Free The Bottom Line by Sandy James Page B

over until she straddled his hips, never breaking the kiss.
    Mallory tunneled her fingers through his hair, letting whatever was causing her libido to run rampant take control. Tearing her lips away from his, she kissed his cheek, working her way over to his ear. She traced the ridges with her tongue, then took his lobe between her teeth.
    His hands settled on her hips, pressing her down. His rigid cock was easy to feel, and the contact made shivers race the length of her spine.
    She licked his neck, wondering if he’d get upset if she nibbled on his skin enough to give him a small hickey.
    Suddenly his right hand settled on her left breast.
    “Stop!”

Chapter Nine
    The moment Ben placed his palm on Mallory’s breast, she reacted as though she’d been hit by lightning.
    She shoved herself back with both hands on his chest, scrambling off his lap. Sitting there, her eyes were full of fury he didn’t comprehend as she panted for breath.
    “I—I don’t understand.”
    Sure, she was a little flat-chested. He’d felt the padding in her bra and immediately dismissed it.
    So what?
    Boobs weren’t a big turn-on for him anyway. He’d never fixated on body parts, usually admiring the whole package from hair to eyes to a really sexy smile. Why did all women with small breasts feel so inadequate?
    “I—I have to go.” Her words were clipped and filled with more emotion than simple anger.
    “Mallory… stop. Please. I’m sorry.” Why he was apologizing, he had no idea. But it seemed to be the right thing to do.
    She grabbed her purse from where it rested on the floor of the truck. “I have to go.”
    He wasn’t ready to let her out of the truck, so he didn’t click the lock open in case she started trying to go. “I don’t understand what happened. I mean… that was so… nice. Why’d you push me away?”
    “I have to go.” She jerked on the door handle, her eyes growing wide when she found it locked. “Please let me go.” Her voice quivered as though she’d burst into tears if he didn’t obey.
    Ben frowned, but he responded to the fear in her voice by opening the locks. “Whatever I did, I’m sorry.”
    Her eyes, full of unshed tears, found his.
    “Mallory… don’t go. Talk to me.”
    With a shake of her head, she scrambled out and then slammed the door. She hurried to the garage door, punched in the code, and waited while it rose. Before it was all the way up, she ducked underneath and made her way into the house.
    Although his first instinct was to follow and demand she explain her odd reaction, he simply sighed. Watching her go, he was both confused and frustrated. She’d felt the same fire. He was sure of it.
    So why did she run away?
    Since she hadn’t shut the garage door, Ben stared at the back of her car. His thoughts whirled with questions. Was she afraid to get close to another man because of her divorce? Was she angry at him or at herself since the kiss had come close to getting out of hand? Did he piss her off by trying to touch her breast?
    She’d been turned on, too. No way he could’ve been that off in reading her response. He might not have a wealth of experience with women, but Mallory had been an active participant—a
very
active participant. He hadn’t imagined her tongue in his mouth and his ear.
    Afraid she’d forget to put the door back down, he got out of his truck. Marching to the garage, he ran his hand over his face, fighting an inner battle over whether to close the door or march inside and demand to know what made her run.
    Think, Ben. Think.
    The gentleman in him won the fight, and he punched in the five-digit code.
    After watching the door descend, he clenched his right hand into a fist, trying to calm his rising anger. He hadn’t done anything wrong. They were both adults. She’d responded to his kiss with a passion that seemed to match his own.
    This doesn’t make any sense.
    The truth hit him the instant he unclenched his fist, trying to remember the shape of