Rise (Rise & Fall Duet #1) - Grahame Claire Page 0,56

we’d made ourselves at home.

Now, I just felt awkward.

Carefully, he rolled back from the desk. He stalked toward me with silent footsteps and stopped when he towered over me.

He hooked my chin, bent his head, and lowered his mouth to mine.

I blinked in surprise.

His movements were gentle, yet confident. Strong, yet somehow tender.

I fisted his shirt as his hand slid behind my head. He parted my lips with his tongue. I leaned against him, the connection and intimacy of such a simple gesture weakening my knees.

Because there was nothing simple about Lincoln Hollingsworth.

And when he kissed me, everything else fell away. The loss of Garrison’s business didn’t seem so bad. The release of my father from prison was something I could take on. Figuring out how we were going to get by wasn’t so daunting.

Lincoln was a rock. Unmovable. Unshakeable. Someone steady for us to lean on. And for once, Lincoln being that rock didn’t offend me. It warmed me. He warmed me.

The sparks of desire lit within me. They were buried beneath a pile of ashes and debris, long forgotten.

I’d never wanted like this. Never craved the nearness.

He kissed me as if he knew exactly the way I needed to be touched.

As if he were the only one who could draw a reaction from me.

As if I belonged to him.

My heart thundered in my ears. I couldn’t break away, even though my head warned me to stop. That this was the point of no return. If I kept plowing ahead, Eric and I would get hurt.

And then he cradled my face as if I were the most precious thing in the world.

I pried my eyes open to find all of his intensity boring into me.

My insides rattled from the power of that gaze.

He peeled his lips from mine but didn’t release me.

“Hi,” I finally squeaked.

He brushed his thumb across my cheek. Instead of my heartbeat returning to normal, it raced ahead, so hard I thought it might explode.

“You kissed my sister.”

I jumped at Eric’s voice and scrambled back.

Lincoln twined his fingers with mine, clearly not as embarrassed at being caught as I was.

“Is that okay with you?”

I whipped my head toward Lincoln. He wasn’t exactly an ask permission kind of guy.

Eric shrugged. “Sure. As long as you’re nice to her.”

I wanted to melt into the carpet. These two both caught me off guard with their thoughtfulness.

“I’m okay with it too.” Beau grinned from where she leaned in the doorway.

Caught by both siblings. I was hot for a completely different reason than I had been a moment ago.

Lincoln, as usual, didn’t seem fazed in the least.

“Hey, Beau.” Eric waved.

Muffy sat up and propped his head on the back of the couch.

“Hey, Eric.”

“Sis, can we have donuts for breakfast?” Our favorite shop wasn’t far, but that was a habit we couldn’t start, especially when we’d already had them this week.

“Yeah, Lex. Can we have donuts?” Beau was such a troublemaker.

All eyes were on me, and I caved to peer pressure. “Fine, but we have to have fruit as a snack later.”

“We could have smoothies while we wait,” Beau suggested.

“I’ll pick up the donuts.” Lincoln winked.

“Have you ever had one?” It was a fair question considering he hadn’t ever eaten strawberry ice cream.

“A long time ago.” He squeezed my fingers.

“What do you eat?’

He’d missed out on all my favorite food groups.

“A balanced diet.” He kissed my cheek. “You prefer chocolate glazed, correct?”

I couldn’t believe he’d paid attention to what I’d been chowing down on a few days ago.

“You get bonus points for noticing.”

“Is there anything else I need to pick up?” He swiped his keys off the desk.

“Milk,” Eric said.

Lincoln nodded and strode to the door, and I struggled to get this odd moment sorted in my head. We stayed overnight with Lincoln. He welcomed that, especially with that kiss. He was going to get our . . . breakfast, as if he did it every other day. It wasn’t just me and Eric against the world today.

Beau put a hand on his chest. “Need my credit card? Just in case.”

And now he potentially needed Beau’s help? What in the world was happening?

Chapter Thirty-Five

Lincoln

“I’ve got bad news.”

I shoved my laptop away and leaned back in my chair.

“I only want to hear positive developments.”

Muffy put his head in my lap. Absently, I rubbed my fingers through his soft fur.

“Then talk to Santa Claus,” Zegas snapped. “The title insurance you purchased that should cover this disaster . . .”

He paused for what I felt