“What do I see in you?” He leaned closer. “You want a list? I can do that. I’ll skip how beautiful you are. That’s all just superficial.”
“I’m not above superficial.”
He chuckled. “So you’d like me to start with your wild green eyes that have been knocking me out since the second you strolled up to that pool table?”
She bit her lower lip. “Okay.”
Carefully, he took a lock of her hair between his fingers. “Or should I start with this silky brown hair that keeps making me want to reach out and touch it?” His attention dropped to her chest. “Or these breasts I can’t get enough of?” The fingers that had been toying with her hair moved to brush over her nipples, which were pushing against the thin fabric of her dress. “Or maybe these lips that keep begging me to taste them?” He brushed a thumb over her bottom lip.
Her lips parted, her eyelids grew heavy, and thankfully she was sitting down because she didn’t think she could hold up the weight of her body in her weakened state. This man was one smooth talker.
“Any of those places are fine,” she breathed.
Strong hands cupped her face. “Then there’s the intelligence that practically radiates from you. Did I ever tell you smart women seriously turn me on?” His thumbs began caressing her cheeks and he bent to whisper close to her ear. “You’re a walking contradiction, Hayden. Prim and proper one moment, wild and uninhibited the next. And the more I get to know you, the more I like what I find.”
Each of his words softened her heart, and every warm wisp of his breath against her ear made her quiver with need.
“When I left the penthouse the other night you wouldn’t let me kiss you,” he said, his lips just inches from hers. “I promised myself I wouldn’t kiss you again until you asked me to.”
“Kiss me, Brody. Please…”
In an instant, his lips touched hers, unleashing a trickle of soothing warmth that rivaled a shot of fine brandy. She moved a hand to his cheek and relished the light prickles of his five-o’clock shadow. And despite his tender touch, the hardness of his chest and the roughness of his cheek reminded her he was all man.
He groaned softly, and deepened the kiss. She parted her lips, inviting him to explore. She wanted to surround herself in his protective embrace. Her father’s behavior tonight had frightened her, hurt her, but Brody’s kiss made her forget about everything except this moment, the feel of his mouth on hers, the flick of his tongue and warm caress of his fingers on her cheek.
She slid her hand to the nape of his neck, allowing the soft curls to tickle her fingers. She took hold and pulled the kiss deeper. His slow, heavy groan spoke of acceptance and thanks.
His hands moved down her sides, and he lightly caressed the sides of her breasts with his thumbs, sending a pulsing charge through her system. It was the most gentle he’d ever been with her, a stark change from his rough, drugging kisses and eager exploratory hands. And as much as she was enjoying the kiss, she wanted more. She lowered her hands to the growing bulge in his tuxedo trousers, but he moved her hand away and broke the kiss.
For a moment, her eyes wouldn’t open and her mouth wouldn’t close. She was held in transition, her body still tingling from his touch. As she slowly raised her lids, she saw the deep sense of need in his eyes. Need that matched hers.
“Close your eyes,” he murmured.
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
Curious, she let her eyelids flutter shut. She heard a rustling sound, felt Brody move closer and lean forward, then gasped when his hand circled her ankle.
“Don’t move.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
She swallowed. Waiting. Sighing when he ran his big warm hand up her leg, bunching her dress between his fingers as he traveled north. His touch suffused her with heat, made her pulse race. He glided his fingers along her inner thigh, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. And then his palm was pressed against her lace panties.
“What are you doing?” she breathed out.
“De-stressing you.” His tongue was suddenly on her ear, flicking against the tender lobe before suckling it.
Silent laughter shook her as her eyes popped open. “What’s with you and your need to intimately touch me in public?”
He rubbed his palm against her mound, his breath hot against her ear as he whispered, “Want me to stop?”
“God, no.”
“Good.”
He moved his hand under her panties and pushed one long finger deep into her hot channel.
“You’re always so ready, so tight and wet,” he muttered.
Before she could tell him that he was the reason she was always ready, he covered her mouth with his. The kiss sucked the breath from her lungs, soft and warm and thrilling, his tongue matching the strokes of his finger. Long, deep, languid strokes. He slid another finger into her aching sex, kissing her, murmuring encouraging pleas against her lips, and then his thumb circled her clit and she exploded.