CHAPTER NINE
Aurelio’s mouth covered hers and Amber’s eyes drifted shut as she gave herself up to his kiss.
This shouldn’t be happening. He didn’t want to renew the relationship they’d had. He’d made that abundantly clear.
And she…well, she had more sense than to crave kisses from the man who’d rejected her.
Yet instead of stepping back or jerking her head aside, Amber leaned closer, rising on tiptoe, trying to scale his tall frame.
From the moment his lips touched hers, gently, tenderly shaping themselves to her mouth, she was lost. All the reasons why this was a bad idea were banished by the triumphant, silent shout of joy reverberating through her.
Higher she moved and the powerful arm lashing her waist slid lower so his palm covered her buttock, drawing her up against the hard column of his erection. Instantly heat spilled and spread, pooling and circling through her womb, leaving her damp and aching between the legs.
It was bliss being so close to him, tasting him on her tongue, breathing in the salt, male scent of him.
Bliss, but surely a betrayal of herself?
Bravely her beleaguered brain fought to make her pull back. To regret this intimacy and her weakness in opening for him. Yet she sucked his tongue hard into her mouth and caressed him greedily. As if she’d never taste him again.
Perhaps she wouldn’t.
He hadn’t planned this, she was sure. In another moment Aurelio would come to his senses, drawing back to reject her again.
At the thought pain seared, making her tremble.
Yet even that didn’t stop her. If Amber had a shred of pride left she’d pull away and end this now. Pride was about all that had got her through the last weeks. She couldn’t yield to him just because for a moment he’d forgotten that he didn’t want a relationship.
But it wasn’t so simple.
Her heart was engaged. And where the heart ruled, it was hard to put pride first, now her defences were breached and she felt so…raw.
She’d pretended not to be hurt, pretended it didn’t matter that the man she loved didn’t want her. But it did. She craved him with a desperation that had grown rather than diminished during the time they’d spent working together.
That desperation made her lean in to soak up the very essence of him into her bones, imprint him on her body as he’d imprinted himself on her heart. Amber was determined to absorb every sense memory she could against the time when Aurelio was gone from her life.
But the kiss didn’t end. He didn’t pull back or push her away. Instead, with a low sound of need that rumbled from the back of his throat, he tugged her higher, closer, and she grew dizzy on him. All her senses were on overload after being starved of him so long.
She shifted her hand, moulding his powerful chest, and discovered his heart sprinted as fast as her own. Shock smote her. She could, eventually, have resisted, but for the discovery he needed this as much as she did.
With a sigh of surrender Amber slid her hands up to channel through the thick hair at the back of Aurelio’s skull. She’d give herself to the decadent pleasure of his kiss, now hungry rather than gentle. She’d enjoy the moment, knowing it would be brief. After this she must walk away for the sake of her sanity.
Finally, when the blood roared in her ears from lack of oxygen and sheer sensual overload, he shifted, put his hands on her arms and lifted his head.
For a second longer Amber clutched at him then, recognising it was over, let her arms slide down over his heaving chest, to her sides. Her legs were wobbly but Aurelio held her steady, clearly realising she’d have trouble standing alone.
She waited for regret to engulf her, or embarrassment, or even shame. But they didn’t come.
Finally she opened her eyes to meet his hot, dark gaze. Fire spread through her at that kindling look but Amber didn’t turn away. She refused to hide now, no matter what he might read in her expression.
Aurelio’s breath was warm on her face, his body hot and hard beneath the fine weave of his tuxedo. Pain squeezed her chest as she looked up into his taut features. Even after all that had happened she wanted this man as she’d never wanted before.
The pads of his fingertips grazed her cheekbone in a trailing caress that made her eyelids flicker. Gossamer threads of delight spun through her from that touch, winding like silk round her heart.
‘Amber.’ His voice was hoarse and urgent and something within leapt at his loss of composure.
His caress moved to her mouth, his thumb planting itself on her slick bottom lip and tugging it down till she opened for him. Instantly darts of flame shot through her body. He rubbed his thumb across her mouth and she licked it, eager for the taste of him again.
So much for pride. Or control. Or even self-respect.