CHAPTER FOUR
MATT
My heart is thudding like mad in my chest as I wait for her answer. Tricia’s blue eyes are so wide and clear, surrounded by dark eyelashes. This close to her, I can see the tiny moles on her right cheek and the faint pink that’s spreading on her face. More than anything, I want to taste her lips.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
Everything skids to a stop. Utter disappointment slapping me in the face.
“It would be against professional ethics for me to date a client,” she says softly.
I nod. “I understand. I’m going to miss your massages. They really have been wonderful for my stress.”
Comprehension blooms on her face, and I grin. “But I truly want to get to know you, Tricia.”
Her blush deepens. “I’d like that too, Matt.”
I reach out a hand to touch hers, heat zinging up my arm at the contact. Her touch on my skin during the massages has always affected me. This is more. Deeper, more personal. We’re touching by choice for the first time, and I can’t wait for more.
Giving her hand a squeeze, I release her and walk over to my clothes, retrieving my phone out of my pants pocket. I offer it to her. “Can I have your number?”
“I don’t have my phone with me. We can’t have it in the room with clients for privacy reasons.”
“Guess you’ll just have to answer all the unknown numbers that call you,” I say, feeling like my heart is stuck in my throat and anticipation thumps through me. It’s been years since I’ve gotten a woman’s number. It’s a high that I’ve long forgotten about. Though I don’t quite remember it being this intense.
Almost shyly, she takes it from me, quickly typing in her information. I marvel at her slim fingers flying over the keys. Her hands might be small, yet I know the power behind them. Desire tugs at my groin.
Our fingers brush when she hands the phone back, her gaze flying to mine. The attraction I feel isn’t one-sided.
Emboldened, I move closer, the warmth of our bodies colliding to create a heat all its own. “May I kiss you?”
Tricia’s hands go to the front of the silly white robe. Her thumbs hook in the edges, barely grazing the skin of my chest. The effect is electrifying. My gut tightens painfully, my dick hardening and lengthening down my thigh.
Wordlessly, Tricia nods, angling her chin up, giving me better access to those tempting pink lips.
Lowering my mouth to hers, I nearly groan when our lips meet. Everything about her is sweet. Gliding my tongue along the seam of her lips, she opens with a sigh, her fingers clenching into fists on the robe, unconsciously pulling me closer and tighter.
There’s nowhere else I want to be.
I lose myself to the kiss and her. My hands come up to cup her face, forgetting about the cell phone still in my hand until it, not me, connects with her cheek.
With a wince, she jerks away, her wide gaze slightly unfocused.
“I’m so sorry!”
Tricia rubs a hand along her cheek, shaking her head with a chuckle. “It’s okay. We both got carried away there. It was a timely reminder to stop.”
Her grin is engaging and some of my guilt lessens. I reach out and run my fingers over her cheek. “You’re not hurt?”
“No, I’m fine. I should go so you can get dressed.” Her gaze dips down, new color filling her face.
The thought of her knowing about my erection when she was massaging me was mortifying. Now I feel no shame. I’m attracted to her. No need to make a secret of it or be embarrassed about my body’s natural response to her. “I look forward to seeing you again.”
She’s reaching for the door but pauses, her head swinging around, showing off her bright eyes and beautifully well-kissed lips. “Me too.”
Then she’s gone.
I glance down at my phone, contemplating calling her now. She might get a laugh out of that.