AllFreeNovel
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I learned a long time ago that the only way through an awkward situation is through it, so I decide to confront the situation head-on.
“Are you trying to avoid looking at my breasts?”
“What? No!” He darts a quick glance at my chest then immediately turns away again.
Time for some humor to alleviate the awkwardness. I point at my chest. “Hey, take it as a compliment. These headlights don’t flash for just anyone, you know.”
He sinks his head into his hand but chuckles at the same time. “I’m so sorry,” he mumbles. “I just, uh, you’re really attractive, and that outfit is putting some maybe not-so-appropriate thoughts into my head.”
Hold up, he’s attracted to me? He’s not just weirded out? “You think I’m attractive?”
He lifts his head to look at me, in the face this time. “Hell, yeah.”
A light, fizzy sensation rushes through me, and the air between us suddenly feels charged with electricity, as if the storm has moved inside. “Oh. Well. Um… for what it’s worth, I think you’re very attractive too.”
“Oh. Well.”
For a long moment, we stare at each other then, without taking his gaze from mine, the Chief puts his tumbler down on the coffee table then reaches for my glass. I let him take it and put it down next to his. He shifts closer to me and wraps one large hand around mine.
My heart is pounding in my throat now and the delicious tension between us ratchets up a notch. It might be awkward hooking up with someone I live next door to… but I bet it would be worth it.
With his free hand, Jeremy caresses my face. “This probably isn’t a good idea.”
I lean into the warmth of his hand. “Probably not,” I breathe. “Being enemies and all.”
“Rivals, not enemies.” He licks his lips. “Tell me again why we’re rivals?”
I’m so warm and relaxed and hypnotized by the scent of him and the feel of his strong arm around me that for the life of me, I can’t really remember. “Something about both of us wanting the same thing?” I murmur.
“That must be it,” he says, and then his mouth is on mine.
19
BLAZE
The Chief tastes like whiskey and smells a bit spicy, like cloves and cinnamon. Like Christmas in July. Like a booze-soaked cake I just can’t get enough of.
His lips are firm, the gentle scratch of his beard against my skin an erotic kind of tickle. He shifts closer to me, cupping my face in his hands, and deepening his kiss. With a little grumble of exasperation, Jackie jumps off my lap and resettles himself on the far end of the couch.
I snuggle closer to the Chief—maybe at this point, I should start thinking of him as Jeremy—and slide my hand across his jaw. In response, his tongue slides across the seam of my lips, and I part them just enough to let him in. For a long moment, I float, aware of nothing but the warm, electric feel of his mouth against mine and the spiced-cake scent of him.
With a groan, he breaks the kiss. His eyes are dark but they twinkle with a touch of humor. “I think I prefer friends to enemies.”
“There is definitely something to be said for it,” I pant between deep breaths. If my nipples were hard before, they’re like diamonds now, tightened almost painfully, and there is a decided feeling of warmth between my legs. Wow, if one kiss can do this to me, what would—
“I guess I should probably go.” The Chief shifts away from me, taking all that warmth and spice with him.
“What?” I squawk, bereft. “Why?”
He studies the coffee table. “You know… I don’t want things to be awkward between us.”
I feel like a once-in-a-lifetime chance is slipping out of reach, which is crazy, of course, because the trick to successful one-nights is knowing that there are always more available. No FOMO.
But right now, I’m feeling the FOMO hard.
I can’t tell if he’s trying to be a gentleman or if he’s remembered I’m not his type and is trying to let me down easy. I could play it cool like I don’t care too much either way, or I could be assertive.
I go with assertive. “Trust me, things will be more awkward if you leave me hanging like this. If you think I’m obnoxious normally, you’re not going to like me when I’m beaver-dammed.”
