Today I’m over at Under the Covers…sorta. With a friend. Making amends. 🙂

“You…”

Her pupils spiked, flared and she sucked in a desperate breath.

She swayed closer, and logically, Joss knew it wasn’t because she was suddenly overcome, like he was. She didn’t know him–he would have known it if she had.  But she was closer, and she was there, and he could feel the warmth of her, feel her and damn it, he was just too fucking weak.

Groaning, he dipped his head and pressed his lips to hers.

He was fully prepared for the fact that she was going to haul off and belt him.

He was fully prepared for her to jerk away and scream.

What he wasn’t prepared for was for her to sigh against his lips, then open her mouth for him.

What he wasn’t prepared for was for her hands to come up, curl in the front of his shirt, tugging him closer.

But that was what she did and the top of his head almost came off as he caught the first hint of her taste.

The tip of her tongue stroked along his lower lip before pushing into his mouth.  He nipped it gently and returned the favor, stroking her tongue with his, tracing the outline of her mouth with his. She moved closer, her hands moving down to his waist, tugging him closer still and Joss figured maybe it might be okay to touch her, too.

Fisting one hand in the back of her shirt, he used the other hand on her braid and tugged, angled her head farther back.  She was long, and lean, fitting so perfectly against him and he fucking loved it.

Long and lean, but soft, too, cradling his so perfectly. He could feel the curve of her belly, her breasts, all of her and it was fan-fucking-tastic.  Under her shirt, he could feel the silken warmth of her back and he wanted to drag the shirt away, learn all the curves and hollows and sweet delights of her body.

Damn it.  He needed more.  Couldn’t wait to peel her out of those clothes and get her naked–

“Mommy, look, they’re kissing!”

The high-pitched laughter managed to penetrate the drunken fog of need that wrapped around his head and Joss lifted his head, staring into those pale green eyes for an endless moment.  By the time he’d slanted a look over, the little girl was being herded away by a grinning set of parents.

In the two seconds it took to check out their potential audience, his potential partner decided to extricate herself from his hands and Joss wanted to howl.

He felt empty–needed to haul her back against him, but how he could he explain that?

“Ah…” She stared at him, a rosy blush staining her cheeks.

He figured he could say something to help with the embarrassment he knew she was feeling, but he wasn’t exactly sure what he should say.  If he lied and apologized, she’d know.  He wasn’t so far gone he’d forgotten about that buzz he’d felt in her brain.

He’d have to be careful here.  Very careful.

She continued to stare at him, her head half-lowered so that she watched him through her lashes.

“If you’re waiting for me to apologize, we’re probably going to have a problem,” he finally said.  “If I said it, I’d be lying.  You’d know it.”

She lifted a brow.  Simple.  Eloquent.

“Have dinner with me.” Fuck the case.  He was still trying to wrap his head around the mess that Jillian had thrown into his brain and he could take a few more hours to adjust, right?

“That’s not possible, Mr…?”

Shit, what name was he using… “Baldwin,” he said, just grabbing one of his aliases out of the air.  “Why not?”

“I’m spoken for.”  She lifted a hand and glanced down at it, scowling at the pale strip on her finger.

He reached out and caught her hand, rubbing his thumb over the area where the ring had rested.  He remembered now… that odd dream.  The vision.  Seeing her staring at the ring, snarling like a caged beast as she tore the bit of jewelry from her hand and threw it.  Seeing the rage on her face.  “He doesn’t make you happy.”

Tugging her closer, he slid his free hand up her arm, cupped her cheek.  “He doesn’t even know much about you, does he?” He brushed his thumb across the satin of her skin and thought about kissing her again.

“No.  And that’s probably for the best,” she whispered, tipping her head back and staring at him.  “Look, this is all terribly…well. It’s quite intriguing, and I wish I’d met you a year or two ago, but I’m engaged and that’s all there is to it.”

Joss grinned at her.  “Is it?”  Dipping his head, he pressed his mouth to hers.  “Will you do one thing?”

“What?”

He shuddered as he felt her lips moving against his.  “Tell me your name.”

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