Sweet as Honey (The Seven Sisters) - By Caitlyn Robertson Page 0,35

easy ride, and a feeling of dread had descended over her, which wasn’t helped by the impending conversation with her fiancé.

The sound of scrunching gravel filled the air and she opened her eyes to see Dex’s car pull up in front of the house. At that moment, Stormwind was empty—her father still at the shop with Missy and Belle, Daisy in Auckland with Reuben, Koru God knew where with some blonde or other, and Jasmine and Lily had gone to the cinema.

Dex got out of the car, and Honey watched him close the door and then wait a minute, hands on hips, thinking. She put her hand over her mouth. Was he planning to come in and tell her it was all over?

He turned and walked slowly to the door, and she went into the kitchen and started filling the kettle, her hands shaking. She heard him come into the house and listened for his footsteps on the rimu floorboards as he rounded the corner.

“Hey you.” She finished filling the kettle, placed it on its base and flipped the switch. “I’m making a cuppa. You want one?”

She turned, and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him, as it always did. He wore cream chinos, his hands jammed in the pockets, and a tight All Blacks rugby shirt. His hair was ruffled, his bright blue eyes serious as he studied her, his brows drawn together in a thoughtful frown. He was the handsomest man she’d ever met, and she’d thought he was hers. Was that still the case?

She walked a few steps toward him and stopped. “You look nice,” she managed, trying not to cry.

For the first time, he smiled, his lips curving a little in one corner. “So do you.”

She glanced down at herself. She’d chosen her outfit carefully—a long, light orange dress that brought out the warm tones in her skin, and she’d undone more buttons than usual, leaving a few inches of cleavage on show and a glimpse of her lacy bra visible above the bodice.

She looked back up at him. His smile gave her courage. His eyes were still warm, and she had seen the way they lit up when he first walked into the room and saw her.

She walked the final few steps up to him and rested her hands on his chest. “I missed you,” she murmured, stroking her fingers across the silky black material.

“I missed you too.” His husky voice made the hairs rise on the back of her neck, but he didn’t take his hands out of his pockets.

She raised one hand to cup his face and looked into his eyes. He’d showered, and he smelled of clean male and aftershave, and his cheek was smooth. She brushed her thumb across his lips, then raised herself on tiptoe, leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.

She kissed him lightly. He didn’t return it, but neither did he pull away, so she stayed there, moving her mouth across his slowly, closing her eyes, taking the time to enjoy him. She slipped her hand into his hair, liking the feel of the soft strands through her fingers, grazed her teeth on his bottom lip and snaked her other arm around his waist.

Opening her eyes a little, she saw that his were closed but the frown still hovered between them, as if he was fighting with himself, trying to resist her. She pulled him closer, pressing her breasts against his chest, and ran her tongue across his lip.

That did it. He sighed, took his hands out of his pockets and wrapped them around her, and she sighed back happily as he opened his mouth and stroked her tongue with his. Fire shot through her, and when he pushed her up against the kitchen counter, she didn’t try to stop him.

Damn, but this waiting was so hard. Perhaps it had all been a mistake—maybe if they’d had sex he wouldn’t be having second thoughts. Emotion rose within her and brought tears to her eyes, but Dex was too busy kissing her to notice. He’d cupped her head and deepened the kiss, and she moaned softly as his hands started exploring her body, stroking her breast, his thumb teasing her nipple beneath the fabric.

He clenched his fingers in her hair, plunging his tongue into her mouth, and his other arm clasped her around the waist firmly. Honey began to spiral out of control. The tension of the last few days, the stress of the