Paige looks away from me, her cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red. I can't help but stare at her though. The way her rich, dark hair contrasts with the smooth paleness of her skin is breathtaking to me. With the soft curve of her upturned nose and her full, naturally red lips, her face might look a little too soft. A little too delicate. To some, she might look like a meek, or perhaps mousy, woman.
If that's what people see when they look at Paige Samuels, they'd be underestimating her – by a long stretch. She has that soft, girl-next-door appeal, but I know that if pushed, she packs one hell of a punch – verbally speaking, of course. It's an unexpected quality she has that only makes her that much more charming. That fire in her spirit and personality, that cutting wit and passion that burns in her eyes makes her so damn compelling. She's like catnip to me.
Of course, being a warm-blooded man, I also can't help but notice her skirt, which rises up above her knee and shows off just the right amount of thigh. Her skin looks just as smooth on her lower body as it does on her face. And as I look at her, I realize that I'm dying to touch her, to see if her skin really is as soft as it looks.
She catches me staring and pulls down her skirt a little, hiding that delicious bit of flesh from my sight. At the same time, I can see the trace of a smile form on her face. There's so much about this woman that remains a mystery to me. So much I don't know. So much I want to know.
What's confounding to me though, is how drawn I feel to her. How intoxicating it is to be around her. This isn't some quick rebound hook-up. My attraction to her is not because I'm still stung over Brittany's betrayal. Yeah, that sting is still there, but what I feel when I look at – hell, when I think about – Paige, is something entirely different. Completely divorced from the foul residue Brittany left stuck to my heart.
What I feel for Paige is complicated. And it's scary. I'm not sure I'm even ready for something as strong as what I feel for her. But, then, there's nothing wrong with taking things slow. Dipping my toes in the water first, before diving into the deep end of things, so to speak.
Hell, I don't even know what she's thinking or feeling. This could be something that exists only in my own mind. But, I think it's worth it to find out.
“You really are a beautiful woman, Paige Samuels,” I say.
“I really ought to get back to work,” she replies, her voice sounding almost breathless.
“Yeah, because it's so busy in here,” I say, glancing around at the empty bookstore. “I'd hate to keep your customers waiting.”
Paige flinches at the words and a shadowed look crosses her face. I fear that in my attempt to be funny, I'd hit her well below the belt and struck a nerve. She turns and looks around the store as well, a sadness filling her eyes. I don't need to be a mind reader to know what she's thinking, and I suddenly regret the cheap shot I'd taken.
Without thinking, I reach out and stroke her cheek – the yearning to feel what her alabaster skin feels like too much to bear. As I run my fingertips across her skin, I smile. It's every bit as soft and smooth as it looks. Our eyes meet, and she doesn't pull away like I'd expected her to. Instead, she actually leans into my touch.
Feeling more than a little emboldened, I lean forward and press my mouth to hers. A soft, muffled whimper escapes her lips and at first, I think she's going to push me away. But, as our tongues meet, swirling and dancing with one another, her hands find their way to my chest. She clenches and unclenches her hands on me, almost as if she can't decide whether to slap me or continue kissing me. She soon settles on the latter, and our kiss deepens, a fire of passion inside of me bursting to life.
Her mouth is warm, and she tastes like chai tea – which, with all the cinnamon and nutmeg flavoring, happens to be one of my favorite drinks. She has good tastes in beverages, and I devour her mouth, savoring the deliciousness of the chai, as well as her kiss.
It only lasts a second longer, though. Paige pulls away, suddenly, and stares up at me with wide eyes and a strange look on her face. Having had just the smallest taste of her, I want more. A lot more. I lean forward again, but she puts her hands on my chest and holds me back.
“If somebody hadn't already beaten you up, I'd smack the shit out of you for that,” she says.
There's a smile on her lips that spreads to her eyes, and I know she doesn't mean it. I know she enjoyed it every bit as much as I did.
“If you hated it so much,” I start, “why'd you kiss me back?”
Her cheeks turn an unnatural shade of red. “I didn't – you just caught me off guard.”
“You know, there's nothing wrong with a kiss,” I say. “Lots of people enjoy them.”
The taste of her lips still on mine, as well the electricity and adrenaline coursing through my body fills me with a powerful, erotic energy. An energy that fuels a sudden desire to taste other parts of her. For the last ten years or so, I'd only been with one woman – a woman who, as it turns out, didn't deserve my loyalty. Brittany had been having fun and fucking every Tom, Dick, and Harry out there. And all the while, I'd remained a good, loyal husband to her, forsaking her for nobody else.
But now I am free. I'm free to explore wants and desires that had long been forgotten – but are now surfacing once again. Free to be sexual with anyone that I want. But, I'm finding that the only woman to catch my eye in that regard is Paige. She's the only one who really seems to light the fire inside of me.
“There's a lot wrong with it,” Paige counters. “Because I'm not interested in you like that.”
Her words feel like a kick in the nuts, but I'm not convinced by them alone. More than once, I've caught her looking at me in the same way I look at her. Maybe it's just a case of projection and she means what she says. But, I'm not a man who gives up that easily. I'm not a man who simply gives up when somebody says no.
“Oh, you're not interested in me, huh?” I tease. “Because your tongue in my mouth said otherwise.”
I know I don't want to rush into anything serious. I know that dating someone else, so soon, is probably a mistake. For a lot of reasons. Mostly because I know I'm not ready to fling open the gates and let myself trust somebody implicitly again.
But, there's nothing wrong with exploring my interest in somebody. To see if it's valid and real. And if it is, there's nothing wrong with taking things slowly and seeing how it all unfolds and develops.
“I said – you caught me off-guard,” she continues to argue.
She's not angry as she speaks, and she's not condemning me – even though she's trying to act that way. I can tell that she's amused. Hell, judging by the way she's licking her lips and looking at me with that slow smolder in those beautiful dark eyes of hers, I swear she wants me to kiss her again.
So, I do.
I step forward and kiss her again. And just like before, her tongue and mine meet and I hear the soft whimper coming from her throat. Our tongues writhe sensually with one another in her mouth and her hands are on my chest, balled up into fists as she again tries to decide between pulling me closer or pushing me away. I can sense the struggle in her – can sense that she's fighting with some of the same things I am.
My heart is pounding as our kiss grows in intensity. This is the first woman I've kissed in more than ten years other than Brittany. And I want to savor it. Make it last. I don't want it to end.
As the fire inside of me burns brighter, I feel my cock stiffen and I want more. I take Paige's face into my hands, holding her in place, as I start to move lower. Her mouth tastes like cinnamon and nutmeg and she smells like it too. It's a delightful aroma as I plant a line of soft kisses down the side of her jaw and neck.
“Liam, please –” she groans. “I can't –”
“Yes, Paige,” I say, my voice thick with desire. “You can.”