13
Was thereanything sexier than a man with his white button-down shirtsleeves rolled up to reveal his muscled forearms?
Yes, there was.
It was a man with a white button-down, shirtsleeves rolled up to reveal two sleeves of tattoos on his muscled forearms.
Liv’s eyes kept darting to the bare skin of Grady’s arms which were at ten and two on his wheel. The drive from the castle to the B&B took less than ten minutes but she’d already caught herself drooling, literally, at the arm porn on display.
Grady had suggested they leave the reception after the cake cutting, so as soon as Bridgette smashed cake on Stew’s face they’d made a quick exit. Liv had mixed feelings about leaving the wedding. If it meant the night was ending, she was sad that it was almost over. If it meant the night wasn’t ending, she was radiating with excitement of what was to come—which she hoped would be them.
The question was, which was it?
She wished that she could call Rasha as they drove back to the B&B. Like a dating lifeline, or something. The energy in the cab of the truck was electric and she didn’t want the night to end but she had no clue how to make that happen.
She wanted to invite Grady inside the B&B, but would that be too forward?
This wasn’t even a real date.
She’d kissed him last night and he’d stopped it.
What if she asked him to come in and he declined?
He’d kissed her at the wedding, but that was probably for show. Tonight, Grady had made Liv feel like she was the only woman on the planet. But what if the kiss, what if his behavior was just an act?
Uncertainty and anxiety were both racing to the finish line and Liv had a feeling it was going to be a photo finish because they were both winning at this point.
Was this what being single was going to be like? If it was, she would just stick to her books.
Speaking of books, she still couldn’t believe that he’d actually read her books and that he’d thought of himself as the Duke. When he’d said it, she’d felt like he could read her mind and that he’d known the things she’d written thinking of him as the Duke. That he somehow knew the things she’d done to herself while she was imagining that he was the Duke.
Just thinking about it now had her hormones on overdrive. But to be fair, they’d been this way all night. Every time Grady’s arm brushed hers. Or she got a whiff of his unique, manly scent, or she looked at him, or he spoke, or they danced together, her hormones were like the high striker carnival game and he was the hammer that slammed onto the base causing the puck to rise up and ring her bell.
The truck pulled to a stop and he cut the engine. “Wait there,” he instructed before coming around to her side and opening the door for her.
They walked to her door in silence and when she pulled out her key and opened it she knew it was now or never. She was leaving tomorrow, and she wanted to spend the night with him. It wasn’t something she’d ever done with someone who she wasn’t in a relationship with, but she was a grown woman and Grady made her feel more than anyone else she’d ever known.
She turned toward him and took a breath so she didn’t pass out. “Thank you again. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy tonight, but it’s honestly been the most fun I’ve had in... maybe ever.”
He grinned at her and she thought for a second that he was going to lean down and kiss her, but he didn’t. “I had fun. I don’t want the night to be over.”
“Me either!” She agreed perhaps a little too eagerly from the smile that crossed his face. Her heart was pounding so hard she was scared Mr. Nosy from across the way was going to hear it and think that someone was knocking on her door. “Do you want to come in?”
“Yes.”
She stepped back and he entered the room, closing and locking the door behind him. As soon as she heard the click indicating they were alone and no one could bother them, a shiver of anticipation rushed down her spine.
Grady stood about a foot away from her and the space between them crackled with electricity. “I want to kiss you.”
“Good, then we’re on the same page.”
He took a step closing the distance that separated them, reached up and cupped her face then lowered down and pressed his lips to hers. His thumbs traced her jaw as he tilted her head higher. Her lips parted as she reached up and clung to his broad shoulders. His tongue slid between her lips, and she met it with her own.
This kiss was different than the two they’d shared. Last night, she’d been drunk and the aggressor. Tonight, at the wedding, it had just been a brief peck.
But now Grady was in control, and he was taking his time. He massaged her tongue with his, claiming her in a sensual dance. Then he broke the kiss and began pressing his mouth to her neck. She reveled in the sensation and pressure of his firm yet soft lips.
“I’ve never done this,” she confessed as she kissed his neck.