He moved his head so his words husked in her ear. ‘We can’t be bad sports about this.’
‘We can’t kiss!’ Sluggishness turned into panic. ‘We’ll tell him we’re cousins, or I’ve got a throat infection!’
‘Come on, Mia.’ The smile hovering around his lips told her he was enjoying watching her squirm. ‘One little kiss won’t hurt us as payment for Vincento’s talented singing.’
‘Stop it,’ she hissed in a vehement undertone as he slid her sunglasses off her nose and placed them on her lap. ‘You’re making fun of me. I know you have absolutely no intention of kissing me.’
‘I would never make fun of you.’ The wink Connor sent her made her heart flip. ‘When in Venice, do as the Venetians do!’
Her heart went into overdrive when he focused on her mouth with unmistakably single-minded intent. One hand lifted and slid around her neck and under her ponytail while the other cupped her chin. His thumb brushed down her cheek and grazed the corner of her mouth.
The contact was electric.
Everywhere he touched left her skin tingling and the current arced through her and earthed right at the juncture of her thighs.
Oh, dear Lord. He really was going to kiss her.
Her heart hammered.
Her breaths were rapid and shallow.
Tension knotted inside her and every word of protest jammed in her dry throat.
He’s playing with me. There’s no need to panic. He’ll just deliver a peck and be done with it. I mustn’t let him see I’m rattled … or how much I’d like it to be a real kiss.
As his dark head angled down towards hers, she willed herself to relax; to pretend she was sophisticated and could take all this in her stride. But even anticipating the kiss would be over before it had begun, acute—almost torturous—expectation zapped across every nerve synapse.
His gaze caught and held hers as his head drew closer.
Closing her eyes was supposed to provide her with a screen so he couldn’t see her emotions and guess at her inner turmoil. All it did was make matters worse. It sharpened her senses to the subtle citrus scent of his cologne, the possessive, confident touch of his hands on her skin and the warmth of his breath on the corner of her mouth before it fanned across her lips.
All rational thought was driven from her mind as she found herself leaning towards the warmth, wanting his kiss more than she wanted to draw her next breath, knowing innately that he could unleash his full sensual expertise to make her senses swim.
Oh.
Her lips parted on an exclamation of delight as his mouth settled over hers and began an unhurried, tantalising and feather-light exploration. The pressure may have been gentle, but the heat melding their mouths together seared through her as though he branded her. And, when he increased the pressure of his kisses, she responded to his expert persuasion without any thought of resistance.
Oh wow.
The sweep of his tongue against her lower lip detonated desire deep within her; in a place she’d never recognised as being so achingly hollow. The sensations bombarding her were so amazing she could hardly register them all. Unable to tread water in this deep sea of sensuality, she was pulled along in his tow and swept away from all she’d ever known and towards all she’d hoped to discover.
The world dissolved around her and she became lost to everything but him and the incredibly intimate hint of mint on his tongue as it glided slowly against hers and engaged her in an erotic, evocative dance that was as entrancing as a sorcerer’s spell. Flames danced high around them, whipped up into a passionate tango the likes of which she’d never known.
Mia was a willing captive to the riotous sensations pervading every cell. Her arms reached up of their own volition and thrilled at the tactile delight of having her fingers spear through his thick hair.
As he transferred his attention to nibbling gently on her lower lip, her breasts tingled. They seemed to swell, protesting at being confined and begging for the intimacy of his touch.
It would be heaven if she could simply rid herself of her clothing and offer her pouting breasts to Connor so his mouth