guy is rooted to the floor so tightly, it’s almost funny. Except I don’t laugh because the way his green eyes are getting darker by the second is making my throat tighten and my mind start thinking about his bare chest again. For a split second it looks like Clifford’s going to drop down beside me but instead he rolls close enough to offer me his hand.
    “Guess it’s time to go.”
    I nod as I take his hand and curl my fingers around the solid muscles of his palm. After I stagger to my feet, he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me against him. We mesh together like two pieces of the same fence.
    Within minutes we’re in his car and heading back downtown. He pulls to a stop at the curb in front of my apartment, turns off the engine then looks over at me. I lean forward to let him know a kiss isn’t out of the question. He takes me up on the offer.
    The kiss starts out slowly but by this time I’ve realized this big hunk of a guy makes me hot. There isn’t a whole lot of emotional connection but he has an amazing body and let’s face it, it’s been a while for me. And, I know this might be lame, but I want to be sure I still have what it takes.
    Clifford responds by putting his giant hand on my thigh. Oh. That again. Only this time there is no awkward question of friendship. The solid weight on my leg moves me from wanting this kiss to wanting a hell of a lot more.
    He lifts his mouth and sits back. “Want me to come in?”
    I nod.
    He looks at me, considering. “I thought you and Josie were friends.”
    “We are,” I say, trying to figure out what that has to do with this.
    “She said I was supposed to take it easy with you because you’re a nice girl.”
    I suppose that was kind of her to say but nice isn’t what I’m after right now. I point to the alley behind my apartment building. “If you park back there you won’t get a ticket as long as you move it by six.”
    Clifford smiles as he starts up the car then parks it right where I pointed.
    And we get out.
    Once we’re in my apartment I ask him if he wants some wine.
    “No thanks.”
    Because I can’t think of anything else to do, I make a big deal out of setting my purse across the magazines scattered over the table. There is a half-full coffee cup and Nick’s empty pork rind bag so I pick them up and take them out to the kitchen.
    I switch off the overheard kitchen light and the room turns nearly black, except for the slice of yellow haze gliding in from the street lamps at the corner. As I cross to the couch, my eyes adjust and I can see well enough to know I won’t miss anything. Careful not to position myself too far to the center or too close to the arm of the couch, I sit and cross my legs. After wiggling a bit, I get the hem of my skirt halfway up my thighs.
    Clifford drops his big self down next to me.
    After he stretches his arm behind my back and grabs my shoulder, he kisses me thoroughly. It’s as though somewhere along the line he read that a guy shouldn’t have sex with a girl without kissing her first because he does an incredibly complete job of arousing and relaxing me with just his mouth. There isn’t a lot of romance in the kiss, he isn’t holding my face or pausing to look into my eyes, but there is a lot of physical attraction.
    About the time I’m nearly panting, he lifts his