Breathless (22 page)

Gabby pulled a face. “Mmm, yeah. Those seats at the Palace are a little on the old side.”

“Here. Let me.”

He walked over and turned her around by the shoulders. His long fingers shifted her hair and draped it over one shoulder, then gently cupped her head to tilt it forward. “Hold still.”

Taka leaned her body back into his, kneading the tense muscles of her neck. She sagged bonelessly back into him as he worked his fingers up her neck into her hair.

“Mmm… Oh, that’s real good,” she mumbled, chills running the length of her spine.

His hands worked their way up and down her neck to her shoulders and back again. A soft moan of pleasure wound its way from her throat. She heard Taka’s sharp intake of breath and his hands stilled.

“Please don’t stop.”

Goose bumps erupted down her back and legs as his hands went below her shoulders. She could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck, his forehead pressing against her hair. His hands massaged down to the flare of her hips, then one hand reached around her waist to stroke up to her ribs.

It felt so good that Gabby couldn’t think straight. His other hand reached up the side of her neck under her hair and started to massage her head above her ear.

She tilted her head into the sensation, the exquisite chills from his touch on her skin causing her to shiver. She vaguely felt his head move, then the touch of his warm lips pressed against the tender skin of her neck.

His mouth skimmed over her skin up to her exposed ear. The sensation of his lips, barely touching her, tore a whimper from her throat. An answering sound worked its way out of Taka, sending shockwaves spiraling down her legs, leaching the strength from her knees.

Gabby reached up and worked her fingers into his hair as his mouth made full contact with her neck. His hand slipped beneath her shirt and up under her breast as he started kissing her neck and jaw openmouthed.

“Taka, what are you doing?” Her voice was a coarse whisper in the silent room. She felt his smile curve against her neck.

“I thought that would be obvious,
Marishaten
.”

Taka’s hand moved higher to cup her breast. His fingers massaged her through her lacey bra as he drew his thumb over her taut nipple.

Her back arched into the sensation his hand was creating. Her head fell back against his shoulder, pushing her breast harder into his hand. Her moan of pleasure sounded loud, even to her. She couldn’t control her reaction to him. She fought hard to think through the molasses that had drowned her brain. His touch was so damned nice, and she hadn’t been touched in so long.

Something tried to screech at her through the fog in her head.

This shouldn’t be happening.

“Takeshi, no. We can’t.”

His teeth nipped at the underside of her jaw then back toward her ear. She couldn’t remember for the life of her what she was trying to say.

“Why not? Don’t you like it?” he whispered, his hot breath scorching her skin where it trailed behind his kisses.

Gabby pushed her hand up under his jaw to push his delicious mouth away from her so she could think. She turned to face him and stepped back, her breath heaving, as she tried to gain some perspective. Being so close made it too hard.

She stared into his eyes
. So beautiful
. His desire for her was written all over his face. That kiss at Christmas hadn’t been a fluke after all.

Taka lifted his hand to her face. Her eyes closed as he rubbed his thumb over her cheek.

“Oh, Takeshi. I’d have to be dead not to like it. But—”

His thumb pressed against her lips, stopping her mid-sentence.

“No buts.” He moved closer, his lips a whisper above hers. “I want you. So much.”

He ran his hand up into her hair, his long fingers kneading her scalp. Her head fell back, exposing her neck to his mouth. The heat from his lips burnt her very soul as they grazed her skin again.

“You’re too young. We can’t do this. It’s not right.” She could barely speak through the exquisite reaction her traitorous body was having to him.

“We’re both consenting adults. What’s not right?” His muffled words rumbled against her hot skin. He tore his mouth from her neck, his black gaze burning through her. “Do you want me?”

She opened her eyes and blinked, confused. “What?”

Taka stepped back. Just enough that the heat from his body felt too far away.

“Do you want me? If you don’t, I’ll go. I’m not going to force myself on you. But if you do, please tell me.”

The touch of his mouth and hands had unleashed all the yearning for closeness that she had tried so hard to ignore for the last two years. Her body’s response to him since his kiss under the mistletoe had kept her awake more nights than she cared to admit. It had ignited responses in her she’d desperately tried to extinguish.

Responses she’d never thought she could feel.

Gabby closed her eyes briefly. “God help me.” She lifted her gaze to his. “Yes, I want you.”

It’s just pretend…but nobody wants to stop.

Maxie

© 2013 Kimberly Dean

Triple X, Book 2

Maxie’s quiet, predictable routine is shattered when she steps outside her flower shop and almost runs into two women. It’s not the near collision that’s startling. It’s the strangers’ faces. It’s like looking in a mirror times two, and it sends her into a dead faint.

Sheriff Zac Ford sees three identical copies of the woman who’s caused him more sleepless nights than he can count, and it stops him in his tracks. Maxie’s buckling knees snap him out of his trance, and he catches her before she hits the cement.

Two sisters she never knew she had? Maxie can’t deal with this turmoil, not on her own. She needs a shield, a rock. For the first time in her life, she takes a wild leap of faith.

When Maxie calls him her boyfriend, Zac has no trouble playing along. It’ll give him time to figure out what these “sisters” want. Soon, though, for-show kisses get hotter and playacting touches grow bold. And Maxie must choose to stay in her safe little world, or grab life by the horns.

Warning: Don’t lie. It only leads to more lies, hotter kisses, bolder touches, less bed space, strange looks about town, and a complete loss of shyness.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Maxie:

Maxie rubbed her temple. “If Roxie and Lexie are right about everything, we probably don’t need to pretend. To be seeing each other, I mean.”

