Their eyes locked for a second, both of them silently questioning whether or not they should continue. Yes. Yes, they should.
D ipping his head low, Aaron caught her lips with his briefly, before pulling back an inch. It was quick, a delicious tease, and he didn’t have the willpower to keep himself from having more. He breathed in Darla’s quick exhale as he captured her lips again. He sighed as his mouth melded with her warmth, knowing this was wrong, but also definitely right. Whisky made her taste spicy, exotic, heavenly. He kept the kiss an indulgent, gentle exploration when what he wanted more than anything was to dive deep and see if falling off the cliff and into her oblivion was worth the risk.
God, he thought it might be. He threaded a hand through her soft hair, cradling her, massaging back and forth with his thumb against her cheek. Darla sighed, her hand resting lightly on his chest. She, too, seemed to be holding back. And then, slowly, she slid it upward, burning a path with every inch she passed, until she clutched at his collar, and sank into him. Passion ignited. He’d never felt such a burning desire to kiss someone before, to taste them, consume them.
He slanted his head, deepening their kiss with a swipe o f his tongue over her lower lip, an arm around her waist, tugging her closer. Darla made a murmuring sound in her throat, opening her mouth, her tongue sliding over his and he was lost. Lost in her scent, her taste. Lost in the way she clutched to him, and the gentle sway of their bodies as they moved closer. Mesmerized by the way this kiss seemed to trump out all others.
Lost, because he should have been mourning another. Lost because he seemed to have found what he’d been looking for his entire life, right here in his arms.
Chapter Five
T he sound of Darla’s phone vibrating from somewhere in her bedroom woke her from a deep sleep. Yesterday, had been amazing…
She crawled from bed, looking for where her phone hid, finding it inside one of the heels she’d worn the night before. It was a text. From Aaron.
When can I see you again?
After dinner, he’d had a cab drive them home, where he kissed her once more—another heart-pounding, oh-my-fucking-God kiss that left her weak-kneed and addle-brained. She’d wanted to invite him up. Wanted more than anything to kiss him, make love to him, until the sun came up, but knowing instinctively that it was too soon, probably for the both of them. There had been that moment of hesitation before their first kiss. A second of thinking, before they both dove in.
She missed him already. Tonight, she typed back. Café closes at 8.
Another text dinged in. How was your date?
It was Gabrielle, her bestie since college. Too bad they lived so far apart, she hadn’t seen her in a couple months. Gabs lived in Maryland and ran a bistro at her hottie fiancé, Holden’s winery. Their happiness was like a fairytale come true. Dare she say she felt like she was living something similar? A dream, she typed back.
Gabs: Sarcasm?
Darla shook her head. Not a drop. He was amazing, awesome. It’s gotta be too good to be true. We had fun. Laughed. He kissed me and it was…fucking incredible.
Gabs: A lot of times good things actually happen. Being able to laugh and have fun—and have freaking awesome kisses—this could be the real thing.
Darla laughed. I don’t want to get my hopes up.
Gabs: I have a feeling this guy is for real. I’ll keep my hopes up for you.
Aaron’s reply buzzed. Can’t wait to see you. Dress warm.
A shiver trilled up her spine. Darla texted Gabs about her date for the night and then ran to get in the shower. She might just give every diner a free cup of coffee this morning.
***
A knock at the door startled Darla from putting on her lip gloss. She quickly swiped a dab on her lip and ran toward the door, praying one of her neighbors wasn’t in need of anything, not that she didn’t want to be neighborly, but Aaron
D ipping his head low, Aaron caught her lips with his briefly, before pulling back an inch. It was quick, a delicious tease, and he didn’t have the willpower to keep himself from having more. He breathed in Darla’s quick exhale as he captured her lips again. He sighed as his mouth melded with her warmth, knowing this was wrong, but also definitely right. Whisky made her taste spicy, exotic, heavenly. He kept the kiss an indulgent, gentle exploration when what he wanted more than anything was to dive deep and see if falling off the cliff and into her oblivion was worth the risk.
God, he thought it might be. He threaded a hand through her soft hair, cradling her, massaging back and forth with his thumb against her cheek. Darla sighed, her hand resting lightly on his chest. She, too, seemed to be holding back. And then, slowly, she slid it upward, burning a path with every inch she passed, until she clutched at his collar, and sank into him. Passion ignited. He’d never felt such a burning desire to kiss someone before, to taste them, consume them.
He slanted his head, deepening their kiss with a swipe o f his tongue over her lower lip, an arm around her waist, tugging her closer. Darla made a murmuring sound in her throat, opening her mouth, her tongue sliding over his and he was lost. Lost in her scent, her taste. Lost in the way she clutched to him, and the gentle sway of their bodies as they moved closer. Mesmerized by the way this kiss seemed to trump out all others.
Lost, because he should have been mourning another. Lost because he seemed to have found what he’d been looking for his entire life, right here in his arms.
Chapter Five
T he sound of Darla’s phone vibrating from somewhere in her bedroom woke her from a deep sleep. Yesterday, had been amazing…
She crawled from bed, looking for where her phone hid, finding it inside one of the heels she’d worn the night before. It was a text. From Aaron.
When can I see you again?
After dinner, he’d had a cab drive them home, where he kissed her once more—another heart-pounding, oh-my-fucking-God kiss that left her weak-kneed and addle-brained. She’d wanted to invite him up. Wanted more than anything to kiss him, make love to him, until the sun came up, but knowing instinctively that it was too soon, probably for the both of them. There had been that moment of hesitation before their first kiss. A second of thinking, before they both dove in.
She missed him already. Tonight, she typed back. Café closes at 8.
Another text dinged in. How was your date?
It was Gabrielle, her bestie since college. Too bad they lived so far apart, she hadn’t seen her in a couple months. Gabs lived in Maryland and ran a bistro at her hottie fiancé, Holden’s winery. Their happiness was like a fairytale come true. Dare she say she felt like she was living something similar? A dream, she typed back.
Gabs: Sarcasm?
Darla shook her head. Not a drop. He was amazing, awesome. It’s gotta be too good to be true. We had fun. Laughed. He kissed me and it was…fucking incredible.
Gabs: A lot of times good things actually happen. Being able to laugh and have fun—and have freaking awesome kisses—this could be the real thing.
Darla laughed. I don’t want to get my hopes up.
Gabs: I have a feeling this guy is for real. I’ll keep my hopes up for you.
Aaron’s reply buzzed. Can’t wait to see you. Dress warm.
A shiver trilled up her spine. Darla texted Gabs about her date for the night and then ran to get in the shower. She might just give every diner a free cup of coffee this morning.
***
A knock at the door startled Darla from putting on her lip gloss. She quickly swiped a dab on her lip and ran toward the door, praying one of her neighbors wasn’t in need of anything, not that she didn’t want to be neighborly, but Aaron
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