He didn’t acknowledge me with words but with actions. He turned his hand over and cradled mine in his big palm. We sat there holding hands for several minutes while the song played. My heart provided a strong beat to the lilting melody. The words rushed through my brain.
When it was over, he turned the volume off and put on the news.
“You know a bit about me, Gia. Tell me something about you.”
I let go of his hand and felt the immediate loss of his touch. Abel had a spark of energy that surrounded him and when I got close enough, it did things to me, including muddle my brain.
“There’s not much to tell. I work for Arm Candy.”
He gave me a curious look. “So who else has been the recipient of that smart mouth of yours?”
The way he looked at my mouth made me tingle from my lips to my core. I pressed my thighs together trying to ease the ache between them.
“Oh … I’m not a girl for hire.” I rolled my eyes. “I mean, obviously I am, but not in that capacity. I’m the girl who sits behind the desk and answers the phone. You kind of got cheated. Mr. Hopper’s request came last minute.” I lowered my head, “He said you wouldn’t care what I looked like.”
Abel’s eyes grew wide. “So they sent me the best looking woman they had? I’m one lucky bastard.”
“I don’t care what people say about you. You are pretty sweet even if you’re a fibber.”
He slipped to the edge of his seat. “Fibber? I don’t lie. You are stunning Gia.”
I waved my hand at him. “You’re too much.”
“I saw you in front of my gate and I wanted you. When you looked at me with those eyes, I nearly came in my jeans.” His hand went straight over his lips. “Sorry. Workplace hazard. I get in the bus and all filters are off.”
“You thought I was a groupie.”
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“Contrary to popular belief, I don’t do groupies. Hell, I haven’t been with a woman in a long time, but you make me want to change that.”
“You’re very sweet, but it’s not necessary to flatter me with kind words. I’m here to do a job and I’ll do it whether you’re nice or not.”
He stood up and sat on the coffee table in front of me. “Let’s not get confused here. I’m not sweet, but my words are truthful. The thoughts I’m having about you right now are anything but sweet.”
Was it possible to climax from a man’s voice? A quiver raced down my spine and lodged in my core.
“Like I said, you’re not my type.” I turned my head to look out the window. Maybe roadside trash and highway signs would suppress my desire.
His hands touched my knees, and I groaned. How was I supposed to not want him when he surrounded me with his presence and now his touch?
“Is that why you’re clenching your thighs? Why your nipples are hard as rocks and begging for me to suck and bite them? Why your panties are probably wet with desire?”
I looked down at the space between my legs hoping that my yearning couldn’t be seen. There was no hint of my attraction to him except maybe the blush I knew was on my hot cheeks.
“You’re terrible.”
“Yes, but in an oh-so-good way.” He flattened his palms on my knees. “Deny it.”
I looked at him. I loved everything about Abel from his messy hair, to his beard, to his large calloused hands. “I can’t. I do find you attractive but that doesn’t mean—”
“It means everything.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. I’d never kissed a man with a beard, but I loved the way it tickled my skin. When his tongue pressed at the seam of my lips, I was too weak to not respond.
Hell, I was sure a thousand girls had kissed those lips. Why not me too? I wouldn’t let it get any farther than a kiss. A kiss crossed the line of appropriate employee/employer behavior by a long shot, but a kiss was something I could recover from. When his tongue touched mine, and my body ratcheted up its need, I knew I was in big trouble. This was no simple kiss.
I’m not sure when it happened or how it happened, but somehow I ended up in Abel’s lap. He held me like I weighed nothing and kissed me like I was special. Like somehow my kisses were golden nuggets he wanted to collect and keep.
For a brief second, I pulled away. He opened his eyes, and all I saw was raw passion. I wanted more. He wanted more, but it wasn’t wise.