“You did not. Was he mad?”
“I set it to turn off at around 6:00 a.m. He was surprisingly happy the next day.”
“Subliminal message. Nice.” I hold my fist out to him, and we bump. The timer dings, and I set the tray on top of the stove to cool. “Now we decorate.” I grin at Conrad.
“Let’s do it.”
Side by side, we begin to ice and decorate the cookies. I’m glad that everyone will be here tomorrow. If the two of us were to eat all of these, they’d have to roll us out of here. I’m focused on dropping sprinkles on the outline of the heart I’m decorating, which is the only reason I don’t see his finger coming until it’s too late. I yell out in surprise as Conrad swipes icing down my cheek. “No, you didn’t.” I laugh, grabbing a towel and wiping at my face.
Swiping my index finger through the bowl of icing, I hold it up so he can see it. “Payback.” I grin and step around the counter. He retreats, which means I have to chase after him. He takes off toward the living room with me hot on his trail. He moves around the couch, and I jump over the back to get to him. It would have worked too, but he’s much bigger and stronger than I am. While I was gaining my footing, he had his arms wrapped around me from behind and my finger with the dollop of icing in his mouth.
When his lips wrap around my finger, and his tongue goes to work, removing the icing, every single nerve in my body is awakened. I stop squirming and lean against him. His grip tightens as he pulls me closer to his chest. The heat of him sears my back even through his sweatshirt that I’m wearing.
“Delicious,” he whispers huskily after letting my finger drop from his mouth. I feel his hot breath against my neck, and I will him to kiss me.
Anywhere.
Everywhere.
My breath stalls in my lungs as I wait to see what he’s going to do. The song changes to WALK THE MOON’s “Shut Up and Dance,” and I feel his lips next to my ear. His hot breath sending tingles down my spine.
“Dance with me.” His words are whispered, but they are not a request. They’re a command as he takes my hand in his and spins me out from his chest. Laughter bubbles up inside of me, and when he pulls me back in so we are now chest to chest, I can’t help but smile up at him. “Show me what you got, Steele,” he murmurs.
Something Conrad might not know about me is that I love to dance. Not one to ever turn down the opportunity to do something I love, I begin to sway my hips. His hands guide me as we move to the beat. He dips me low over his arm and spins me around before releasing me and going into the sprinkler. I’m laughing so hard it steals the breath from my lungs, but I keep on dancing as I gasp for air, watching him and his impressive moves.
“Is that the best you’ve got, Riggins?” I break out in the running man and watch in fascination as he throws his head back and roars with laughter. One song leads to another as we go back and forth, trying to one-up each other with our ridiculous over-the-top dance moves. It’s the most fun I’ve had in years, if not ever with a man.
When Brantley Gilbert’s “Let it Ride” comes on, the atmosphere changes. We’re no longer dancing to silly fast songs, and this one slows things down. I take a step back to put some space between us, but Conrad has other ideas. His arms snake around my waist, and he pulls me close to his chest, his hands resting low on my back, just above my ass. Neither one of us says a word as Brantley croons about being caught up in the moment and letting it ride. I couldn’t have chosen the lyrics better if I had written them myself.
Without conscious thought, I rest my head against his chest, and his arms hold me close. I listen to the lyrics of the song as it plays out how I’m feeling at this moment. It’s like fate knows we’re both fighting this attraction between us. I’m not blind. Even though I’ve been pretending that I don’t see it, I know he’s feeling the same desire I am. I see it in his eyes.
When I feel his lips press to the top of my head, I move from my position resting against his chest, and peer up at him. His hands that were holding me close move to cradle my face in the palm of his hands. His brown eyes are intense as they take me in. He looks to my lips and then back to my eyes. I recognize his intentions, and if he’s waiting for me to stop him, he’s going to be waiting a long time. I want this. I’ll think about the consequences later. Besides, it’s just a kiss.
Conrad leans in, and I want him to know I want this, so I stand on my tiptoes and bring us even closer together. His eyes darken, and I close my eyes, waiting for the press of his lips against mine.
He doesn’t disappoint me.
When our lips finally touch, it’s a feeling I’ve never experienced, almost as if I’m home. His lips are familiar and new all at the same time. My hands snake up around his neck and run through his hair. I give it a gentle tug, and he moans, deepening the kiss as his tongue slides past my lips.
He’s taller than me, so we’re at an awkward angle, and I wish I were taller. Conrad either feels my struggle or needs me closer too. Either way, the end result is him gripping my ass and lifting me in the air. Without being told, I wrap my arms and legs around him like a spider monkey, and the thought that I never want to let go filters through my mind.
I’m so distracted from our kiss that I don’t realize we are moving until he sets me on the kitchen counter. Keeping my legs locked around his waist, I use them as leverage and pull him as close to me as I can get him. He’s wearing lounge pants, and I’m in leggings, so I can feel him—every inch of him between my thighs. His lips trail down my neck, and the hussy that I am for him, I tilt my head to the side, giving him all the access he needs. He doesn’t get far due to his sweatshirt, and I’m cursing my idea to wear it today.
It doesn’t seem to deter him as his lips once again capture mine, and our tongues dance to the beat of the song. My hands roam over his back as his slide under his sweatshirt I’m wearing. His hands are warm and sure as they trail over my stomach to cup my breasts. I moan from somewhere deep inside, and I can’t find it in me to be ashamed. It’s been too damn long since I’ve had a man’s hands on me, and this isn’t just any man. This is Conrad Riggins, and if I wasn’t willing to admit it before, I have no choice now.
I’m falling for him.
Reaching for the hem of the shirt I’m wearing, I’m ready to tear it from my body so I can feel his skin against mine. However, before I get that far, my cell phone starts to ring. Conrad slows our kiss and eventually stopping altogether as he rests his forehead against mine.
“We don’t have to answer that,” he tells me as he labors to catch his breath. The ringing stops, and he grins. “They read my mind.” He moves in for another kiss, only for my phone to ring again. He sighs, presses a chaste kiss to my lips, and steps out of my hold to retrieve my phone from the island. “Your mom,” he says, handing me the phone.
With shaking hands, I accept the call, placing the phone to my ear. “Hey, Mom.”
“Aspen, how are you holding up?”
“Fine. We’re snowed in, but Conrad is hopeful that the snowplows will get us dug out today. It finally stopped snowing.”
“That’s what your sister just told me. Your dad and I are on our way to Nashville now. Is there anything that you need us to do at the bakery or bring with us?”