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The Favor Chapter One | page 1 | page 2 | page 3 | excerpts
This close, her face wasn’t quite as perfect as it had seemed from a distance. But the sprinkle of freckles across her nose and the faint scar on her chin made it more interesting. Several long strands of her hair had come loose. Reaching out, he resisted the urge to free the rest and instead tucked one a stand behind her ear. He heard her quick intake of breath and felt the instant tightening of his body when his fingers touched her skin. When she closed even white teeth on her bottom lip, heat shot through him. He wanted very much to replace those teeth with his own. Okay. Now he could name exactly what he was feeling. Lust. That he could understand. He might have even relaxed a bit if it weren’t for the fact that he couldn’t quite free himself from her gaze. Her eyes were the deep blue color of water – lake water – the kind that tempted you to jump right in even though there was no telling what lay below the surface. “You remind me of someone,” she said in that same breathless voice that sent ripples of awareness along his skin. “Really?” He watched her eyes narrow until she was looking at him as if she were determined to see everything. She took a deep breath. “Have me met somewhere before?” He smiled then. “Isn’t that supposed to be my line?” When Sierra caught his meaning, she felt the color rise in her cheeks. In a moment, she’d be beet red. Her skin must already be flushed from that arrow of heat that had shot through her during those minutes when he’d held her against him. His chest had been hard as a rock. And his hands. She could still feel the imprint of each of his fingers where they’d gripped her arms. She’d never reacted quite that physically to a man before. And he thought...he thought she was coming on to him. “I didn’t mean...,” she began. “I’m not trying to...It’s just that...I mean...” How was she supposed to explain that strange feeling of recognition she’d felt just seconds ago when she’d looked into his eyes. But she couldn’t have met this man before. She would have remembered. “I –” “Stop.” He held up a hand. “I’d rather you didn’t tell me that you’re not trying to pick me up. My ego is very fragile.” The glint of humor she saw in his eyes settled some of her nerves. He was different from the men who frequented the Blue Pepper – they were either local merchants or the up and coming movers and shakers of DC. He was also different from the academic types she ran into in her field of work. This man, in spite of his classic Adonis-like good looks was...what? More real was the first phrase that came to mind. His skin was a golden brown that came from working in the sun rather than a tanning salon, and she bet the muscles she’d felt came from something other than a tri-weekly appointment with a personal trainer. When he smiled, her gaze shifted to his mouth, and for a moment she thought of nothing at all – except how those lips might feel like pressed to hers. “Why don’t we start over?” He took her hand, and though his fingers only gripped hers lightly, she felt the pressure right down to her toes. “I’ll say I’m sure I’ve seen you somewhere, I’ll introduce myself, and I’ll offer to buy you a drink? And you’ll say...?” She couldn’t say a thing. They were squatting down, leaning toward each other, their fingers linked, their knees nearly brushing, and she’d never felt this kind of intense connection with anyone in her life. In the part of her mind that hadn’t shut down, she realized she wasn’t feeling like herself at all. Around them, people edged past. Above them, faint noises swirled – glasses clinking, people talking, laughing. She barely heard them. All she knew was that she wanted this man – this perfect stranger – to kiss her. She couldn’t recall ever wanting anything quite this much. What would happen if she just leaned a little closer, reached up and drew his mouth to hers? Her sister Natalie would do it. Rory would do it. Wasn’t it time she started acting like the Sierra she wanted to be? Suddenly, the wanting, the need was so strong that she felt herself swaying toward him.
As if he’d read her mind, he tightened his grip on her hand and his free hand moved to the back of her neck, steadying her. “I want to kiss you,” he said. Startled, she raised her eyes to meet his, and the old Sierra reasserted herself. “You...can’t.” His brows lifted. “If you don’t want me to, offering a challenge isn’t the best strategy.” She’d suspected he would be a bit dangerous. But she hadn’t expected the thrill that moved through her. “I’m not. But we’re in a public place. We don’t even know each other.” His lips curved again. “And your point is?” She moistened her lips, and tried to focus her thoughts. What was her point? If she wanted to initiate a sexual relationship with a man, she had to start somewhere. It would be good practice. “I’ve never before wanted to kiss someone that I didn’t know.” Something flashed into his eyes then, and it made her breath hitch. “That makes two of us,” he murmured as he took her mouth with his. Oh, he was definitely more real, she thought, as a riot of sensations moved through her. His mouth was just as strong, just as competent as she’d anticipated. It terrified her. It delighted her. The scrape of his teeth on her bottom lip, the clever slide of his tongue over hers sent tiny explosions of pleasure shooting through her. She’d never been kissed like this – as if he had all the time in the world to take and take and take. Her blood pounded, her body heated until all the worry, all the anxiety that had been plaguing her for weeks seemed to evaporate. She should think. But how could she when her whole being seemed to be filled with him? You. The word repeated itself over and over in her head as she gripped his shoulders and felt those tensed, hard muscles. Greed erupted in her. She wanted to touch more of him. She wanted to run her fingers through that golden blond hair. She wanted to press her palms against his chest, his back, his waist. And she wanted his clothes out of the way. With a moan, she moved her hands to the back of his neck and pulled him closer. Ryder felt as if he were going under for the third time. Worse, he felt as if he’d been sucked into a riptide. Her mouth wasn’t soft and warm as he’d expected. Instead, it was as hot and avid and demanding as his own. Greed – his, hers, or a combination – rocketed through his system, tearing at his control. He could feel the beat of her pulse against his fingertips, the moan vibrating deep in her throat. No woman had ever set off this fevered combination of sensations and needs. Needs? Even as a little alarm bell went off in his mind, Ryder felt a flash of intuition – this woman could have the power to shake up a life he was perfectly satisfied with. It was that and not the fact that they were in a very public place that had him grasping the reins on his control and pulling tight. Slowly, he gripped her shoulders and set her from him. Her eyes were huge and that deep blue color had clouded. Her hair had fallen out of its knot and tumbled to her shoulders. She looked every bit as stunned as he felt. “Are you all right?” His voice was ragged, and when he drew in a quick breath, his lungs burned. He’d forgotten to breathe. No woman had ever made him forget to breathe before. Ryder frowned. Just who was she that she could do this to him? (continued...) |
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