Driving Her Crazy - By Amy Andrews Page 0,37

words still stung after all these years. She traced a finger absently around the bulk of a bicep. ‘He said no one would ever want me.’

Kent shook his head as her doe eyes blinked up at him. His pulse was pounding through his ears as her body swayed closer to his. He swallowed as desire bolted through his system. He shouldn’t kiss her. Not in a client’s house. And certainly not standing under a life-sized image of her in the buff. But she smelled so damn good and her lips were so damn near. Nearer as he moved his face closer to hers.

‘He’s wrong,’ Kent muttered.

Sadie’s breath quickened as his lips descended. She hung onto his words. Looking at her portrait again, listening to Leo’s rapture over it had sucked her back into a turbulent time in her life, but this man—this potent virile he-man, the polar opposite to Leo in every way—was telling her something different.

He was going to kiss her in this room, in front of that painting.

And she needed it. She needed to be desired for the person she was now, not the one she’d been.

The air crackled around them as their lips met. Kent felt no resistance, just her body completely aligning with his and her incredible mouth opening to him on a little whimper that reached right inside his gut and squeezed.

And then it was gone as a much hotter, deeper, more urgent need consumed him. The need to claim, to conquer, to lead. He sucked in a breath, pushing his hands into her hair and his tongue into her mouth, feeling the tentative touch of hers grow bolder.

But then voices getting nearer started to intrude and Kent suddenly realised where he was. He pulled away, her little disappointed mew and moist pouty mouth almost bringing him to his knees.

‘You okay?’ he asked, when she opened her big grey eyes, now the colour of slate, his arms steadying her.

Sadie blinked and nodded as she heard Leo enter the room even though she wasn’t sure she’d ever be okay again.

SEVEN

The kiss kept Sadie awake long into the night. Nothing kept Sadie awake long into the night. Especially not something that probably didn’t even last twenty seconds. It was practically over before it began but, man, did it have an impact!

It had certainly shot her flagging blood sugar into the stratosphere. And as she lay in the dark staring at the ceiling she felt as if she were still riding the sugar high.

It had been impossible to concentrate on Leo after the impulsive kiss. All she’d been aware of was the tingle in her lips, the fizz in her blood and Kent’s brooding monosyllabic presence nearby. Had he felt as flummoxed as she had? Or was it just another gallant deed he-men performed every day for damsels in distress?

The kiss of life to revive flagging blood sugars and dented egos.

She had escaped as soon as possible to get away from Kent. To get away from both of them.

Two very different men who had both rocked her world.

Kent hadn’t attempted to stop her or even follow, for which she was grateful. She needed some distance. To gain some perspective. Like the perspective she’d gained over Leo since being apart from him for the last few years.

Because she seriously doubted that one little kiss meant anything to Kent, especially considering how very hard he’d tried to have absolutely nothing to do with her the entire trip.

Men flirted with her. It was just a fact of her life no matter how hard she dressed down and didn’t try to draw attention to herself.

But not Kent. Kent had been blunt in his complete lack of interest.

Which only made the kiss more puzzling.

But it had been an odd moment. And straight afterwards he had looked as if he were contemplating hacking his lips off. Reading something into it would be a bad idea. It would be something the nineteen-year-old Sadie would have done. Latching onto anyone who flattered her and showed an interest in anything other than the contents of her bra.

Twenty-four-year-old Sadie used her head.

And it was telling her to get a grip.

After her restless night Sadie woke late. Kevin informed her that Kent had headed out about midnight to take photographs and wasn’t expected back until after lunch. And that Mr Pinto would receive her in his studio at ten.

Sadie felt an immediate sense of loss. The memory of her starry night on top of Kent’s Land Rover had stayed