Free My Last - Riley & Chelle by Melanie Shawn

the pounding bass line of her heartbeat in her ears.
    She tried to get herself together. Figuring that ‘panting’ at Riley’s mere nearness may not be what one would consider ‘playing it cool’ - nor would it be the most attractive thing in the world - she decided she should try and alleviate the tension a bit.
    Not having the slightest clue how to go about doing that, she simply looked up into his sexy hazel eyes and smiled and squeaked out a simple, “Hi.”
    Emotion flooded those amazing hazel eyes, and a deep rumbling sound, one that could be likened to a growl, vibrated from his chest. It sent a delicious thrill running down Chelle’s spine.
    She stood perfectly still, her lower back pressed up against the counter. She never wanted this moment to end...but at the same time, she was excited to see where it would go.
    She stood, remaining stock still, waiting...just waiting...for his next move.
    Yesterday, if you would have asked her if Riley Sloan would be standing in this small kitchen, pinning her in the corner, desire flashing in his eyes...Good God! She probably would have snorted and shot back that the scenario was too crazy even for her wildest dreams. But right now, in this moment, it seemed as if her wildest dreams might just be coming true.
    Breathe, just remember to breathe!
    Riley leaned down and rested his forehead against hers, just for a moment. “Hi,” he whispered. Chelle breathed out, her knees weakening.
    But then, with ninja like quickness, he was gone. Before she even had time to blink he was standing a few feet away from her, back in front of the stove pulling pieces of bacon off of the fryer and placing them on a plate.
    She stood frozen where he had left her and tried to decide if she had, in fact, just imagined that little encounter or if it had in fact really just occurred.
    Wildest dreams much?
    It had felt real...but as she watched Riley walking calmly to the small kitchen table, two breakfast plates in hand, she thought that she may have indeed taken a trip to crazy town. He was behaving for all the world as if nothing had just passed between them.
    Then, when he leaned over to set the plates on the table, she looked down and noticed how snug his jeans looked in the groin area. She smiled to herself. Aha! So she hadn’t imagined it.
    Riley Sloan had been affected by her. For some reason, this made her want to rethink her plan of immediately kicking him out. Suddenly, spending some time with Riley didn’t seem like all that bad of an idea. Not that bad of an idea at all , as a matter of fact...
    No, wait…must not play with fire! She knew she needed to stick with the plan. She had gotten burned, and burned badly , by David – and he was barely even the tiny flame of a candle in the heat department. Riley Sloan was a four alarm inferno! If she tangled with him, she would never make it out unscathed.
    “So after breakfast, do you want to catch a cable car down to Fisherman’s Wharf? Have you been down there yet?” He sat at the table and began eating.
    No, she hadn’t been there.
    Yes, she wanted to go with him.
    Why did he have to make this so much harder than it already was?
    “Actually Riley...look. I appreciate you stopping by and checking on me.” She finished pouring the coffee and carried both steaming hot mugs to the table as she sat down. “But I am fine, really. You don’t have to stay and babysit me. I promise I will keep my phone on and return all phone calls I miss, alright? That way no one will be worried about me.”
    “I don’t think I have to babysit you.” He looked serious and his jaw flinched. “My flight isn't until 8 o’clock tonight and I’d like to see some of the city today. You don’t have to keep me company if you don’t want to.”
    Well, when he put it like that...
    “No! I mean...yes...I mean...” she stumbled.
    Riley gave her a good-natured half smile, “Well, which is it?”
    She smiled back, “Yes, sure, that sounds like