“I won’t tell you my secret recipe for chocolate chip cookies,” she mutters. I wonder if her half-assed attempt at a joke is a defense. I know it’s something I’ve done when things don’t feel like they’re under my control and I desperately need to get a grip on the situation.
This seems like one of those situations. We’ve both leaned in slightly. I can see the slight tinge of pink on her cheeks, despite it being the start of fall. We’re so close I can make out her individual eyelashes. Every time she blinks, her long lashes kiss the apples of her cheeks. Her lips have a sheen to them from her licking them with anticipation. Does that mean she’s imagining kissing me the way I’m imagining kissing her?
“To be honest, I don’t give a damn about your cookie recipe. I don’t enjoy baking.”
The swells of her breasts almost spill out the top of her shirt. My fingers twitch at my sides, desperate to run along the soft, exposed skin. Would she tremble underneath my touch? All I’d have to do is reach out to find out…
“Ask your question.”
I don’t ask my question. It’s escaped to the back of my mind. At the forefront is the need to lean in closer. Maybe after just one kiss, one swipe of our tongues against one another, I’ll be able to get her out of my mind. I’ll escape to New York tomorrow and forget all about the woman who drives me mad in more ways than one.
Against my better judgment, I reach up and sweep a stray piece of hair out of her eyes. It didn’t seem to be bothering her, but I wanted the excuse to touch her. To finally feel her skin under my touch.
Her chest hitches at the contact. We’re both caught in the moment, staring into each other’s eyes, wondering who will completely cave first. It’s a constant push and pull with us. I’m not a man who likes to lose or a man who gives in to temptation, but for her, right now, I might be.
My thumb skirts along her cheekbone as I memorize the feel of her soft, flushed skin. I won’t allow myself to surrender to this again. I need to commit every single moment to memory before I come to my senses all over again.
“Camden,” she breathes, leaning into my touch.
God, she’s reactive. Her chest heaves, and her lips part, just waiting to press against mine.
“Yes, shortcake?”
“What are you doing?” I wonder if she realizes she’s leaned in closer, placing her lips inches from mine.
“I’m thinking of doing something incredibly fucking stupid.”
“Like?”
“Like tasting that sharp tongue of yours. I can’t help but wonder if your insults won’t bother me as much if I get to taste them.”
My pinky and ring finger press into her neck. Her pulse thrums erratically against them, giving away that she’s lost control just like I have.
“We shouldn’t.” There’s not an ounce of conviction in her voice, despite her words ringing true. I absolutely shouldn’t want to kiss the woman who’s driven me mad from the moment I first met her. But lust isn’t logical. She’s temptation and lust all wrapped into one, and for once, I’m dying to give in to it.
“You’re right about that,” I say, my voice low.
“I want to.”
“Why do I want to give you what you want for once?” My thumb traces over her cupid’s bow before running along her top lip. Her lips part even wider. I continue my path down, pushing her bottom lip as her saliva coats the pad of my thumb.
I’m about to trap her mouth with mine when she takes me by surprise. Her mouth opens even wider. I let my thumb slide deeper into her mouth, feeling the scrape of her teeth against my skin.
Her lips close around my thumb. My cock stirs as I imagine her in the exact same position but with my cock between her eager lips.
The moment her tongue runs along the pad of my thumb, I’m pushing off the quilt and getting as far away from her as possible.
21
PIPPA
My body freezes as I watch him rush away from me. I can’t move. My entire body is flushed, and my lips are still parted as if they were closing around his thick, calloused thumb.
It feels like freezing cold water has been thrown on me, and I don’t know how to react.
I was about to let Camden Hunter kiss me. In fact, I think I was close to begging for him to press his lips against mine just once. I lost total control of myself the moment he got too close to me.
The entire day has felt different. Hate was mixing with lust, and when I felt his breath hot on my cheeks, I forgot every reason why I shouldn’t let him kiss me and only focused on the one reason he should—because for one moment, there was nothing more I wanted than to know what he tastes like.