Free Cold Feet in Hot Sand by Lauren Gallagher Page B

ass.”
     
    Which made him wonder just how the hell he’d never had trouble breathing around her before. He’d never caught himself wanting to run his fingers through her long hair until after he’d felt it against his face during a moment of passion. Now that he’d held her hips in his hands, he couldn’t not notice their mouthwatering curves, especially in that skirt she’d worn today.
     
    He shivered. However he’d missed it all before, he was well aware of it now, and she’d be in this office any second to talk about all the reasons they shouldn’t touch each other again. No matter how much he secretly wanted to again.
     
    Get it together, Nick. She’ll be here any —
     
    Someone knocked on his office door.
     
    — minute.
     
    He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and said, “It’s open.”
     
    The door opened, and Nick’s heart rate ratcheted higher as Deanna came in. Higher still when the door clicked shut behind her. Into the stratosphere when she made eye contact with him.
     
    “So.” She swallowed. “You wanted to talk?”
     
    “Yeah. I — ” He halted, and not just in speech. Without realizing it, he’d taken a step toward her. More than one, in fact, and now only a few feet remained between them. It was all he could do not to back away. Step closer. Back away.
     
    Maybe they’d be better off with his desk between them. A barrier that was more tangible than this empty space that wasn’t getting any wider.
     
    Deanna stepped closer. “Nick?”
     
    He dropped his gaze, hoping on c e he wasn’t tongue-tied by their intense eye contact, maybe his mind could catch up and figure out what to do. It didn’t help. Even with the floor to hold his attention, he still had no idea what to say or where to start.
     
    “Nick,” she said. “Look at me.”
     
    Holding his breath, he lifted his gaze until he met hers.
     
    Don’t. Nick, don’t even think about it. Yes, she’s gorgeous. Yes, she’s looking at you like that. But… don’t.
     
    Damn it, Deanna, please. Don’t come closer. You have no idea what you’re doing to me.
     
    Fuck, I can’t breathe. I can’t stop thinking about you. I can’t not want you.
     
    Nick, don’t…
     
    He reached for her, and she grabbed the front of his shirt, and they came together in a desperate, demanding kiss that was long, long overdue. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled him against her, making sure she felt exactly how much she turned him on, and she ground her hips against his. Holy fuck, he wanted her.
     
    And he knew what it was like to want a woman, but this ache, this need, went so far beyond that. As he took in her scent, kissed her, held her body against his, he could think of nothing except fucking her. Bending her over his desk, shoving her skirt up over her hips, and fucking her.
     
    Nick was all about taking his time with women. He could draw out foreplay forever. But just like the first time they were together, he didn’t want to hold back. Every second he wasn’t inside her was positively maddening.
     
    And wrong. Totally wrong, Nick!
     
    He broke the kiss, panting against her lips. “Fuck, I know this is wrong,” he whispered. “But I want you.”
     
    “I want you too, Nick,” she said. “I can’t…”
     
    “We shouldn’t…” He sighed and touched his forehead to hers. “God, Deanna, I just can’t stop thinking about you like this.”
     
    “I can’t either,” she whispered. “And I swear I never looked at you like this when you were with Kristina, but ever since that night…”
     
    “I know. Me too. I have to admit, I can’t get that night out of my head, and it’s…” Heat rushed into his cheeks, and he lowered his gaze. “It’s not just because I feel guilty about it.”
     
    “What do you mean?”
     
    “I need to be honest,” he said, pulling away from her and pretending his heart wasn’t pounding a mile a minute. “The way things ended with Kristina hurts like hell.