“Let’s keep up the charade.”

“Why?”

His handsome face darkened. “Even if they are related to you, that doesn’t mean they’re good people. Give me some time to check everything out first.”

Maxie blinked in surprise. “They seemed like good people, though, didn’t they?”

“They did.”

She slumped in her seat. Right now, she couldn’t trust herself to judge up from down or right from wrong. Or sheriff from boyfriend. She fiddled with her skirt. There wasn’t anyplace to settle her hands. “Thank you for being here for me today.”

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” He nudged her shoulder with his. “So back to the topic at hand. Right side or left?”

“Of what?”

“Of the bed, of course. Which side do you sleep on?”

The question was so outrageous, she laughed. “You are insane.”

“Hardly. Four months of dating? I’m the kind of guy who stays over, sweetheart.”

She was sure he was.

Suddenly, it wasn’t so funny, and she had to remind herself to breathe. Her thoughts were back on her bedroom, right upstairs. “They’ll never see that.”

He lifted one eyebrow. “Maybe not, but they’ll probably see this.”

Without giving her a chance to figure out what this might be, he kissed her.

Maxie was stunned when his mouth settled directly onto hers. She inhaled sharply, but he followed, leaning in as she pressed against the chair. For a moment, she was frozen with surprise, but with lengthening nips, he coaxed her into relaxing. When she moved towards him, he opened his mouth wider, eating at hers and tasting deeply with his tongue.

A long shudder went through her. He tasted like coffee and sex. She circled her arms around his neck.

“I don’t like seeing you upset,” he said against her lips.

He kissed her again, and her eyes fluttered closed.

This should be the last thing she needed, but it was exactly what she craved—someone strong, someone steady, someone delectable. Oh God, what they were doing felt so good. He wasn’t hesitant, but he didn’t overpower her, either. He tested new angles and tried different pressures, learning what she liked.

With him, she liked it all. It felt good to slip into fantasy, to drift away from the confusion and dismay.

She slid her hands over his shoulders and reveled in the bunch and play of his muscles. “Zac.”

She gasped when the arm behind her tightened. There was a quick tug, and before she knew it, he’d pulled her out of her chair.

“I was on my way to do this earlier, before we were interrupted,” he said, his voice gruff.

She was on his lap again, only this time she was wide awake.

The kiss intensified, growing hotter and steamier. Their tongues slid against one another’s, sending shimmers of excitement through her system. He spread his hand wide on her back, under her hair. She could feel every one of his fingertips stroking, skin on skin.

Heat poured through her, and her mind spun. Better than fantasy. She didn’t know what came over her, but leaning closer, she nipped at his lower lip. He went still, tension building around them, and she eased the sting with a lick of her tongue.

He groaned. “You’re not that shy, are you, Beauty?”

She hadn’t been until he’d mentioned it. Awareness gripped her, and she realized how close he was and how tightly she’d pressed against him. This wasn’t for pretend; it was real. As much as she wanted to keep rubbing against him like a cat starved for affection, that invisible hand was pulling her back, away from what she wanted to do.

Breathing hard, she stared at him with wide eyes. His were heavy-lidded and sensual. She was so close she could see dots of darker blue mixed in with the lighter blue of his irises. His cheekbones were flushed, and his mouth was damp.

She licked her lips, and the blue flecks in his eyes darkened. Her pulse jumped and her muscles flared, half of them pushing her up off him and the others straining towards him. She wanted…but she shouldn’t…but she needed…

He was leaning towards her when the mobile radio on his shoulder squawked. “Unit 64?”

She sprang off his lap as if it were spring-loaded, and a low curse passed his lips.

“Maxie.”

She couldn’t respond. All of a sudden, it was this morning all over again when she couldn’t even come up with the word hi.

“64?” the radio called again.

Zac clicked on the mike. “64,” he practically barked.

“We have a report of an accident on the Indigo Byway, close to your location. Are you available to respond?”

“Hell no.”

Maxie took another good three steps back and smoothed her dress. Her skin prickled everywhere, hot where he’d touched and chilled where she should be wearing more clothes.

Rubbing a hand over his face, the sheriff pressed the transmit button. “Affirmative, dispatch. Any injuries?”

“Negative, but traffic is backing up.”

“Understood. I’ll be there in five. 64 over.”

Maxie folded her arms over her stomach. Talk about not knowing where to settle her hands. What had they just done? Had that been for practice? For dinner tonight? God, she hoped not. Even if Lexie and Roxie were her sisters, she didn’t want them watching as she made a meal of the man. The hot prickles on her body started to outnumber the chills, and she struggled not to fan herself. For a timid sort, it hadn’t taken much encouragement for her to throw herself at him.

“I’ll fire them all,” Zac muttered.

Standing, he adjusted his gun belt. Maxie stepped back and bumped up against the refrigerator.

She needed to say something. Anything.

“Do you think they’ll…?” She cleared her throat. “Do you think they’ll buy it? The sisters, I mean.”

His blue eyes narrowed. “I did.”

He watched her for a long, intense moment before raking his hand through his disheveled hair. “I’ll pick you up later, okay?”

She nodded, her brain once again tripping over itself. Pretend or not, she’d made out with Zac Ford. And she might have sisters, with an s.

How had her one-word plan evolved into this?

“And for future reference…” he opened the door, but stopped with one foot over the threshold, “…I sleep on the right.”

Breathless

Dakota Harrison