A Daddy for Jacoby - By Christyne Butler Page 0,53

in the gentleness of his touch when he wiped away her tears.

He didn’t want this—whatever this was between them—and he was fighting it with everything he had. The question now was what was she going to do about it? What would happen if she and Justin gave in to the powerful magnetic pull they seemed to have toward each other?

Would it be magical or the biggest mistake of their lives?

And was she willing to take the risk of falling even deeper for a guy, who according to all common sense was one hundred percent wrong for her?

“You sure?” he asked again, tipping the whiskey-filled glass toward her, finally looking at her.

This time she nodded. Yes, she was sure.

“Suit yourself.” He lifted the glass in a mock toast, then tossed back a mouthful.

Gina took the opportunity to move in closer and quickly unbuttoned his shirt. Two quick yanks and the material was free from his pants and hung open.

“Hey!” He tried to swallow and choked.

“Like I haven’t seen this before? Please.” Gina tried to play it cool as she pushed his shirt open, but the twin red marks that covered his well-defined stomach from midchest to his waist made her cringe. “Oh, my…you know, this would work better if you lay down.”

She looked up at him in time to see Justin toss back the rest of his drink.

“Fine, have it your way.”

She dropped to the couch, crinolines and tulle puffing out around her. His belly button and the faint hairline that disappeared beneath his belt buckle were right in front of her. She grabbed the soapy towel and pressed it to his skin.

“Geez…” Justin released the word in a long hiss.

“You’re not even bleeding. Don’t tell me this stings.” When he didn’t reply she looked up and found her gaze locked with his. “Well? Does it?”

A heartbeat passed before he spoke. “No.”

Breaking free of his hypnotic hold, she focused again on the toned stomach muscles that twitched beneath her fingers. She moved the cloth with gentle pressure. “Is it cold?”

“No.”

“Then what are you complaining about?”

Justin dropped the empty glass to the couch cushion beside her, and pulled her to her feet, the towel falling from her hand. “Tell me you aren’t as innocent as you sound. Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?”

“I don’t—”

He released her, his hands moving low over her waist until they reached her backside. He pressed her intimately against the junction of his thighs. “This, this is what you do to me.”

Biting her bottom lip to hold back a triumphant smile, Gina grabbed on to his dress shirt. His eyes were glued to her mouth, making it impossible for her not to soothe the self-inflicted bite mark with a swipe of her tongue.

Did he just growl?

“Then maybe you should finish what you started at the dance,” she whispered. Feeling a new boldness, Gina pushed up on her tiptoes, her hips shifting in a natural rhythm against him as her mouth stopped inches from his.

“Meaning what?”

“You were going to kiss me before we were interrupted.”

“Kissing you in public, fully clothed, is a lot different than kissing you here.” Justin dropped his head, his lips warm on her bare shoulder. “Or here.” He trailed his mouth to the curve of her neck, gently nipping. “Or here.”

Gina tried and failed to hold back a low mewl when his lips reached her ear, the heat of his tongue circling the outer shell. “We’re—we’re still clothed now.”

“Not for long.”

His warning, spoken against her lips before he took her mouth, caused her heart to pound wildly. He tasted dark and dangerous, like the smooth whiskey on his tongue and the cool night air that clung to his skin. She wound her arms around his neck, fingers curling into the thick strands of his hair. He angled his head to deepen the kiss, more demanding and greedy now. She welcomed him with the quick swipes of her tongue against his.

This kiss was more passionate, more carnal and more decadent than the one they’d shared a few weeks ago, if that was even possible. It burned hotter and brighter, causing a rush of desire to sizzle through every inch of her. His mouth left hers and she gasped for air, instantly missing his touch. Then his lips moved to her other shoulder, his tongue leaving a moist trail to her collarbone. Her eyes drifted closed as she cradled his head in her hands and arched her back as he moved lower.

Was she