CHAPTER23
Calista widened her eyes, and then, Ronan was kissing her. One minute they were ruminating on heating elements and dryer drums, and the next he was heating her. His kiss was firm and certain. Her lips parted at the touch of his tongue, and erotic tingles shimmered from her lips downwards. He was like a sorcerer who’d splashed her with a love potion.
Wow.
Ronan threaded his fingers into her hair and cupped the back of her head. He pulled back and dropped his forehead to hers, his chest rising and falling hard.
Her world and concept of what a kiss was were expanding, Calista put one hand on his hard thigh and the other on his shoulder, needing to anchor herself in this moment on this earth, to both hold on to the sensation and to understand.
She couldn’t. This was beyond comprehension. Ronan Stromkin had kissed her. He’d been rubbing her ankle, making happy flutters dance with her nerve endings, all the while telling her why he couldn’t be with her. That contradiction alone had knocked her socks off. He was speaking as if she had a shot with him. Then he explained why they wouldn’t work. His reasoning was solid. And then the man kissed her.
Were men this confusing to all women? Or just her? She’d been on dates, she’d been kissed. How was his kiss so different? Chemistry? She’d never given that field the credit it deserved. This was no pleasant peck to end a night, this was a spark lighting a wick, a dive into the Mer-tank, a prelude to an explosion. Yes, that.
Her body hummed, and she wanted more of him.
She wanted an orgasm. How to word that after all he’d said? “What’s happening?” Calista patted his arms and curled her fingers into his hard biceps. Even losing her mind, his body made an impression on her. His strength stunned her and drew her to him. Calista tapped her fingers, half on his short-sleeved shirt, half on his skin. Touching him was delightful, like living in a daydream and doing exactly as she wanted. She slid her fingers down and back up and under his sleeve. Yes, she traced small strokes against his muscular biceps.
“I’m not a casual one-week kind of guy.” Ronan kissed her neck.
Electricity shot through her, nothing fleeting, a full, strong pulse. Calista sucked in a breath.
He licked her skin, and the feeling made her legs part.
Calista shifted causing her laptop to jostle against the window. “Oh.”
“Are you?” His voice deepened and held a plea.
“Am I what?” She sounded out of breath.
“Into casual sex? Or are you a relationship-only person like me?” His voice was deep and alluring, like sex and hockey combined.
“I’ve never gotten far enough to find out. Again, I’m a lot, too much for most guys.” The intimate sensations numbed her brain, letting her share her vulnerability, and the difficult truth came out without the usual reserve.
“I like simple.” Ronan kissed her neck, again sending trippy throbs through her. “But I can’t seem to stay away from you, though I need to.”
Hmm, the compliment buzzed warm inside her, and she wasn’t even put off by his truth. She understood. “I know you’re not the problem, it’s me.” She giggled. “We both know it’s me. That’s okay.”
Ronan cupped her head and looked into her eyes. “It’s not you. It’s the situation. You’re damned interesting, and my fingers are dying to touch more of you, and have you put your hands on me.” He looked dazed, his blue eyes glassy. “Your touching me is like having petals fall over my body.”
Nice. She forced her brain to consider all he’d said, and not just all she was feeling, such as their intense mutual attraction, all his reasonable arguments, their complicated work situation, the sensible thing to do, the importance of discipline, and yep, even the purity pledge. She pressed her fingers into his biceps and flattened her palms against his hard muscles. Touching him was divine. She wanted more, and despite the complexities, that won. “Yes, let’s do that, more touching.”
Ronan stilled. “My cards are on the table. We only have a week, possibly a touch longer, and we have to keep our affair private. Why would you accept so little? Is this because you’re a fan?”
Calista shook her head hard. Whatever this was, she didn’t want him to think her feelings were one dimensional, because that reasoning had an element of using him. She wanted him to understand. “I adore how Liam plays. He’s so frenetic, he’d make me crazy and comforted at the same time. And Saxon, when he’s not in his head, whew, one day soon he’ll be unstoppable. And Mikah, he’s a blur, but when he stops, he’s beautiful, a model on skates. And Kiernan, unpredictable but somehow reliable. He’s exciting to watch.”
“Okay, for my ego, you can stop now.” He lightly, teasingly, bit down on her collarbone.
Calista didn’t have the urge to giggle this time. That possessive grip was hot. “I admire how they play. I don’t want their clothes off. They are extraordinary, you are so much more.”
Ronan groaned.
She loved that her sincerity caused Ronan to make that sound.
“I think the same about you,” his voice was deep and heartfelt.
That warmed her and helped her continue. “I don’t know when my admiration changed. Maybe when you touched me in the conference room. I had quivers all over, from just your fingertips on my arm.” Calista let her bewilderment show in her voice. “The sensations weren’t like anything I’ve ever felt.”
Ronan’s blue eyes heated, but he made no romantic move. His chest rose and fell with his breaths. “This is temporary, though.”