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I dropped my hand from his face, the weight of his earlier accusations sinking back in. “Morgan had nothing to do with Michael’s disappearance,” I said firmly, my voice tinged with frustration.
“I know,” he said quietly, his eyes filled with remorse. “He made his own choices.”
“Then why say it? You hurt me, Lincoln. Morgan is my best friend.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I miss him.”
I sighed softly and tilted my head up, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, offering a small gesture of forgiveness. As I pulled away, I wiped the smudge of lip gloss from his mouth, a faint smile tugging at my lips.
“Let’s ditch this party,” I suggested, trying to lighten the mood.
He smirked, a playful glint returning to his eyes. “I paid two hundred dollars for my ticket,” he remarked with a hint of amusement.
“You’ve never come to these before,” I pointed out, raising an eyebrow.
“I didn’t come for the rubber chicken and watered-down drinks. I came for you,” he said, his tone turning serious.
“How did you know I would be here?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.
“I have my ways,” he replied with a sly grin.
“Stalker,” I teased, rolling my eyes.
“Only for you,” he shot back, his grin widening. “I could’ve put us both out of our misery and called you.”
“That goes double,” I admitted, feeling a pang of regret for not reaching out first.
Lincoln took my hand, his grip warm and firm as he led me down the hallway. The low hum of voices and the dimmed lights from the dining room signaled that the dinner was about to start. We hurried along, slipping through the door to the coatroom, eager to escape into the night together.
CHAPTER 8
Lincoln
The moment I spotted Erika across the room, a surge of desire hit me hard, like a punch to the gut. I’d been nursing a Belgian beer for the past half hour, biding my time until she showed up. And when she did, she didn’t disappoint. That silver dress clung to her in all the right places, showcasing the glorious cleavage I’d been craving ever since our last encounter.
Now, as the cab sped toward my apartment, I couldn’t keep my hands off her. I reached out, letting the back of my hand graze her cheek before tracing the line of her jaw with my fingers. Finally, I cupped her chin, unable to resist the urge to kiss those full lips. The taste of her vanilla lip gloss was intoxicating, leaving me eager to discover if the rest of her tasted just as sweet.
“Stop it,” Erika whispered, her voice a soft plea.
“I can’t help it,” I murmured, my lips brushing against hers again. “I’m under your spell.”
“That’s so corny,” she replied, though there was a hint of amusement in her tone.
“But it’s true,” I insisted, the words slipping out before I could stop them. “I think I love you.”
She raised her eyebrows, clearly skeptical. “Don’t be ridiculous. Love at first sight is a myth.”
“I don’t think so anymore,” I said, my voice low and serious.
I grabbed her hand, stroking her palm with my thumb. Erika shivered slightly, pulling her coat tighter around her. I knew it wasn’t because she was cold—the cab’s interior was warm, almost too warm. I had to fight the urge to shrug off my thick black wool coat, which was doing a poor job of hiding my arousal. I shifted in my seat, trying to ease the pressure of my erection, but it was no use. I felt like a kid on his first date, completely captivated by her.
I kept hold of Erika’s hand as we stepped out of the cab, my thumb tracing lazy circles on her soft skin. She purred in response, leaning into me as we rode the elevator up to my floor. The moment we stepped inside my apartment, I stripped off our coats and claimed her mouth, savoring the taste of her vanilla lip gloss. I backed her toward the couch, feeling her cling to the lapels of my jacket as we kissed.
“No more,” Erika panted, pushing herself away from me. Her resistance only made me want her more, like a predator stalking its prey. But I knew I had to be careful—if I pushed too hard, I’d lose her.
“We’re just kissing,” I said lightly, trying to ease the tension.
“If you have no plans to go further, I have to leave,” she shot back, her eyes challenging me.
