not doing this because you think you owe me. That’s it. I don’t need to know about your feelings. Except I need to make sure that this isn’t payment.”
A rush of relief filled her.
“It’s not,” she said. “It’s not. I find it very inconvenient that it’s you. That I want you. Because I guess it’s really messy, and it might cause problems. And I didn’t really want to be in that position, and I didn’t want you to be in that position either. I guess there’s not really anything either of us can do about it. I mean, attraction is what it is, and I... I’m not paying for the bakery with this. I would rather that I felt this way about some guy in a bar. Or maybe a family friend, like it was for Rose. Not that I mean... I’m going to stop talking now.”
So she did. So she went up on her toes and pressed her mouth to his. For the first time in her life.
Sensation exploded inside of her. Need. Longing.
His lips were hot and firm beneath hers, and she was nearly panicked with just how much it made her feel. How did anyone survive this?
He was motionless, but only for a moment. Then he growled, tightening his arms around her and nearly lifting her up off the ground as he angled his head and consumed her.
Her heart was thundering wildly, desperation clawing at her.
This was why people went crazy over a person. She had never understood it.
She had watched Pansy turn her well-ordered life over for West. Had seen Rose and Logan risk breaking the family apart in order to be together. Had watched Ryder and Sammy nearly consume each other with the desperation of their passion and the fierceness of their need to deny it. But she hadn’t understood.
Hadn’t understood how it could make you so crazy. So gosh darn crazy.
But she did now. She understood it. She did.
Because his tongue was tracing black magic spells over hers, and his mouth was firm and perfect. Because she hadn’t even understood why she would want to kiss a man like this, all deep and slick, and in an instant he had brought her into a state of full awareness and understanding.
Because his hands were large and warm as they pressed hard against her back, and made her feel fragile, but shielded, strong and desired all at once.
Iris had never experienced any sort of particular magic in her life.
Her world had been all about practical things. About survival and coping, about giving and learning how to press on when it was necessary.
But this made the case for fairy dust. For the mystical. For the unexplained.
This made a case for miracles. This man’s kiss.
And the fact that he was holding her in his arms.
She didn’t know what she thought seduction might entail. Perhaps more talking. Perhaps her removing some clothing. What she hadn’t counted on was that he would seduce her. Completely. Fully.
Her breasts felt heavy, her nipples pointed into painful buds. And between her legs, there was a raw, hollow ache that seemed to echo inside of her, going on endlessly.
She wanted him. She wanted him more than she could explain. More than she had anticipated.
She didn’t know what she had thought it might be. It had been gauzy and unclear in her head. A tangle of feelings inside of her. An increased heart rate, the barest hint of sensation shivering over her skin when he looked at her. When he got near.
Her stomach getting tight, her heart turning over.
But this was something else entirely. An explosion.
Blooming heat in her stomach, slick need between her legs. Decorum was completely demolished. In her mind, she could already see them, naked and tangled together. And the idea of it didn’t frighten her. Didn’t embarrass her at all.
She suddenly wanted things that she had never even imagined before. Desired him in a way she had thought... Well, that she hadn’t even thought of before.
She could see how you might do anything for another person. How you would crave any touch, any tastes. Whatever their hands, their mouth would offer.
And how you would want to give it in return.
It was all blindingly clear. Just from a kiss.
But suddenly, he was pulling away from her, dragging in deep gulps of air, his muscular chest pitching violently with each indrawn breath.
“What?”
“No,” he said. “This isn’t happening.”
“Why?”
She sounded petulant and small, and she felt utterly defeated. Because everything had been there. Like a