Kiss Me

by Tory Richards

  Her mouth dropped open that he’d dare bring that up.“That sounds like you were disappointed, detective.”

  There was no denying the smoldering emotion filling his dark eyes. “You were very, ah, good.”

  “And you see where that got me,” Emma said before she could curb her tongue. She hadn’t meant to say it like that. The last thing she wanted was for Mike to think she was disappointed. “That didn’t come out the right way,” she smiled.

  “Neither did the other night,” he said with a sexy grin that grew crooked on one side.

  Emma couldn’t miss the underlining of truth behind Mike’s comment. She could only hope he wasn’t referring to her embarrassing acting abilities. She lowered her gaze, his comment filling her cheeks with instant heat that rapidly swept down her body. Suddenly the insulated sweatshirt she had on was much too warm. She set her rod down and proceeded to remove it. As she tugged the sweatshirt over her head it pulled the rubber band from her ponytail, releasing her hair in a soft cloud of tangles around her face.

  She glanced at Mike, freezing at the raw expression on his face. “Is something wrong?” Worried there was a hole in her tee shirt, she glanced down, her heart plummeting. It was worse than that. The sweatshirt had snagged her tank top on the way over her head, baring Emma’s left breast. All she could think of was thank God she’d had the foresight to wear a bra, even if it was a lacy see-through. Her embarrassed gasp was loud enough to scare away every fish in their vicinity to the other side of the lake. As she reached up to tug the tee shirt down another gasp escaped her when Mike’s hand shot out, stopping her. She looked at him questioningly, holding her breath as she waited to see what he was going to do.

  Desire licked at her senses when his finger snagged the folded edge of her tank top. He began to drag it down in slow motion, taking a path that left her flesh on fire. Her gaze fell to his hand, mesmerized as his finger moved down her breast and over her nipple, causing it to pucker and tingle instantly, which then caused every nerve ending in her body to go haywire. Suddenly there was a fire burning in her belly, moving rapidly lower. When Mike was done she glanced up, meeting his lazy gaze. The look in his eyes excited her, if not frightened her a little. She wasn’t an expert on the subject but all the signals were there, she only hoped she was reading them correctly.

  Mike wanted her.

  And he wanted her now.

  Chapter 15

  Mike tried to swallow but his throat closed up. Seeing Emma’s breast, encased in a lacy bit of nothing, was more than a man in his fragile state could bear. How the hell was he supposed to ignore that? Or forget what she’d tasted like the other night in the dressing room. It all came rushing back to him now. How sweet her flesh was. How her nipple had swelled in his mouth. Reaching forward to cover that tempting mound seemed the natural thing to do. The opposite of what he really wanted. He had to think about his sanity. Still, nothing could have stopped him from taking his time and trailing his finger across that tempting flesh, marveling at how soft it was. How responsive.

  His gaze met hers. The desire evident in the smoky depths of her eyes, as well as a subtle shyness that endeared her to him. The urge to pull her across his lap and kiss that soft, sweet mouth was so powerful that he shook with it. How could the sight of one lace-covered breast cause such turmoil in his body? Maybe if he kissed her it would appease some of the pain. At the very least get her out of his system. Yeah, right, how many times was he going to try and convince himself of that one?

  Mike didn’t need to glance around to know they were in a well-secluded spot. Maybe he’d unconsciously chosen this area, knowing the house on the lakeside lot was empty now that the occupants had returned to their winter residence in Florida. His body tightened like a coiled spring, making up his mind for him. Fingers closing around Emma’s upper arms, he slowly drew her across the open space between them.

  “I might regret this but if I don’t kiss you right now you might as well take me to Cherry Grove and drop me off at the hospital.” Cherry Grove only had one hospital, the Cherry Grove Institute for the Mentally Insane.

  “Is it that bad?” Emma teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Her hands came up and she automatically braced her palms against his chest. Only she wasn’t pushing him away. Her fingers curled into his torn shirt.

