Come To Me (Dare With Me #3) - J.H. Croix Page 0,13

to unlock it.

We didn’t speak and simply looked at each other for a moment. The air felt lit with a charge. “Need some help,” Diego finally asked, a grin teasing at the corners of his mouth.

Startled, I looked down at the paper plate I held in my hand. Cammi had given me a few of the leftover pastries. “I think I can handle it,” I managed when I looked back up into his teasing eyes.

Opening the passenger door, I set the plate on the seat and placed my purse beside it. When I closed the door, I pressed my hands against it, as if it could somehow anchor me while this intense and inconvenient desire for Diego did cartwheels through my body.

I hadn’t noticed that he had walked between our vehicles and was standing only a foot or so away from me. My pulse rioted, and butterflies tickled my belly.

There didn’t happen to be anyone else in the parking lot at the moment, and we were shielded by Diego’s truck from the view of the coffee shop.

“I wanted to kiss you the other day,” he said, his low voice sending a hot shiver over my skin as it prickled with goosebumps.

“You did?” I squeaked.

This was shocking to me, and I didn’t know why. I was always surprised to think anyone might want me. The reasons behind that were something I didn’t like to ponder.

He nodded slowly. “I’d like to kiss you now.”

He stepped a little closer, and air was suddenly hard to come by as my pulse went absolutely wild. I could suddenly think of nothing other than kissing him.

“What do you think about that?” The mere sound of his voice sent sparks pinwheeling through me.

I realized he was giving me an out, but also pushing me to tell him what I wanted. And, oh, how I wanted to kiss him!

I took something like a breath, although it wasn’t much use with my lungs doing a poor job. “I’d like that,” I finally replied in a breathy whisper.

I wasn’t a breathy girl. I was practical and logical and carved my own path in life. I didn’t get all fluttery over a sexy guy who wanted to kiss me. Except, apparently, I did with Diego.

“Let’s test that theory then,” he murmured, taking another step until he was right there in front of me, every masculine, muscled inch of him.

Diego’s presence was a potent force. I could feel all of him, the power and strength contained inside his strong body. He moved, almost lazily. In a corner of my mind, I marveled at him, thinking he must have way more experience at this than me. It was just a kiss.

And we hadn’t even gotten to the kiss yet. The mere anticipation of it had me feeling as if I were leaning on the edge of something, about to topple over. He lifted his hand, his thumb tracing along my jaw and then around my lips. His eyes searched mine as my insides turned molten.

He said something, but my brain couldn’t absorb it, right before dipping his head and brushing his lips across mine. That subtle touch was like lightning in my body, sizzling hot and sending fire licking through my veins.

My breath was followed by a shameless moan escaping from my lips. He brushed his lips over mine once more, sending another bolt of lightning through my system. My brain cells scattered, and I curled my arms around his shoulders, flexing into him just as his hand slid around to cup my nape. He angled my head and took command of our kiss.

I felt the heated path of his palm slide down the center of my spine, coming to rest above my bottom, his fingers splaying. He emitted a soft growl right before his tongue swept into my mouth.

Diego obliterated all memories of prior kisses. His mouth was deliciously teasing as his tongue glided against mine before he drew back and dropped kisses on each corner of my lips. I was already in danger of melting as rapidly as ice under hot sunlight. When he did that, I whimpered, my fingers digging into the corded muscles along his spine as I pressed closer.

Along with that fiery heat dancing through my veins, there was a tug low in my belly, and my pulse thundered through my body. He played with my mouth with lazy teases of his tongue and lingering kisses.

I could hardly believe it as I plastered myself against him, my nipples