Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye - Jacquelyn Middleton Page 0,74
one thing will definitely lead to another… “No, ’cause we won’t just spoon!” She chuckled, pulling her eyes away from what she really craved for breakfast. I need to hit the brakes here. I’m in way over my head. I can’t let whatever this is veer out of my control.
“Yeah, probably not.” A sly smile danced across his lips. “How was the sunrise?”
“Stunning. All bright pinks and oranges. You were right about the bridge, too. It looked magical.”
With a lazy nod, he rubbed his eyes then blinked several times, his focus drifting away.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. I fell asleep with my contacts in. I swapped ’em for a fresh pair, but my eyes aren’t having it.” He laid beside her on the sofa and happily nuzzled into her hair. “Mmm, the smell of my favorite things—salted caramel, sex, Leia.” He slipped his fingers through the opening of her bathrobe.
“In that order?”
“Well, you have to admit”—he traced a path up her thigh—“that salted caramel lube…”
Mm, those hands of his should come with a health warning—may cause shortness of breath, dizziness, heart palpitations… Leia’s pulse picked up as she returned the favor, fingers splayed and lingering, toying with his chest hair underneath the soft cotton of his t-shirt. “I’ve never been a caramel fan—until now!”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Gaze falling heavy, he left a kiss in her hair and whispered against her skin, his stubble tickling and his breath warm and quickening. “Tell you what, how about we peel ourselves off this sofa and curl up together in a warm bubble bath? We’ll have a proper soak. You know, candles, the works…”
Did he buy all that for me? It’s romantic and lovely, but edging a little too close into boyfriend territory. I like you, Tarquin. I love sleeping with you, but you can’t have my heart. Leia pulled her hands out from his shirt. “You don’t have to do the whole seduction thing.”
“What thing? I just love bubbly baths.”
Leia raised a skeptical brow.
“I do! Go, look in the cupboards in my en suite. You’ll find six different bath bombs, loads of body washes…”
To be fair, I did see body washes on the side of his tub.
“…and my rubber duck collection.”
“You collect rubber ducks?”
“Not just any ducks—Star Wars ducks!”
“Of course!” Leia smiled and played with a piece of hair sticking up straight above his forehead. He’s just a big kid. “Stupid question, I know, but do you have a Princess Leia duck?”
“No. Strangely.” His finger trailed back down her leg. “But that’s never stopped me from a good soak. I read ebooks or watch football on my tablet…”
Okay, I get it—baths are his way of unwinding, chilling out.
“…or have knee-wobbling sex with a gorgeous Canadian designer.” The hardness prodding Leia’s hip suggested that Tarquin liked that idea—a lot. His lips curved at the corners into a ‘You can have me again if you want’ cheeky smile that set off his dimples and a heavy ache high between Leia’s thighs.
This man! His mischievous charm will be my undoing.
“Shall we make up for the orgasms we lost on the snooker table?”
Tempting. I need to finish Shantelle’s gown, though. “I’d love to, but duty calls”—she stroked his cheek—“and I have to shower and change at Saz’s before I head to Simon’s.”
Tarquin sat up and Leia followed, planting her bare feet on the floor. “You could shower here.” He scratched his bedhead, a smoldering urgency lingering in his gaze. “Have breakfast…”
Nice try. She giggled. “Don’t you have meetings this morning? Architects to order around?”
“Yeah, but I don’t have to be suited and booted for another three hours. Plus, my office is right there.” He waved a dismissive hand toward the window. “In the Shard.”
Why doesn’t that surprise me?
“But I understand. You’ve got a lot farther to go than I do.” He rubbed his eyes again, his disappointment only evident by the slight sigh on his lips as Leia downed the rest of her juice. “You know, I wasn’t just blowing smoke about your sister. That TED Talk she gave on accessibility really stuck with me. I couldn’t place her right away, but when she mentioned her job, it clicked.” He smiled. “So, both Scott sisters are forces to be reckoned with, eh?”
“Yeah, I guess. Sarah calls it as she sees it. How can she not? She lives it every day. Places she can’t enter, transit she can’t use—it’s a never-ending battle—but instead of complaining, she’s pushing for real change, making sure voices like hers are heard. I