“I didn’t choose kissing as an option!” I squeak, catching two older ladies standing at one of the fences, clearly entertained by us.
He shrugs, stepping back, swinging my legs around, and shutting the door. I watch in horror as he walks to the fence and hugs each woman. Their mouths move rapidly after him when he heads back to the truck.
I bite back a scream as he starts the truck and waves at them again.
•—•—•—•—•
“Careful, Princess, you’ll make yourself sick.”
I drain the last of my champagne, eyeing him over the crystal rim. “It’ll be your fault.”
“I warned you.”
“Your warning was weak and subtle. I’d expect more from a man like you. Where is the bossy, authoritative Miller when I need him?”
He refills my glass and makes a move to slide the tray of desserts across the table, but I smack his hand. “Don’t you dare.”
His lip curves to one side as he picks up a small square of chocolate and places it against my mouth. I eagerly take a little bite, closing my eyes and moaning at the luscious mix of chocolate and toffee. The flavors explode on my tongue, and when I open my eyes to go for the rest, I’m met with a heated blaze staring back at me.
“Darlin’, you are seriously playing with fire,” he growls, popping the rest of the chocolate truffle in his mouth and keeping my gaze.
“Maybe you should take them away. I can’t be trusted.”
He pushes the half-empty tray to the edge of the table, never losing eye contact, and I jerk in surprise when his thumb sweeps the bottom of my lip.
“It would be a shame to let this go to waste.” He licks the crumb of chocolate from his thumb and I’m lost in him.
The champagne makes it hard to deny my overwhelming attraction to this man. The afternoon and evening replay through my mind. I tried to find out who the women were that he spoke to when leaving earlier, but he didn’t give much away. My attempts to appear irritated didn’t last long when he drove to The Brasher Hotel. The poor valet couldn’t get away fast enough when Miller barked at him for helping me out of the truck. I tried to apologize for his possessive behavior, but Miller wrapped his arm around my shoulders and guided us through the lobby and straight to the gardens.
All annoyance vanished instantly. We walked and talked until it was too dark to see anything. Our dinner was waiting on a private veranda where we were treated like royalty. The conversation came easily, and if he noticed my skipping through the years in Chicago, he didn’t mention it, letting me choose our topics.
When our desserts arrived, I knew they were handmade by Darby. He explained that she was slowly letting go of control over her recipes, but she still made every one of her truffles. The variety was too tempting to pass up.
All of it is perfect—too perfect. I can tell myself it’s the mixture of romantic atmosphere, the beautiful night, and the wonderful dinner, but it would be a lie. It’s all because of him. He’s made it perfect… for me.
Emotions swirl inside, and before I lose my courage, I bend forward, kissing him softly. “I’ve reconsidered my earlier decision. I’ll take choices one and three.”
A low rumble erupts from his throat right before his hands fist in my hair and his lips cover mine. His tongue sweeps through my mouth, moving urgently, and I have no choice but to give control and follow his lead. He gently caresses my scalp, angling my neck and kissing me deeper. I may have initiated this, but there’s no question who’s in charge.
I barely register one arm on my waist until I’m heaved in the air. Our connection doesn’t break as he drags me into his lap, folding my body against his. Everything fades away as the kiss grows hotter, my chest pressed to his, the unmistakable bulge against my thigh, our breathing getting heavier.
Goosebumps spread down my arms, causing me to shiver. He picks up on it, cradling me closer. I whimper down his throat, my hands framing his face and nails scraping through the light stubble.
He groans approvingly then slows, his arms closing protectively when he breaks away. My heart is pounding so hard I barely hear the feminine throat clearing behind us. My eyes flutter open, and instantly my blood runs cold at his expression. His eyes meet mine before going over my shoulder.
“There a reason you’re here?” The acid in his tone causes me to shiver for a completely different reason.
A feminine laugh fills the air, and I twist, finding a beautiful brunette standing close to our table. “Heard you were here and came to say hello.” She fans her fingers, focusing on me.