Free Real Romance by Ginny Baird Page B

forward and pinned her to the counter with two strong arms.
    "Marie," he said, looking into her eyes, his heated breath warming her skin. "I've got something to tell you."
    Oh, no you don’t, she wanted to say. Hoping to find some way, any way to stop the sweet words she feared would come, melting her more than the desire in his eyes.
    Marie knew she should turn. Knew she should run. But instead, all she could do was stand up on tiptoes and stop his confession with a kiss.
    David nearly toppled backwards when the blissful cotton candy of her mouth melted against his lips. She was kissing him! And didn't it feel good...
    He responded with all the erotic skill he had, lightly parting her lips with his. It only made him want to beg for more.
    Marie nearly swooned in his arms, grateful that his strength would support her. His kisses were hot and sensual. And persuasive. Oh, how she wanted to go where his touch promised he would lead.
    David's hand slid under the front of her coat, found her breast, and stroked it.
    Oh God, she was going to die of pleasure right then and there. And then he held her closer and she knew she wanted to live long enough to taste his heaven.
    There was the light tinkling of a bell, and Marie tried to pull back from his desperate kiss.
    "David," she said, as he brought her closer still, "I hear bells."
    "Mmm, sweetheart," he said, nuzzling her neck. "Me too, me too."
    Suddenly the bell sounded again. Only louder this time, and David broke contact.
    "Is this any way to run a business?" Caroline asked, her hands on her hips.
    "Of course not," David answered, taking Marie by the hand. "But now that you're here, Marie and I are going to take this business home."

 

     
    Chapter Nine

     
    "You're going to lose your job!" Marie yelped, as David pulled her down the sidewalk.
    "Yeah," David said, sweeping her into his arms. "And what a way to go!"
    His hot mouth fell upon hers as his muscular arms pressed into her back, holding her so close she swore they were melting together. Particularly since she was wearing this heavy coat!
    "David," Marie said, pushing back on his shoulders, "people are staring."
    A group of college students with backpacks were waiting at the crosswalk and turned to gape, wide-eyed at the spectacle they were making of themselves.
    David shouted at them with a frisky wave of his arm.
    "Hey! You kids need glasses—there's an optician's shop right there!"
    Marie burst into a giggle and buried her head in his shoulder.
    "You," she said, whacking him on his backside, "are impossible."
    "Spank me again," he said with a naughty grin, "I liked it."
    Liked it? Oh my, she had liked it too. She was enjoying the sexual playfulness between them, without a trace of her usual inhibition.
    "Come on," he said, securing an arm around her waist. "My car's over there."
    "Car?" Marie asked, a little disappointed she wouldn't be treated to another bicycle ride. "But I thought you biked in. Good for the environment and all that."
    David grimaced. Well, hey, it had sounded good at the time. Very Cecil-like. And Cecil, it was apparent, knew all about women like Marie. When David had gone back to Books & Bistro to thank him for his reading suggestions, he'd been told that Cecil had run off to New York with some girl writer half his age. The man had probably established that mind link he'd been talking about. David guessed that when it came to intelligent women, Cecil definitely knew his stuff.
    "Ah yeah, right," David said, sliding his key into the passenger door. "Environment's definitely a top priority. Greenspace and all that."
    "Greenpeace?" Marie asked, looking up as she adjusted her seat belt.
    David smiled and shut the door. Boy, he'd have to watch what he said with her. She clearly knew more about all this than he did.
    A frigid burst of wind reddened David's face as he scooted around the car.
    "David," Marie said, as he climbed in and started the engine. "Your teeth are chattering. You really shouldn't