“Yeah… things look promising.” I appreciated the sudden shift in subject. It gave me a chance to breathe again. “I’m enjoying it. And I’m my own boss, which is like a dream come true.”
“That’s the best news I’ve heard all week. I’m pleased for you. And you’ll kick ass. I’m sure of it.”
“Thanks. There’s an issue with cash flow. I’m going to have to moonlight as a waitress in the meantime.”
He shook his head. “I won’t let that happen. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of until everything sorts itself out. That is, if you let me…”
“You don’t owe me anything, Lachlan.”
His warm hand remained in mine. “I wish I didn’t have to run. Can we meet later?” His eyes softened.
I couldn’t remain angry when he looked like that. Even in his loose, worn T-shirt, knee-length shorts, and flip-flops, Lachlan could still entice a room full of swooning women to donate their kidneys on a platter just for a taste of his lips.
“But aren’t you working?”
“I am.” He sounded frustrated. “What about tomorrow? Early. Given that I have a gig again. Every fucking night.” He rubbed his neck.
“You don’t sound keen.”
He shrugged. “I love playing. But every night’s a bit too much.” He paused for a breath. “Tomorrow? Late afternoon at the apartment?”
“The gallery is having its opening tomorrow. Early evening. I’m going to have to be there all day, preparing.”
“I’ll come along, then. That is if I’m invited.” He took my other hand and stared deeply into my eyes.
I had to tense my muscles to avoid falling into his arms. “Of course. The more, the merrier.”
Have I forgiven him?
“You bet!” my heart bellowed.
He took one step closer, and the electricity between us almost sparked.
As painful as it was, I had to remove my hands from his. “I’d best be going, then. I’ll send you an invite.” Before his hypnotic turquoise eyes made me forget my name, I turned and left.
After a few steps, I realized I was actually parked in the opposite direction, so I turned and nearly ran into him. He hadn’t moved.
“My car’s over…”
I started to point, then he grabbed a hold of me. He lowered his eyelids, and a whiff of him was all it took. I fell into his strong arms, and his mouth claimed mine. His velvety tongue caressed then parted my lips, making me lose all sense of space and time.
He pushed his hard body against mine. His desire throbbed against me, and my heart pumped wildly in response.
His savage kiss teased and devoured me at the same time.
“God, how I’ve missed you, Miranda.”
His eyes softened, and I nearly melted on the pavement.
His forehead touched mine. As we soaked in each other’s gazes, it felt like the sun on naked skin.
Lachlan stepped back. “I should let you go.
“Sure.” I smiled. My aching need to be with him made me wish I possessed the confidence to unzip his pants and take his dick in my mouth there and then. His kiss had whetted my appetite, and the rest of me craved every sexy inch.
He smiled tenderly and brushed my cheek. “Tomorrow, then. I’ll drop in before my gig, then later, we can catch up.” He tilted his head so adorably that I would have agreed to walk a tightrope over a pit of snapping alligators to be with him.
“Just remember to wear those red panties.”
A deep, swelling ache throbbed through me at the way his eyes turned from soft and affectionate to that delicious bedroom shade of erotic.
He pressed himself against me again as a reminder of just how hard I’d made him.
We shared another deep, passionate kiss, then I floated off.