Her reflection mocked, biting her lip not because she was anxious but because she was excited. Kate caught a look at herself and stopped, muttering a curse. She quickly reapplied her lipstick, then put the lid on it and dropped it into her bag.
He didn’t keep her waiting long. She heard his footsteps coming toward her and whirled around to face him, her breath stopped in her chest. He was incredibly handsome, and her heart kicked into a faster rhythm at the sight of him. He looked just as handsome now as he did the night of the announcement dinner. Dark, dangerous, and sleek as a panther.
Kate swallowed hard. She wished they were coming home for this evening instead of going out. She wanted to strip the tux off him and have her way with him right now.
She was a little nervous about hobnobbing with the elite of San Diego. Social situations tended to make her nervous. She would much rather sit in a lab and analyze DNA than put on a fancy dress and high heels and try to make conversation. But she wanted to be with Jericho, and this was part of his life. Although, unlike her, he fit into the glittering lifestyle, and he had no problems with social situations or schmoozing the moneylenders.
They stared silently at each other, each lost in their own thoughts for long minutes before Kate noticed the missing cuff links.
“Did you forget something?” she asked, breaking the heavy tension in the air, and he blinked at her before he followed her eyes down to his cuffs.
“I was going to check around for my cuff links. I had them the night of the announcement party, but I can’t find them,” he muttered. “Damn, Andrew gave them to me.”
“He did? They must mean a lot to you.”
“They do.”
“I took them off your shirt when you were sleeping in my office and put them in my jeans’ pocket so they wouldn’t get lost. I even put them in my robe pocket to give to you, but when we…uh…”
“Made love on the piano?”
“Right. You made me totally forget about them.” She smiled as she opened her purse and took out the beautiful cuff links. She moved closer and worked each through its buttonhole slowly. The sight of the cuff links made her remember how they’d made love, evoking heated memories. She peeked up at him through her lashes and saw that he was staring down at her hands.
* * *
Jericho knew that wasn’t a good idea to touch her, but he couldn’t help himself. He reached out and snagged one of her shining curls as it slid over her creamy shoulder.
He played with the silky strands, rubbing them between his fingers. His eyes were drawn to her cleavage peeking out of that racy dress. The soft mounds of her breasts lifted and fell with each breath. If he didn’t have five hundred people waiting for him to give a speech after paying five hundred dollars a plate, he’d slip his hand inside that dress and cup her breast, rolling her hard nipple against his palm.
“Got it,” she finally said, running her hands down the front of his shirt. “Ready to go.” Her face grew serious as she stared up at him. He was caught in her eyes as if he’d suddenly been immersed in deep blue pools. The air felt electrified as if the molecules reacted to their need and heated. He forgot about the five hundred people, and the five hundred dollars a plate, and the speech. He forgot everything but Kate and the effect she had on him.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, tugging on the curl, and reaching out to send his hand over her shoulder, down her arm.
“Thank you,” she managed to say, giving him a distressed look. “You don’t think it’s too much?”
“I’d like a little less,” he said, grinning.
She smacked him on the arm, and he laughed.
“That wasn’t what I meant, Jericho.”
“I know that, but you looked so serious. I’ve seen the mayor’s wife wear less,” he said huskily, moving one hand up to cup hers and bringing it to his lips.
“Really?”
Jericho pressed a kiss to her palm. He couldn’t stay away from her even if he wanted to. She drew him both physically and emotionally. He was feeling things for Kate that would complicate his life. This was a quick fling, a bargain. But his exploration of this woman was becoming too vital to ignore. He should enjoy the time he had with her and worry about the consequences later. “You take my breath away, Kate,” he whispered, his face moving closer to hers.
“I’m having a great time, too, Jericho,” Kate breathed as he hesitated a fraction away from her lips. “I hope you’re not hesitating to kiss me because I’m all dolled up.”
She took the decision out of his hands and pressed her mouth to his, effectively silencing the words he was going to say. She pressed herself against his chest, her hand sliding to the nape of his neck to keep him in place, her mouth hot and sweet against his.
Something more than desire coiled in Jericho’s stomach, and he slipped his arms around her, trying to be careful of her gown and hair. They kissed each other as if they were saying goodbye, hard and frantic, their tongues joining avidly, before he finally broke away.
He rested his forehead against hers, their breathing labored. “We’d better stop, or we’ll never leave here,” he murmured, touching her mouth regretfully. “I messed up your lipstick.”
“You got some on you,” she said huskily, her thumb wiping at his bottom lip.
Without any more words, they went out the door and Jericho opened the Mercedes door for her as she got in.