her mouth.
The little sighs and gasps she makes that lead me on.
Make me want to get even closer.
She parts her lips, inviting me to take this kiss to another level.
Try something new, indeed.
My tongue flicks into her mouth, and she opens for me. Then, in the span of a heartbeat, my mind is a wild haze.
My body takes over.
My blood pumps fast as I thread my fingers into her silky hair and pull her closer, devouring her mouth. She tastes like salt and spice from our meal, with a hint of lemon and a deeper, sweeter base note that’s pure Ruby.
And I want to get to know this side of her.
Seems she wants the same thing. Her hands make their way up my chest, traveling over my pecs until she loops them around my neck.
This isn’t a starter kiss.
This is one of those kisses that’s going in only one direction.
My favorite direction.
She tugs gently on my neck, and since I’m a damn good listener, I answer her, nudging her legs apart, making room for myself.
Here, on the O of YO, I wedge myself between those gorgeous thighs—thank you, sculptor, for making this letter perfect kissing height for a sitting woman and a standing guy. As I move closer to her center, a gasp escapes those pretty lips.
I break the kiss. “Everything good?”
“So good. But I don’t think I’ve tried quite enough of this something new. You know, for the sake of the list. I need more."
“Then we better make sure you complete this task,” I tease, tightening my fingers in her hair, savoring the feel of the strands as my other hand slides around to her ass.
I jerk her closer, my hard-on pressing against her now, loud and clear.
She gives a little yelp. A sexy one. “That’s . . . new.”
I wiggle a brow. “Something to try,” I say, unable to help myself.
Hell, I’m sealed to this fantastic woman on a gorgeous summer night, and she’s buzzed on mushrooms and lists and the butterfly effect . . . and me.
We’re not going to catch feelings.
We’re not going to cause trouble.
We’re just trying something new.
And I want more of the new. So much more. I dip my face to her again, sliding my lips over hers, teasing, tempting.
Giving her little kisses.
Tiny flicks of my tongue.
Then, I haul her closer, press my lips to hers, and spend my time on a long, hot, deep kiss.
It goes to my head.
It sizzles over my skin. It’s a full-body kiss as Ruby melts against me, tugging me closer, pulling me harder, leaning her head back.
She’s needy and desperate, and it’s desperately sexy.
It’s intoxicating, the way she craves every single second of this connection between us.
I travel across her jaw, kissing and sucking as I go.
“That’s . . . so new,” she says, panting.
“So’s this,” I whisper as I reach her neck, running my nose along her flesh, inhaling that summery scent that reminds me of beaches and oceans and everything good in the world.
Everything I don’t want to stop.
Like this moment with her, as I journey to her ear, nipping the lobe, then sucking.
“Jesse.”
My name is a moan.
An invitation.
And it’s a line in the sand that I need to heed.
Because if I cross that line, we’re going to be doing much more than kissing.
I wrench apart from her, my breath coming fast, hers even faster.
“Should we take this somewhere more . . . private?” she asks, no doubt in her voice, only hope.
I want to say yes.
I’m dying to say yes.
Hell, I’m already mentally calculating how long it will take for a car service to get here and across the park to my place.
Trouble is, this is risky.
This is dangerous.
Because I’m leaving, and she’s staying, and friends with benefits for a night, or a week, or two weeks is . . . maybe okay. But maybe not. It’s something I need time to process.
And it’s absolutely a decision I need to make with my brain and not with hands that ache to touch her and a dick that’s already winning every damn match with me tonight.
I swore I’d be good, keep my hands to myself.
And already I’ve got them wrapped around off-limits Ruby.
“I want to, Ruby. Trust me, there’s nothing I want more in the world,” I say. “But not tonight.”
Her shoulders sag, and I nearly throw in the towel. But somewhere, I find the willpower. “Because I don’t know that I can keep my hands off you if we go to your place or