  “Worse than bad,” he growled, leaning back as he brought Emma against him. He meant to straighten when she was settled on his lap but suddenly Mike slipped off the backwards, landing with a mild thump on the bottom of the boat, with Emma on top of him.

  “Oops!” She laughed, her hair falling down in her face.

  “You…”

  Mike bent his head, closing the short distance between them and slanting his mouth firmly over hers, effectively cutting off whatever she’d been about to say. He wasn’t in the talking mood, or the listening mood for that matter. All he knew was the feel of Emma’s softness against him and the overwhelming urge to do something about the pain in his loins. Kissing her seemed a good place to start. Yet Mike’s heart sank when he realized almost instantly that kissing her wouldn’t be enough.

  He’d had a sample a week ago, a taste of the fire within. As his mouth worked on hers, he gradually lay back, bringing Emma more fully against him. Her startled gasp only allowed him the chance to slip his tongue inside her mouth. At that point Mike was sure he heard fireworks. He almost drew back to look but caught himself. He had a beautiful woman in his arms, returning his lusty kiss with every bit as much zeal and enjoyment as he could have hoped for. Why should he waste a second of it looking for something he knew was only in his imagination?

  As desire for her surged through his blood, Mike’s hands left her arms and moved to her shoulders, sweeping down the graceful arch of her back to the gentle flare of her hips. His hands explored her with thorough slowness, learning the curves and valleys of her shape. He groaned deeply with pleasure as his palms smoothed down her slender thighs and back up to her hips, before cupping the half moons of her buttocks. He thrust against her, letting her feel the heavy power of his arousal. Mike wanted so much more than a stolen moment, wondering wildly what kind of trouble they could get into making love in the bottom of his boat, though fear held him back. And more than that, respect for Emma. He wouldn’t put her in a situation that would humiliate her if someone happened along. Stratton was a small town, and gossip traveled like wildfire.

  He tore his mouth from hers only because he needed air. He was powerless to do anything but lie there, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he worked to fill his empty lungs. With shaking hands, he reached up, pushing the hair from Emma’s face so he could read what was in her eyes. Her pupils were dilated, her nostrils flaring in her overheated face. Her desire for him was evident on her aroused expression. She never looked so beautiful, or as desirable.

  “Damn, lady. I’ll never survive anything more than a kiss with you,” he said hoarsely, wondering if she could feel the heavy pounding of his heart. “I feel like a keg of dynamite getting ready to blow.”

  Emma lowered her head against his chest, trembling wildly against him. When she spoke he could hear the smile in her voice. “How do you think I feel? I haven’t had these feelings for a long time.”

  He wondered if she realized what she’d just confessed. He took a deep breath, looking up at the sky. The sun was slipping behind a gathering of storm clouds. For the first time Mike noticed the temperature had dropped. When he’d asked Melissa to check the weather that morning, she hadn’t said anything about rain being in the forecast. Still and all he should have acknowledged the signs. Maybe he’d purposely ignored them just to be with Emma.

  “Sweetheart, I think we’re in for a storm.”

  “Not if we’re smart about it.”

  Laughter erupted at her misunderstanding. “I mean the weather,” he explained, surprising them both with a kiss to her forehead. The show of affection caught Mike off guard. That was something he only did to Melissa. Damn! He knew t
hey should pack it in and head back to shore but he was loath to move. She felt good against him, at least his body thought so. His arousal was nestled in the juncture of her thighs, straining toward a goal hampered by the tight jeans they were wearing. Surely she must know how much he wanted her.

  He nearly lost control when she clenched her thighs together. “I don’t want to move,” she groaned unhappily.

  Those were his thoughts exactly; she must have read his mind. However, a few moments later Mother Nature was taking the decision out of their hands. The first drops of rain began to fall. Emma shuddered against him and Mike realized she was feeling the chill. He sat up, bringing her with him.

  “You’d better put your sweatshirt back on. As it is I’m afraid we’re not going to make it back to your place before the sky opens up.” He packed up their fishing gear as he spoke, resisting the urge to adjust himself. Kissing Emma hadn’t put out any fires; he wanted her more than ever.

