Wild Chance (Wilder Irish #13) - Mari Carr Page 0,22

certainly hadn’t gone the way he’d expected. He’d come here intent on helping her find a way to navigate the murky waters of dating. He wanted her to be happy, wanted that more than he could say. And if reentering the dating world was what she wanted, then he wanted it for her.

But instead of him coaching her, she’d sat down on that couch beside him and…given him exactly what he needed. A chance to talk out so many things he’d kept bottled up inside for years.

They shared a bond—grieving those they’d lost—and he’d never felt closer to her than he did in this moment.

“Thanks for tonight, Paddy. I’ve missed you the last couple of months, since the fire and the trip.”

He nodded, trying to return the friendly smile she was giving him, but he couldn’t do it. That “something else” was dragging him over the line into uncharted territory again.

If he was a good friend, he’d thank her for the beer, the pizza, the conversation, and he’d walk out.

“I might be a lousy small-talk coach, but there’s one thing I can help you with,” he said.

“What’s that?”

He reached out and cupped her cheeks. “The good-night kiss.”

“Paddy…” she started.

If she intended to say something else, he didn’t give her the chance. He couldn’t.

He lowered his head, his lips finding hers.

He kept the kiss gentle, an exploration, a soft stroking, more glancing touches than true kisses. Emmy didn’t try to pull away. Instead, she lifted her hands to his shoulders, resting them there lightly as if waiting to see where he was going to take them next.

He turned his head slightly to deepen the kiss, pushing her lips open with his, tongue searching for hers. She met him halfway, their breath mingling. He slowly built the kiss, twisting their bodies as he did so, until Emmy’s back was pressed against the door.

He pushed closer, needing to feel more than just her soft lips. His chest was tight against her breasts, his legs tangled with hers, his left thigh shifting ever closer to her pussy.

Emmy lifted her hands from his shoulders, gripping his hair almost desperately, using the grasp to keep his lips on hers, her breaths coming more rapidly.

His hands drifted from her cheeks to the sides of her neck, his thumb brushing the pulse point there.

Her heart was racing. So was his.

She rotated her hips, just slightly. An invitation for him to rub his thigh against her more firmly. She gasped when he applied pressure just where she needed it most.

A growl rumbled low in his throat when she tried to turn her head to suck in some much-needed air. “Paddy,” she said, breathlessly.

He wasn’t finished with the kiss. Not by a long shot.

He twisted her face back to his and kissed her again. All traces of gentleness were gone now. This kiss was rough, demanding.

Jesus. Padraig had never kissed a woman like this before.

It was passion, hunger, desire. Agony.

That was when he realized Emmy’s hands were back on his shoulders. Only this time, she was pushing him away.

Padraig broke off the kiss and—while it wasn’t easy—forced himself to take a step away.

“Em,” he whispered, awareness dawning slowly. “I didn’t mean—”

“I know,” she interrupted, her smile sweet but sad. “That’s why I stopped. It makes sense, Paddy. After all, we spent the whole night talking about Mia. I’m sure it brought up some feelings…maybe loneliness?” she suggested. “And you reached out.”

She thought he’d kissed her because he missed Mia?

He’d intended to say he hadn’t meant to be so rough.

Before he could correct her, she continued, “I’m glad I could be here for you, but I don’t think…we can’t let it go any further. I mean, I don’t…I can’t…”

He watched as she fought for the words to say what she was thinking. He was having the same problem himself, struggling to explain his actions, his feelings.

He was reeling from that kiss.

Finally, he let them both off the hook. “It’s okay, Emmy. I let that go way too far, too fast. Maybe we should take a big step back from this.” He started to add, “for now,” but stopped himself.

She nodded, clearly relieved he was giving her a reprieve. “I’ll see you at the soft opening on Friday,” she said.

He didn’t like the idea of not seeing her for nearly a week, but given the current cyclone of emotions ravaging his insides, it was probably a good idea for him to take some time to figure his shit out.

“See you Friday.” He