Free Resisting Roots (Lotus House Book 1) by Audrey Carlan Page A

wondering if I could take you for coffee or treat you to Sunflower maybe, and…”
    My heart started pounding in my chest. Excitement, joy, and a downright giddy sensation worked its way through each of my sore limbs.
    “Genevieve, babe, are you asking me out?”
    “Huh?” She blinked a few times.
    I smiled wide. I couldn’t prevent the satisfaction from spreading across my face in a shit-eating grin. “You are. You’re asking me out!” I thought I might hit the sky with a fist pump but held it back.
    She frowned, and her nose crinkled. “No. Not exactly, it’s just that…”
    “You are. Come here!” I grabbed her hand and tugged her over until her curves smashed up against my harder ones. Damn, she felt good. I settled a hand low on her back, close enough to caress the upper swells of her sweet ass, but I behaved, locking down the horny, sex-starved side of me that wanted to press her up against the nearest wall and claim her.
    Her face paled when I cupped the back of her neck with my other hand and used my thumb to lift her chin. “Gumdrop, I’ve been busting my brain trying to think of way to ask you out, and here you are looking all cute and nervous about asking me. Well, I’m going to save us a lot of time and get right to the good part of the date.”
    She opened her mouth, letting out a heated burst of air. I swooped in and took advantage, tipping my head and slanting my mouth over hers. She stiffened for a moment and then relaxed, melting against me as I ducked my tongue inside to dance with hers. She tasted of mint and cherries. I ate her up hungrily, moving her head from side to side. She sighed into the kiss, and her grip tightened around my neck. Eventually, I needed more. So much more. Nipping her lips, I slid a hand down over her tight ass and filled my palm with one perfectly plump cheek. She groaned and rose onto her toes, twisting my head and stealing my breath with her fervor. We groped one another like a couple of teenagers. Soft touches here, harder ones there, until I started to feel dizzy. My cock was hard as iron, and as I pressed into her lush curves, she retreated, jolting back as if zapped by lightning. Her hand flew to her mouth where that pink lipstick was smeared. Beautiful.
    “Oh my… Yeah. That shouldn’t have happened,” she whispered.
    “Gumdrop, that definitely should have happened, and it needs to happen again.” I started to approach her.
    She lifted her arms and shook her head. “No, no. You misunderstood. I wasn’t asking you out on a date.” Her face crumbled into one of misery. “I mean, I kind of was, but not for me.” The honesty in her eyes floored me.
    “Look, honey, you don’t have to be worried. I’m more than happy to take you out on a date. After this week’s classes and that kiss…I’m a hundred percent into you. I can hardly wait to feel you under me.”
    She groaned and looked up at the ceiling. “Pig,” she muttered.
    “What? You just hit on me, and I’m the pig?” I shot back, uncertain how this conversation had gone from her asking me out, to us kissing, to name-calling. I needed to get it back to the kissing part. There was no way in hell I wasn’t going to have my lips on hers again, and soon. That was a damn fact.
    “I didn’t mean to ask you out. I was trying to see if you’d take a little time after your session one of these days to meet my brother.”
    “Your brother?” Now I was lost.
    “Yes. He’s your biggest fan.”
    Her exasperated tone was not at all what I’d hoped to hear from a woman after I’d just kissed the daylights out of her.
    “Christ.” I shook my head. Here I’d thought she was into me, but she was trying to set up a meeting with a fan. “Seriously? You have no interest in going out with me?”
    Her mouth opened and closed several times. Ah, now I had her.
    “I wouldn’t say that.”
    Hook.
    “Then you have thought about going out with me. Personally?” I needed to get her back where I’d had