  “Here, put this on.” Mike handed Emma a yellow rain poncho.

  “What about you?” she asked with concern.

  “I can use a good cooling off,” he stated outrageously, shooting her a devilish wink.

  The talking stopped once they were underway. Mike turned the motor up high in an effort to get to Emma’s before the storm hit. They practically made it too, until her pier came into view and then the sky opened up as he’d predicted, pouring buckets of ice water on them. Emma snuggled beneath the poncho, keeping her face down. In spite of that a good gust of wind swept over them and suddenly her hood flew back and in a matter of seconds she was drenched. She grabbed for it, laughing, before finally giving up. The wind was just too strong for her.

  “Another five minutes and we would have made it!” she shouted above the roar of the motor. “You must be freezing.”

  If she only knew, Mike thought to himself, smiling because she was smiling. He noticed that about Emma, she liked to smile. He wondered if she knew how radiant her face became when she laughed, or the way her eyes came to life. Even now with the rain beating down on her she found something to laugh about.

  Face it Mike, you’re hooked.

  Accepting that realization took the smile right off his face. He glanced up, slowing the boat down as they neared the dock. He could feel Emma’s eyes on him but resisted the urge to glance back. She made it hard to look away once they made eye contact, and Mike was still aroused from that damn kiss. If he could make it through the next few minutes he’d be home free.

  “Hold on.” Just as he’d expected, the rough water caused the boat to hit the dock hard and for a few moments they bounced helplessly against it until he tied it securely in place. He turned to Emma, surprised to see she was already on her feet and moving toward him. “Give me your hand and I’ll help you out, it’s slippery.” No sooner had the words left his mouth than she slipped, slamming into him.

  Mike braced his body for the impact, aware it wouldn’t take much to send them both over the side. His arms automatically went around her to steady her.

  “Sorry. She chuckled, not sounding sorry in the least.

  She turned her face toward his, causing Mike to nearly choke on his tongue. Her mouth was parted and glistening with rain. He almost had heart failure when her tongue came out to catch the large drops rolling over her top lip. Groaning low in his throat, he lowered his head until realizing what he was doing. He pulled back; their eyes clung for a moment until the air was split with a rumble of thunder. Mike took the hint that a higher force was trying to warn him of something and he quickly released Emma, guiding her up the crude three-step ladder.

  “Head up to your place,” he ordered lightly, turning to get the picnic basket. “I’ll be right behind you.”

  It was a miracle neither one of them fell as they ran the short distance to her condo. The ground was soaked and muddy in places, puddles the size of small swimming pools provided them with an obstacle course fit for a cross-country runner looking for a workout. Mike didn’t know why they were running; they were already soaked to the bone. Well, at least he was.

  When they reached the covered entranceway to Emma’s place, they stopped by the door and she turned to face him. Her hair was plastered to her scalp and she ran her fingers through, shaking out some of the water.

  “You’re welcome to come inside and dry out in front of the fire. We still have that picnic lunch I prepared,” she offered, suddenly looking shy.

  Mike stared at her long and hard. If he went inside with her he knew they’d end up doing a hell of a lot more in front of the fire than just drying out. Furthermore, he sensed she knew it too. “Depends on what’s in the picnic basket,” he teased, reaching forward to brush a wet strand of hair out of her eyes. “If it’s peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, you have a date.”

  Emma’s eyes flared with pleasure, warming Mike’s heart. “That’s exactly what I made!” she said with breathless surprise. “What’s a picnic without peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?”

  He’d been kidding when he said that. Mike hadn’t eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwich since he was a kid. His mind raced with ideas how to get out of going inside. Being alone with Emma scared the hell out of him.

  “Well, detective?”

  Maybe if he put a scare into her. “We both know what might happen if I go through that door,” he said, referring to what happened on the boat. Emma was smart; he knew further elaboration wasn’t necessary.

