her simply called to something inside him. Her soft scent filled his every breath; her long hair brushed his bare forearm. Their legs touched, hips, too. She filled his every sense, and if he’d thought the attraction was dangerous when they’d first met, he knew he was really in trouble now that he liked her so much.
She was delightful, smart, funny and so sexy it hurt to look at her. Their nearness—and, okay, maybe the wine—made the idea of never having this woman seem not only a shame but a crime against humanity.
“I am thrilled for Grandpa,” she said when they’d finally reached the end of the list. She tucked one bent leg beneath her and turned toward him on the couch. “This is going to help him make all his dreams come true.”
He nodded, unable to take his eyes off her burgundy-drenched lips, feeling the thrum of excitement that reverberated from her. She was relaxed and happy and he’d never seen her looking so beautiful.
“Thank you,” she said, reaching out to grab his hand and squeeze it.
He couldn’t resist. Twining his fingers in hers, he lifted her hand to brush a kiss on her palm.
She sucked in an audible breath and edged closer. He continued to kiss his way across her palm, until he reached her wrist. Pressing his lips there, he noted the frantic thumping of her pulse and realized her heart was racing.
He dropped her hand. “I didn’t mean to go there.”
“Don’t stop.”
“It’s a bad idea, Candace.”
“What is? You kissing my hand?” She licked her lips and lowered her voice to a sultry whisper. “Or my mouth?”
Or any other part of her? Every other part of her?
“Kiss me, Oliver,” she dared. “One real kiss to celebrate. What do you say?”
Intriguing. “Only one?”
“Yes. Just one. I promise I won’t ask for more.”
He stared into her deep green eyes, wondering whether she was telling him that one would really be enough, or that it would do for a start. Nor could he be sure what he wanted her answer to be.
Not until he spied the list on the table, with Buddy’s name scrawled across the top. He was in his friend’s home, a little high on his prized wine, contemplating kissing his granddaughter. That alone was enough to convince him he couldn’t take any more than the single kiss she’d asked for.
“All right, Candace. Just one.”
“You’re sure that will be enough?”
Hell, no, it wouldn’t be enough. But it was all he was going to allow himself. Period. At least until he didn’t feel like the biggest heel in the world for taking advantage of his boss’s granddaughter...and for letting himself get close to a woman when he knew he had absolutely nothing to offer her.
He didn’t just mean financially. It wasn’t just his lack of a career or a house or even his own car, all of which he’d left behind in L.A. He meant himself. He didn’t have any emotions to offer any woman. He’d felt adrift for months, and it would take more than a hot flirtation with a beautiful brunette to change that. So he wasn’t about to allow himself any more than one small glimpse of the physical pleasure he knew he wasn’t entitled to and didn’t deserve.
“I’m sure,” he finally told her. “One. And then we say good-night.”
“If you’re sure. I mean, remember what we talked about the other night, if you give a mouse a cookie...”
“He’s going to say thank-you and walk out the door.”
She studied him, gauging his seriousness, and nodded. “All right, Oliver. One kiss, and then we say good-night.”
They might have shaken hands given the serious way they made their deal. And a deal was all it was.
One kiss. One and done.
God help him.
* * *
ONE KISS? Yeah. Sure. Right.
She couldn’t believe he’d really be able to do that, but just in case, Candace was determined to make it a kiss for the ages. She knew from this morning that the man’s mouth was ambrosia, and knowing she was going to taste it again was enough to make her whole body shiver and quake in anticipation.
He noticed, and let go of her hand. “Are you cold?”
She shook her head slowly, inching closer to him on the sofa. Untucking one leg, she didn’t hesitate to make sure he couldn’t change his mind and get up. Giving him a look that was half demand, half plea, she rose onto her knees and slid one leg over his thighs, straddling him.
“Candace...”
“I want my