Page 51 of Seduction Under the Southern Stars
“I’ve missed you,” he murmurs. His breath warms my ear, and I shiver.
“I’ve missed you, too.”
“I’m so sorry,” he says.
I don’t know what he’s sorry about, but I don’t ask. I tuck my head against his neck, enjoying the scent of his cologne. My lips are close enough to his throat that I could kiss it if I wanted. I don’t, but I could. He swallows, and I watch his Adam’s apple rise and then fall again.
We stand there like that, in the summer sunshine, until the Uber pulls up.
He releases me and walks around to the roadside behind the driver, while I get in the pavement side. We buckle in, and the Uber slides into the traffic.
“I’m glad Wellington is putting on a good show for you,” I say. It’s a beautiful little capital city, but it can be windy and rainy.
“Yeah. It’s nice and clean,” he says. “I would have liked to do some more sightseeing. I should have given myself more time here.” He’s looking out of the window, but I wonder whether he also means so he could spend some more time with us. Maybe, maybe not. I like to think that’s the case, though.
It only takes ten minutes to get to the lab. We walk inside, and Linc gives his name to the woman behind the desk. She directs us to take a seat, but we’ve literally just sat down when another woman in a white coat comes out and calls his name.
“This shouldn’t take long,” he says to me, and then he gets up and follows her through a door which closes behind him.
Sure enough, in less than five minutes the door opens, and he comes out. “All done,” he says, and we head outside.
“Was it just a cheek swab?” I ask as we pause outside the lab.
He looks down at me. “Yeah, luckily. I don’t like needles.”
“Really?”
He tips his head to the side. “Or maybe I’m just looking for sympathy so you’ll hug me again.” He gives me a mischievous smile.
“No wonder you wear Black Phantom cologne,” I say. “You have the morals of a pirate.”
“I prefer the term ‘gentleman of fortune’. And any more of that lip and I’ll make you walk my gangplank.”
I laugh and lift my arms around his neck. He wraps his arms around me, tightening them so we’re pressed together.
“You didn’t grow much,” he teases.
“You did. How tall are you?”
“Six one and three quarters.”
“And you obviously work out.”
He moves back a little so he can look at me. “You been checking me out?”
“Maybe. You did strip off for me, remember?”
His lips curve up. Then his gaze drops to my mouth. My pulse instantly picks up. He’s thinking about kissing me. I remember my fantasy from this morning, and a warmth begins to creep through me at the memory of his mouth on mine, his lips on other parts of my body.
He pauses. I want to reach up on tiptoes and kiss him, but I’m not brave enough. And after a few moments, he releases me.
“Come on,” he says. “I’m going to buy you lunch.”
Chapter Eleven
Linc
I ask Elora if she knows anywhere good to eat, and she takes me to Courtenay Place, to a small but pleasant café called Calypso Coffee.