  A curious mixture of emotions crossed her face. But it was the unexpected unease in her lovely eyes that decided it for Mike. Giving him the out he needed and the opportunity to walk away. She wasn’t ready, he could understand that. Hell, he should look at it as a stroke of good luck. He was the one who didn’t want a relationship. The smartest thing he could do was turn and leave. When Emma lowered her gaze, he reached forward, putting his finger beneath her chin and raising her eyes to his, cursing himself for not leaving well enough alone.

  It was clear she was undecided yet he couldn’t leave her with things the way they were. “You might be inviting in the wolf,” he said with quiet emphasis.

  That statement returned the gleam of mischief to her eyes in spite of the seriousness of his tone, raising Mike’s blood pressure a little. “Are you implying I’m “grandma”? I know what happens to grandma.”

  Mike couldn’t help the grin spreading across his face anymore than he could stop the next rolling clap of thunder overhead. “Definitely not,” he replied.

  “Not one of the three little pigs,” she rushed out in feigned shock, her brows lifting above rounded eyes.

  Several flashes of lightning too close for comfort quickly put an end to their playful banter. Emma took hold of Mike’s arm. “Come on, it’s dangerous out here.”

  Not half as dangerous as it was inside, Mike thought as he let Emma drag him behind her.

  Chapter 16

  Emma took the picnic basket from Mike, turning to walk to the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room while he saw to the door. “You have to be freezing, Mike. Get out of those soaked clothes and I’ll toss them in the dryer. There’s a robe on the back of the bathroom door.”

  “I suppose it’s better than catching cold,” he agreed.

  Emma set the basket down and proceeded to struggle out of the rain poncho, surprised to see him still standing there when she brought the garment up over her head. She quickly glanced down, half expecting to find her shirt had come up again, then breathed a sigh of relief to see she was decently covered. They both grinned over the memory.

  “I’d love a hot shower, but I don’t think I want to chance getting struck by lightning.”

  “Perhaps you’d better wait. I’ll build a fire after I change,” he quipped.

  “I love lounging by the fire,” she said before considering her words. She glanced away, embarrassed.

  “My tongue has a way of running away…”

  “No apologies necessary,” he said firmly.

  She off
ered him a thankful smile. They both looked like drowned rats. The poncho hadn’t done much to keep her from getting wet. She shivered, but it wasn’t from the cold. It was the look in Mike’s quiet scrutiny that unnerved her, reminding her of their heated kiss on his boat. It had been more than just a kiss, and she had no doubt the moment between them would have escalated into something more had they been somewhere more private. Like there in her living room.

  Lord, what had she done, insisting he come inside to dry off and have lunch? She felt a tingle of awareness travel down her spine. She couldn’t afford to let him see she wanted him, understanding his reasons for not getting involved right now. That thought alone was what had held her back outside the door. If he gave in and they were to make love, Emma didn’t want him blaming her for his weakness. She didn’t want that over her head.

  “I’m going to change, I’ll be right back.” She forced herself to casually walk past him, feeling his eyes watching her as she disappeared down the hall to her bedroom.

  Closing the door, she leaned against it, giving her racing heart time to calm down. Inviting Mike in probably wasn’t the smartest thing she’d ever done. Though Amanda would disagree with her. Thinking about Amanda caused Emma to look at the clock on the nightstand. She’d invited her and Troy over for dinner that evening, but they were coming over early to watch a movie first. Thank God they weren’t due to arrive for at least two hours. Time enough for her and Mike to… She quickly reined in her thoughts, her hands flying up to cover her suddenly hot cheeks.

  Hearing the guest bathroom door close galvanized her into action and she sprinted to her bathroom to dry off, before going to her closet to change. Mike was going to be in Troy’s robe when she emerged. He’d left one behind so he’d have it when he came over to go swimming. But she didn’t have any excuses not to be dressed when she rejoined him in the living room. Quickly stripping, she threw on a cashmere sweater and pair of jeans. She ran her fingers through her nearly dry hair and crammed her feet into a pair of warm slippers.