All I Ever Need Is You (The Sullivans #14)(45)

Unfortunately, he dragged his mouth from hers a few moments later. “Forget my guys outside. Swear to God, if I didn’t think this room would actually cave in around us, I’d already be inside of you.”

Her breath caught in her throat at his wickedly hot words.

“That sound is going to fuel my fantasies for a hell of a long time. Especially,” he said as he bent his head to her neck, “if I can get you to make it again right now.”

The delicious feel of his stubble along the sensitive underside of her chin as he nipped and kissed her easily had her gasping with pleasure. But instead of pulling her closer, he put his hands on her shoulders and made both of them take a step back.

“I’ll never forgive myself if I get us both killed here tonight. Or if anyone walks in on us and sees you like this.” His eyes were impossibly dark and intense. “Your passion, your sensuality—they’re all mine, Kerry. Mine.”

She took a deep breath, and then another, knowing he was right and that they should behave more prudently. But after a lifetime of prudence, it was a lovely thing, frankly, to be risky every now and again.

Especially when it felt like he was hers, too.

“Besides,” he added while she tried to get a grip on herself, “I wasn’t kidding about my guys. I’d bet money on the fact that right now they’re all talking about how gorgeous you are and what a lucky sonofabitch I am to get to spend even five minutes alone with you.”

She would have blushed if her skin hadn’t already been so flushed from his kisses. “They’re just happy about the food.”

“You really don’t have the first clue, do you? No idea at all how beautiful or how sexy you are.”

He brushed the pad of one thumb over her lips, and it was the most natural thing in the world for her to lick out against it, making him growl low in his throat as he barely managed to hold himself back. She did it again, partly because she wanted him so bad, but also because a secret part inside of her thrilled at knowing she could turn a man like Adam inside out with nothing more than the flick of her tongue against his skin.

“Just so you know, I’m using up every ounce of my self-control right now. You’d better prepare yourself, because things are going to get crazy once I finally get you naked.”

She smiled so big her cheeks hurt. “I can’t wait.” And when he smiled back, just as big, she said, “I missed you this week.” Her week would have been perfect if only he’d been a part of it.

“I wanted to cancel all of my meetings this week,” he told her. “But I knew you didn’t want me to be sitting in on all of yours.”

She laughed, enjoying the picture of Adam crashing her client meetings, her weddings. He would be the very definition of a bull in a china shop. Despite that, she knew she would love every minute of having him there.

“Actually, it was really fun having you at the wedding on Sunday. Even if,” she added, “my mother wasn’t too pleased with me for kicking up my heels with one of the guests for a few minutes. I’m sorry if she made you feel at all uncomfortable. I’m sure she didn’t mean to be quite so...” Judgmental was the right word, but she hated even saying it out loud to Adam now that she knew the real man behind the gorgeous face and charming grin. “So protective of me. She’s always been like that with me and Colleen.”

“Trust me,” he said, “with a little sister and a zillion female cousins who are too pretty for their own good, if there’s one thing I get, it’s being overprotective. The only thing that would have upset me about my conversation with your mother would have been if she wasn’t worried about you. Of course she wants the best for you.”

“It’s just...” Kerry had never told Adam about her father. She’d never really spoken to anyone about him, actually, not even close friends. Somehow, everyone had understood that the topic was off-limits. But when she was with Adam, all those usual limits just seemed to disappear. “My father walked out on us when I was a little girl. Just up and left. I don’t know why. I don’t even know if my mother knows exactly why. I guess he was just bored with having a family. And we never heard from him again. That’s why my mom built her business—to save us. And that’s also why she’s always been so adamant about me and Colleen not getting involved with the wrong guy, because it’s exactly what she did.”

Adam gently stroked her cheek. “All parents should want their kids to have everything—especially the things they were never able to have themselves. Since love betrayed her, I can see why she wouldn’t want it to do a number on you, too.”

Relief washed over her that he understood so well. “It may also have been the first time she’s ever seen me dancing with a man anywhere near as good-looking as you.”

“Were those her exact words,” he asked with a grin, “or just your take on things?”

“Sometimes I forget that your head is already big enough.” But she couldn’t help laughing with him.

“Speaking of your mom,” he said a moment later, “do the two of you co-own the business?”

“No. Why do you ask?”

“You said something at the wedding that made it sound as if you were still running it with her.”

“My mother loved running the business, but being responsible for creating—and executing—one of the best days of people’s lives isn’t exactly the least stressful career in the world. Colleen was never interested, but since I clearly was, when I graduated from business school, my mother tried to give it to me.”