“Ah, let’s review our agreement then. It’s that we could hate each other in private but not in public?”
“The understanding was that we wouldn’t publicly try to undermine each other.”
She takes a step closer, her tone touched once more by the accent she drapes on now and then, the one that winds me up. “So what are we allowed to do in private then? I’m just not clear on what the rules are. Because the rules seem to change with you all the time. In private we should cut each other? And in public, we suck up? Maybe we should write these rules down.”
I can barely think straight with her this close to me, and I’m starting to regret coming to her room. Because she’s in my space, she’s in my zone, and everything about her is a red-hot distraction. “I’m talking about common courtesy. And part of that—”
“Yes?” she challenges in that damn seductive voice, meeting me eye-to-eye.
I stop, trying to shake off the absolutely intoxicating effect of her, from the scent that’s driving me wild to the way she’s speaking. “Why the hell are you talking like that around me? Are you trying to turn me on?”
She’s inches away, and I can breathe in all that delicious honey scent of her. It swirls around my head, toys with my brain, and tangos with my libido.
She arches a curious brow and gazes at me far too seductively for my own good. “Does it turn you on? I didn’t realize what it did to you.” Her eyes travel up and down my body. “Or maybe still does.”
I inhale sharply, trying to clear her from my mind, an absolutely futile effort with her so damn close. She is my mind right now. She’s the only thing in it, on it, and around it, but I have to get her out. “Haven, I thought we were trying to move on.”
“But I’ve moved on. Or maybe that’s what bothers you so much. That I’ve moved on, that I’m not the same woman I was a year ago.”
I swallow roughly, my throat drier than a desert right now. “I’ve moved on too.”
Her lips curve in a smirk. “That’s good to know. Because I would hate to think you were affected by things I say, how I speak, or the scents I wear. Or wait—are you still affected?”
She knows I am. She fucking knows it. But I know something too. She’s not immune. And since she’s been getting in my space, I return the favor, moving closer to her, and there it is—her tell. The soft rush of breath.
I grin. Wickedly. Then I take the reins from her. “I think the question is—are you still affected? Because when I look at you, when I see the goose bumps rising over your skin, when I see the flush on your chest, and when you do that . . .” I gesture to her mouth.
Her eyes widen. “Do what?”
I brush my finger against the corner of her lips, barely touching her. “When you nibble ever so slightly on your lips. I know what that means.”
She swallows visibly. “What does it mean?”
I lift a hand, reach for her face, and cup her cheek. She gasps.
“That. It means both of us are completely unaffected. In fact, I bet we’re so unaffected that if I kissed you right now, we’d probably not even care.”
She slides next to me, up against me, sealing her fantastic body against mine. “I wouldn’t care one bit if you did.”
“Let’s find out.”
She lifts her defiant chin, her pretty pink lips parted. “Go right ahead.”
I band my arm around her waist—her tight, trim waist—and haul her in close. I drop my lips to hers, and in an instant, the world disappears…
Grab Josh and Haven’s fiery love story in OVERNIGHT SERVICE now!
Want more of the whole Instant Gratification gang? Sign up here to receive a bonus scene featuring five couples sent straight to your inbox! If you’ve already signed up for my list, be sure to sign up again! It’s the only way to receive the bonus scene, but rest assured you won’t be double subscribed to the list!
Acknowledgments
Big thanks to Lauren Clarke, Jen McCoy, Helen Williams, Kim Bias, Virginia, Lynn, Karen, Tiffany, Janice, Stephanie and more for their eyes. Big thanks to Helen for the beautiful cover. Thank you to Kelley and Candi, KP and Jenn. Massive hugs to Laurelin Paige. As always, my readers make everything possible. Songs referenced in this book are in the public domain. The exception is the pancake song. That written by Andi Arndt. Who is awesome.
Also by Lauren Blakely
FULL PACKAGE, the #1 New York Times Bestselling romantic comedy!
BIG ROCK, the hit New York Times Bestselling standalone romantic comedy!
MISTER O, also a New York Times Bestselling standalone romantic comedy!
WELL HUNG, a New York Times Bestselling standalone romantic comedy!
JOY RIDE, a USA Today Bestselling standalone romantic comedy!
HARD WOOD, a USA Today Bestselling standalone romantic comedy!
THE SEXY ONE, a New York Times Bestselling bestselling standalone romance!
THE HOT ONE, a USA Today Bestselling bestselling standalone romance!
THE KNOCKED UP PLAN, a multi-week USA Today and Amazon Charts Bestselling bestselling standalone romance!
MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY, a sexy multi-week USA Today Bestselling sports romance! And its companion sports romance, MOST LIKELY TO SCORE!
THE V CARD, a USA Today Bestselling sinfully sexy romantic comedy!
WANDERLUST, a USA Today Bestselling contemporary romance!
COME AS YOU ARE, a Wall Street Journal and multi-week USA Today Bestselling contemporary romance!
PART-TIME LOVER, a multi-week USA Today Bestselling contemporary romance!
UNBREAK MY HEART, an emotional second chance USA Today Bestselling contemporary romance!
BEST LAID PLANS, a sexy friends-to-lovers USA Today Bestselling romance!
The Heartbreakers! The USA Today and WSJ Bestselling rock star series of standalone!
The New York Times and USA Today
Bestselling Seductive Nights series including
Night After Night, After This Night,
and One More Night
And the two standalone
romance novels in the Joy Delivered Duet, Nights With Him and Forbidden Nights, both New York Times and USA Today Bestsellers!
Sweet Sinful Nights, Sinful Desire, Sinful Longing and Sinful Love, the complete New York Times Bestselling high-heat romantic suspense series that spins off from Seductive Nights!
Playing With Her Heart, a
USA Today bestseller, and a sexy Seductive Nights spin-off standalone! (Davis and Jill’s romance)
21 Stolen Kisses, the USA Today Bestselling forbidden new adult romance!
Caught Up In Us, a New York Times and
USA Today Bestseller! (Kat and Bryan’s romance!)
Pretending He’s Mine, a Barnes & Noble and
iBooks Bestseller! (Reeve & Sutton’s romance)
My USA Today bestselling
No Regrets series that includes
The Thrill of It
(Meet Harley and Trey)
and its sequel
Every Second With You
My New York Times and USA Today
Bestselling Fighting Fire series that includes
Burn For Me
(Smith and Jamie’s romance!)
Melt for Him
(Megan and Becker’s romance!)
and Consumed by You
(Travis and Cara’s romance!)
The Sapphire Affair series...
The Sapphire Affair
The Sapphire Heist
Out of Bounds
A New York Times Bestselling sexy sports romance
The Only One
A second chance love story!
Stud Finder
A sexy, flirty romance!
Contact
I love hearing from readers! You can find me on Twitter at LaurenBlakely3, Instagram at LaurenBlakelyBooks, Facebook at LaurenBlakelyBooks, or online at LaurenBlakely.com. You can also email me at [email protected]
br /> Blakely, Lauren, Instant Gratification
Instant Gratification Page 25
