Matthew cupped her face with his hands and deepened the kiss. His mouth was rough and hard. She’d never been kissed like this and she found it addictive.
Sydney parted her legs and Matthew leaned into her. Being this close to him, surrounded by his heat, his scent and his body, was better than she’d imagined. She hadn’t expected his large and calloused hands to be so warm and gentle against her skin. His possessive touch made her feel protected. Cherished.
She wanted to climb his muscular body and explore. Slide her hands under his T-shirt, reveal his chest and lick her way down to the impressive arousal that was pressing against her.
Sydney heard the squeal of car tires in the distance and she went still. She broke away, gulping for air, and stared at Matthew. She wasn’t sure what to do or say. His touch shattered her carefully constructed facade.
“I...” Sydney dropped her hands abruptly and stared at the telltale creases on his shirt. She couldn’t believe she’d thrown herself at him. That wasn’t like her. She was more cautious than that. She didn’t allow her sexual side to rule her actions anymore.
“Don’t say you’re sorry,” he whispered as his mouth grazed her cheekbone.
She blushed. How could he predict her every move?
He leaned his forehead against hers. “And don’t say this was just a onetime thing.”
Sydney closed her eyes. He really did know what she was going to say next. It made her feel vulnerable, as if he was always one step ahead of her. “You’re the mayor,” she whispered. “I’m a journalist who reports about you.”
“No one needs to know,” he said as he gently stroked his fingers along her jaw. “We can keep it just between us.”
She was sure Matthew believed what he just said, but she couldn’t go through that again. She needed to retreat into the safe little world she’d created in Seedling that was devoid of passion.
With that in mind, Sydney splayed her hands against his soft T-shirt and gave a little push. He didn’t move. The man was solid muscle. “I have to go.”
He reluctantly withdrew, as if he sensed retreating was his best option. “Okay, but this is not the end of this discussion. Tonight—no, I have to attend a meeting. What are you doing tomorrow night?”
“I’m reporting on the junior baseball game.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
“I’m not going on a date with you. The whole town is going to be there.”
“I’ll be on my best behavior. No one will think we’re together.”
She wanted to decline. She should decline, Sydney thought as she shivered with expectation. Instead she gave a quick nod. She didn’t trust herself to say anything. She wasn’t graceful when she got into her car and her hands fumbled as she started the engine. Sydney drove away, her gaze drawn to the mirror as Matthew watched her leave.
What had she done? Curiosity had gotten the better of her. She’d wanted one taste. Just one. But now that she’d experienced the explosive chemistry she shared with Matthew, she wanted so much more.
His kiss was better than she’d imagined. She brushed her fingertips along her reddened lips. It was better even than she had described in her fake erotic diary.
She should write down her experiences now so she could clear her mind and focus on her next work assignment. Sydney drove a few blocks and slid into an empty parking spot on the worn cobblestone street. Her hands were still jittery as she reached for her backpack. The pile of notebooks spilled onto the seat and she searched for the one that she’d reserved for her erotic diary.
It wasn’t there. She froze, her chest squeezing with panic.
No, no, no! She opened and shut the notebooks, one by one. Where was the diary? She’d just had it. She’d been writing in it at Dawson’s.
Sydney dipped her head and closed her eyes as the panic washed over her. Dawson’s Diner. She’d lost her erotic writing in the most populated place in Seedling.