“I’m so gonna tell your mom,” she teased as she looked from side to side, assumedly judging which way would provide the faster escape. His competitive streak wouldn’t allow for that, but he’d wait to catch her and rub in his speediness before informing her that she’d never win this game.
He advanced another step. “While you’re at it, tell her about the Christmas card, too.”
“Ah!” She darted to his right side, and while he went to block her path around the island, it turned out she wasn’t escaping but arming herself. She scooped up a handful of mini M&Ms and cocked her arm.
Hmm. Dodge, launch a sugary counterattack of his own, or open his mouth and let the Candy Gods sort it out?
The rapid rise and fall of her chest as her breath quickened wasn’t helping his tactical skills. After a couple of seconds, she picked out a single M&M and demanded him to open up. Expecting a trap, his muscles coiled, ready to spring, but he did as instructed.
After firing—and landing—one in his mouth, she tossed the rest into hers and crunched on the candies. “Between the marshmallows and M&Ms, I think we’re safe.”
Interesting. He felt anything but safe right now. He closed the gap between them with one long stride and arched an eyebrow. “Is that your way of calling a truce?”
She nodded. “Truce.” Her chin lifted a couple more inches so she could peer at his face, keying him in to the fact that he was looming over her. Surprising how all that attitude, humor, kindness, and scientific knowledge could be packed into such a tiny body.
A short, curvy body that kept causing his pulse to thunder and his common sense to go on a vacation of its own. Had time halted or was this one of those moments of clarity that held enough weight to draw it out longer?
His gaze dipped to her lips. Whoever was in control of his body lifted his arm. He pressed his thumb to the corner of her mouth and used it to wipe away the frosting that’d stuck there.
“Oh jeez.” Her tongue darted out, swiping that same spot he’d touched, and he just stood there, unable to move. “Pretty sure that’s evidence enough that I fail at being sexy. And maybe I have to accept that’s just not one of my sides or whatever. But come on, I’m hardly boring.”
Her eyes sought his, as if she needed confirmation.
On impulse, he lifted his thumb to his own mouth and sucked it clean of the frosting.
Sugary-sweet, just like her.
Her lips parted with a ragged breath, and his cock twitched. Regardless of the fuzziness that’d invaded his entire body, he needed to say something—without giving away too much.
“I’ve never been bored with you, that’s for sure.” He swallowed, hard. “As for that other part, I think we have some sexy pills around here somewhere. One bite and the spell some asshole put on you to make you think something so foolish will be broken.”
Blindly he reached back, aiming for the bowls of candy. Only his hand found frosting instead. “Damn it,” he muttered, shaking off bits of the green goop that looked remarkably like the face mask Julie had forced upon him the other night. So much for his smooth delivery. “That was supposed to go differently. The point is, it’s all in your head, babe. You’re really fucking sexy. Just trust me on that.”
For several seconds, he didn’t think she would respond. Was she even breathing? Blinking? Had the poisonous mistletoe cookies kicked in?
The silence was nearing frantic territory when her eyes flicked to the green frosting on his fingertips. He was about to wipe the mess on his pants, but then her fingers circled his wrist. She lifted his arm and studied his hand like she’d never seen one before.
Another inch higher, and time ground to a halt as she flicked her tongue over the pad of his greenest fingertip. “Since you helped me with my frosting issue,” she rasped.
With his hand already poised next to the lower lip he couldn’t stop obsessing over, he gave in to the urge to drag his thumb over it, the softness and the accompanying dilating pupils completely hypnotizing.
A heated exhale whispered across his wrist as he continued down, down, down until his palm rested against the side of her neck.
“Looks like I didn’t quite get it all, though.” He drew her closer, eradicating all but the last inch of space between their mouths. He held the intimate position for a beat, giving her a chance to pull away if she wanted to. Then he angled his head and flicked his tongue over the corner that was perfectly clean but hadn’t been taste-tested yet.
“Well, now you have some on your lip.” Her tongue darted out, the tip barely hitting the seam of his mouth. The low mmm noise that followed the featherlight touch left his throat sandpaper dry.
Usually Julie was the one who analyzed, applied logic, and kept them out of trouble. He should return the favor, but his thoughts weren’t sticking properly. A haze of lust shrouded his mind, and instead of attempting to clear it, he wanted to sink in and live in this dream for a while.
Doubt crept into her expression, his formerly unsure best friend rising once again, and that wouldn’t do. Besides, didn’t they owe it to themselves to see if they had any chemistry? Maybe acting on his impulse would confirm they were better as friends, and they’d blow it off as a cleaning session that went too far.
His delusional brain grasped onto the iffy logic, and he slid his hand from the side of her neck to cup the nape of it. The world narrowed to her mouth and his, and then he was guiding her face to his, testing the limits of their dangerous game.
The fuse on his nerve endings lit up like a sparkler, burning fast and bright. She parted her lips, and boom. No going back after an explosion like that. His tongue swept inside as if it already knew its way around and couldn’t wait to get reacquainted.
Both of her hands gripped fistfuls of his shirt at either side of his waist, and she tipped onto her toes. As she draped her entire body over the front of his, she amped up her level of participation. Each stroke and corresponding moan sent him circling higher and higher.
A grunt slipped out when the resistance of his shoulder brace prevented him from reaching around and planting a hand on her ass to press her even closer, so he pivoted her around and against the counter to gain more traction and control.
As they continued their give-and-take dance with their mouths, her hands drifted to his chest, over his shoulders. Plastered together, and yet she still wasn’t close enough. She linked her fingers behind his neck and tilted her head a couple more degrees, allowing him to deepen the kiss.
A groan vibrated through him as she rolled her tongue over his, and holy shit, the woman could kiss. A fleeting thought about her ex being a fucking moron flitted through his head, but then she repeated the move, and he lost himself to the euphoric sensations coursing through him on full blast.
He ran his hand down her back, planted a hand on her ass, and heaved her up onto the granite. There. Now he wouldn’t have to stoop so low. Better yet, it allowed him to settle himself between her open thighs.