Loving the Secret Billionaire (Love at Last #1)(13)

His grunt turned into a long, low moan as his hands tightened on me—waist first, then down to palm my bottom, shifting me until I felt him, right there, his desire explicit beneath me.

I opened my eyes and pulled far enough away to hover above him, our noses almost touching.

“You like it?”

He made an asthmatic groan, which morphed into a laugh. “Jesus, woman. I had no idea.”

Slowly, as I let my forehead fall just enough to lean on his, the outside world returned on a wave of honeysuckle-scented air. It was dark out, which surprised me. How long had we sat here doing this?

“I didn’t either,” I managed, out of breath. “I didn’t know kissing could be like this.”

“Really?” Was that pride in his voice? It should be.

“It was the most amazing kiss I’ve ever experienced. Sensual, I guess. Like, I don’t know, like jumping into a vat of you instead of just touching faces.”

His body shook with laughter and I leaned into it like I’d wanted to do earlier—before we’d touched. I wrapped my arms around his sturdy middle and soaked in his happy sounds, keenly aware of how different this was from every other sexual encounter I’d ever had. It was closer, deeper, more meaningful—at least for me.

That thought had me pulling back, with the sudden, urgent need to define this.

“What…” I shifted farther away and his hands landed on my hips, steadying me in a way that I wanted more of. Although I shouldn’t. I’d had almost no time with this man. This was pure madness. “What are…” I puffed out a frustrated breath and got off him entirely, immediately missing the warmth and solidity of his body around mine. “We should…go on a date.”

“Out, you mean?” He sounded unhappy.

“It doesn’t have to be a big deal. And it would be on me, since I asked, it’s just—”

“No.”

I didn’t immediately notice that he was breathing hard.

“Okay.”

“Maybe we could work up to it,” he conceded.

I laughed outright and plunked into my chair. “We’re gonna do it backwards, then? Is that the plan? Start with kissing, move on to second base and then get to know each other?”

“I didn’t mean it that way. I don’t really go out. That’s all.”

“Okay.”

“I could make you dinner, though.”

“Really?”

“Would that be close enough to a date for you?”

“I’d like that.” I thought of something. “Your fridge was pretty full for someone who doesn’t go out.”

“You have heard of the internet, right, Ms. Cruz?”

“Right.”

“You eat meat?”

I nodded before catching myself. “I do.”

“You free tonight?”

“I should really head back out. I haven’t even been to Southwood yet.”

“It’s late. And Southwood’s on the other side of town.”

If I caught a bus right away, I could probably hit a few houses. Maybe.

“Let me cook you dinner.”

I really, really didn’t want to go anywhere.

I sucked in a long, shaky breath, opened my mouth—

My phone rang.

I didn’t even glance at the number. “Hello?”

“You coming to Southwood tonight? We’ve got a crew here, ready to go.”

Crap. It was my campaign manager.

“Yes.” I did my best to sound chipper, responsible. Solid, like the candidate I was supposed to be. Not some fly-by-night who stayed for dinner at a cute voter’s house. “Heading over there now.”

I hung up and looked at Zach, expecting him to be mad or irritated or whatever my previous boyfriends would have been.

“Not easily bribed,” he said with a half-smile. “I like that in a candidate.”

I had to smile back.

We said an awkward goodbye at his front door without touching again. Which was probably for the best, though I had to admit that I wanted more.

I was on the bus when I got his text.

You at Southwood yet?

No! I just left! You must miss me.

I do.

I giggled and blushed, then glanced around to make sure no one had seen me. What was happening to me?

I take it you don’t know about playing hard to get.

I could envision his face when I read his next text.

You said earlier we were doing this all wrong, starting with the kissing. Wrong seems to work for us, so why stop now?

Even his texts were giving me that thing—that fluttery chest, heavy belly thing.

What should I say in response? I was staring at the phone when another text came in.

Come for dinner tomorrow?

I checked my calendar.

Nothing open until Thursday.

I’ll take it.

You’re on.

That made my belly flip-flop like crazy. Three days until I saw him again.

I almost got lost canvassing that evening with Zach on my mind. I kept thinking about his smile and that low sound he’d made when we kissed. His smell, too, and that magical, undeniable zing of something between us.

How was I going to make it until Thursday?

Yeah. I liked the guy. A lot. Like a lot a lot. It was exciting and fun, but it also scared the crap out of me.