Climax (14 page)

Authors: Lauren Smith

“Iâ¦”

His hands were still holding her waist, his body pressed against hers. She couldn't think; her brain short-circuited. His hands on her, so hot to the touchâ¦They were standing so close, faces mere inches apart, and the world around her seemed to burn with a heat along her skin. Her breath quickened.

Kat struggled to think logically, but all she could think about was how much she wanted to kiss him.

“Are you able to stand on your own?” He smiled, the single flirty twist of his lips making her knees buckle again.

What the heck?
She'd never had a problem with her legs working before.

“Erâ¦yes,” she finally managed to say.

“Good.” His hands dropped, but the movement felt reluctant. He trailed his hands down her body, the light but suggestive skimming of his palms over her waist, then her hips, sent little throbbing pulses throughout her entire body. He didn't step away, either, but kept close to her, his eyes still fixed on her face. “I'm glad to have prevented a nasty fall.”

Before she could reply, the bartender leaned over the counter and spoke. “What can I get you?”

Mr. Tall and Sexy shifted slightly, allowing Kat to slip into the space next to him, their shoulders and arms touching as she answered.

“I'll have a pint of Nelson's Revenge, please.”

The stranger next to her chuckled. “Are you sure about that?” he asked. “That's a stiff drink and likely to bring tears to your eyes.” There was a hint of teasing in his tone, and Kat couldn't resist responding.

“I'm sure. Besides, I'm more likely to start crying at the sight of a butterfly than a stout ale.” She laughed, then realized what'd she said and blushed.

The man angled his body toward her, propping one arm on the counter as he stared down at her.

“Butterflies make you cry? What on earth for? Don't tell me you're afraid of them.” Humor heated those blue-green eyes of his, and she felt an answering heat sweep through her body.

“Iâ¦well, it's silly reallyâ¦” She hedged. She didn't normally open up to people, let alone strange, beautiful men in pubs. But there was something about the way he was watching her, his intense focus on her and his interest in what she was saying, that gave her courage to continue.

“I used to live in Texas with my dad, and we saw monarch butterflies when they migrated. But now with their habitats dying out, I rarely see them. When I do get lucky and one flies past me, it's beautifulâ¦and sad.” She shrugged her shoulders, glancing away. “I know that sounds silly.”

“Not at all,” he murmured softly. “No sillier than how I feel when I look at stained glass windows. It's the same for me, that mixture of melancholy and beauty. It's not often I meet someone else who thinks about things like that.” His intense scrutiny tore her in two directions, between the need to squirm and to go very still.

The man possessed an overpowering, seductive and masculine presence. She caught the scent of pine and something clean and crisp that sparked her other senses to life. It encompassed her like some dark spell, leaving her with a desperate need to stay close to him. The things those girls had whispered about him came rushing backâ¦“
bad reputation
”â¦“
god in bed
”â¦Whoever he was didn't matter, she just
wanted
him. Wanted to curl her arms around his neck and get as close to him as possible.

“I think about that stuff all the time,” she said, unable to tear her gaze away from his.

He lifted his glass to his lips and sipped. It wasn't ale he was drinking but something else, a dark, warm gold color, probably Scotch. She realized she must have been staring at his mouth when he licked his lips and spoke again.

“Keep staring at me like that and I'm liable to kiss you.”

Acknowledgments

I have to give a special-shout out to Amanda, Liz Jeanne, Angela, and Amy, who read through these stories and make them the best they can be. You guys are my rock! I also want to thank my editor, Madeleine, who is wonderful and brilliant at helping me get the stories to the next level and we always seem to come up with some great new scenes while we work together!

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