Page 112 of The Worst Possible Plan

“You read?”

“I can.”

I rolled my eyes. “You know exactly what I meant.”

“I do.”

My attention wandered toward a row of framed photographs sitting on a side table. An older couple stood beside a red barn, smiling into the camera. Another picture showed a teenage Eric holding what looked like an enormous pumpkin, wearing an expression that suggested he’d rather be anywhere else.

I smiled as I glanced back at him. “You had hair.”

His face screwed up. “I still have hair.”

“A lot more hair. Like big.”

He gave me a look.

I laughed again. “You were cute.”

“I was fourteen.”

“That explains the haircut.”

I wandered toward the kitchen. Like the living room, it was simple. Everything had a place. The countertops were spotless. A fruit bowl sat in the middle of the island with exactly three bananas and two apples. Nothing else. No mail piled on the counter or a mysterious junk drawer exploding into neighboring cabinets.

All very neat and organized.

The exact opposite of me.

“You actually live like this?”

He looked around. “Like what?”

“So...” I gestured vaguely. “Functional.”

He shrugged. “It’s easier to find things.”

“Ah.” I leaned against the counter, looking back toward the living room.

For just a second... just one tiny second, I pictured myself curled up in that chair by the fireplace with a blanket and a book. Eric walking in through the back door after work. Eric looking at me like that. Then kissing me. Then carrying me over to the bedroom and ripping all my clothes off...

Yeah… gotta stop that. My brain was getting way ahead of itself again.

I’d known the man for all of five minutes. Okay... slightly more than five minutes. Still.

I cleared my throat and looked at him. “You know,” I said playfully, “for a caveman, you’ve made this place surprisingly cozy. Still sexy in that primeval drag-your-woman-by-the-hair-to-the-bedroom sort of way.”

“Come here.” He closed the distance between us, the warmth of his breath brushing across my skin. Heat flickered in his dark eyes before he tipped his head and brushed a lingering kiss against one corner of my mouth. My pulse stumbled as he repeated the gesture on the other side, catching my lower lip in a gentle tease.

I found myself responding excitedly, kissing him back with the same intensity. He slid his tongue between my lips, and I shuddered with pleasure, heat blooming over my skin.

I couldn’t remember the last time anyone had kissed me like that, with such passion and desire. It was setting my core on fire. I wanted to rip off his clothes and touch every inch of his hard body.

I pushed myself against him, feeling the heat between us. His hands moved under my shirt, sending delicious tingles over my skin.

He flashed a wicked grin and drew me against him. Warm breath ghosted over my skin before he captured my mouth in a kiss filled with urgency. His hands gripped my hips with a possessiveness that made me shiver.

I pulled away playfully. “Like I said. Very caveman-ish.”