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Oh yeah. We’re in public.


She pulled away from him and offered a farewell far more casual than her feelings at the moment. “See you around.”


“You know where to find me.” With that, he shut her in, leaned into the open front passenger side window, and palmed the driver a very large bill.


Just like that, her Pretty Woman complex was complete.


CHAPTER TWELVE


The A/C had been set so she wouldn’t freeze, but Kimber’s shoulders were still cold. She maintained her position on one of the stools at the breakfast bar, unwilling to move from her elegant pose.


She didn’t quite have the guts to pull off the Pretty Woman nude-while-wearing-a-tie scene—not that she’d be able to tie the dang thing—so she settled for perching on a stool in the kitchen, legs crossed, wearing the dress Glo had dropped off for her this afternoon.


Between a black and deep blue, the neck scooped down to showcase her breasts and halted mid-thigh. Glo’s boobs were too big and she claimed they kept busting out of the top (the poor dear), but Kimber chose to be grateful for the hand-me-down instead of jealous that her friend was better endowed than she. Since all of Kimber’s dresses were vintage, she’d accepted the offer of the sexy cocktail number, deciding to surprise Landon with an attempt at elegance.


Legs crossed, she waggled one very tall heel and stole a glance at the clock. Seven thirty. He was supposed to be home an hour ago, and so she’d been sitting here, waiting, trying not to muss her updo or fiddle with the costume jewelry around her neck and dangling from her ears. Landon was right. She was a fidgety person. His every move always seemed so controlled.


Her shoulders slumped. Maybe she could wait on the couch, and then when he came in, dash over to her perch and resume her poise. She hopped off the stool, staggering in the stilettos she had no idea how Glo wore with any measure of success, and caught herself on the corner of the kitchen table with one palm.


“Stupid things.” She cursed the shoes and reached for the right one, intending to take them off and toss them aside. That’s when she heard the key in the door.


* * *


Landon stepped into his kitchen expecting to find Kimber. They’d planned to get together tonight, and he was woefully late. He’d debated over what kind of apology gift to buy, but flowers and candy were out of place in this… whatever they were doing, so he’d settled for something simpler.


But he nearly dropped the potato chips and wine when he found Kimber bent forward, one hand braced on the table, a spiked heel in her other hand. Wide, jade eyes regarded him, her red lips softly pursed.


My God. She’s gorgeous.


She was gorgeous anyway, but tonight…


His eyes swept down to her breasts hanging free in the low-cut top of a patented “little black dress.” She slipped the heel back on to her foot, teetered for a second, then adjusted the hem of her dress. A lock of crimson hair fell over her eye, the rest of it arranged into some kind of twist at the back of her head. The jewelry around her neck made him want to replace it with the real deal. Because she’d look amazing in real diamonds.


In only real diamonds.


He crossed the room, setting aside his apology gifts and briefcase. She gave him a smile that may have been slightly embarrassed, but he bent and captured her lips before she could say anything. While their mouths mated, he drew a line down her neck with the back of his fingers and slipped beneath the strap over her left shoulder.


He placed an openmouthed kiss on her neck and breathed her in. “You are exquisite.”


There was no other word for her.


Her easy laugh tumbled around in his chest. “I was going for classy.”


He raised his head but kept his fingers beneath the strap of her dress, stroking her skin with a light touch. “That, too.” She was tall in those shoes. Tall enough that he barely had to lean down to kiss her lips a second time.


“I’m underdressed,” he said. “I’ll go change.” He didn’t want to take her out. He wanted to take her to bed. But a woman didn’t get dressed up just to be stripped down, some logical part of his brain reminded him.


Her brow furrowed. “Change?” She reached for his tie. “I thought we’d”—she lifted one delicate shoulder—“you know.”


Yes. He knew.


The demure smile on her face weakened his resolve. Sufficiently. “I know you didn’t get dressed like this for me.” He toyed with the strap again, enjoying the feel of her satiny skin.


“I did.” She swept her hands up his torso and heat spread across his chest. “I thought you might like to see how well I clean up.” She tugged on his tie. Little had he known he’d become such a fan of that move. Or maybe he was only a fan when Kimber was at the helm. She didn’t have to tug hard to get him to lower his lips and kiss her again as she untied the length of silk and dropped it to the floor. “What’s next on the list?” she said against his mouth.


Tags: Jessica Lemmon Love in the Balance Billionaire Romance