“Tell me about Adam.”
Killian’s quietly asked question knocked the breath out of her like a sucker punch to her gut. She hadn’t seen it coming, but she should have. Killian was pretty straightforward and rarely subtle.
“Umm,” she started. What did she say? That he’d left her because … because she wasn’t enough for him. Did she admit that?
She couldn’t. Not to this man, who already saw her in the same light.
No. No. Killian just wanted and needed a different type of woman. That wasn’t the same. But wasn’t it? Wasn’t it exactly?
“Adam was—” Poppy stopped as a woman appeared beside Killian. Not the woman who’d been here when she’d left for the restroom.
Poppy looked around. What had happened to her, anyway?
Well, whatever. This was a brunette with a short pixie cut and big baby-blue eyes. The kind of eyes a man could get lost in—wasn’t that the cliché?
“Hi.” She smiled, leaning in right between the two of them, so Poppy had to lean back to avoid being bumped.
“My friends over there”—she gestured to the table of women—“and I have a bet going. Are you a model?”
“No,” Killian answered, his tone curt.
“Really, because I could swear I’ve seen you somewhere before.”
Poppy snorted. “You better get a more original line than that. He’s already heard that one tonight.”
Poppy snapped her mouth shut. Had she really just said that?
She giggled a little, until she realized both Miss Blue Eyes and Killian were staring at her. Blue Eyes looked annoyed. Killian looked—amused. His golden eyes flashed with silent laughter.
Poppy suppressed her own laughter. Well, mostly. A slight snicker escaped.
“I’m sorry.” The brunette shifted so she was standing closer to her. “I don’t believe I was talking to you.”
“Oh, I realize that.” Poppy smiled, undaunted by the other woman’s irritation.
“Then maybe you should mind your own business.”
Poppy blinked. Hadn’t this woman seen that she was here with Killian? Didn’t she see him walking her back over here? Didn’t she see them talking? Hadn’t she seen his hand on her back? Given how they’d all been watching him since he got here, Poppy knew she had. They all had.
Something inside her snapped. This was another person telling her that she wasn’t good enough.
“Oh, he’s my business,” Poppy said. She knew it was probably the wine talking. But at this moment, it felt pretty darned good. No, pretty damned good.
“Oh, really?” the woman said, eyeing her like there was no possible way she was telling the truth.
But before Poppy could reply, Killian tapped the woman’s shoulder and when she turned to look at him, he said, “Yes. Really. Come here, baby.”
Then before Poppy realized what he intended to do, he reached over and pulled her, stool and all, closer to him. The move brought her against him and effectively nudged the brunette out of the way.
Poppy looked from Killian to the woman, then back to Killian. This was silly. She started to giggle.
Killian smiled too, then he murmured, “Come here.”
For a split second she didn’t understand. Her stool was already bumped right against his. Then his hand came up to catch her chin, and his head descended.
He kissed her.
CHAPTER 21
Poppy remained still, stunned. Killian was kissing her. His lips moved over hers. Gently teasing her. Unhurried. Wonderfully soft and strong at the same time.
But her lack of response didn’t last long. He felt too good. A small moan escaped her, and she looped her arms around his neck. She kissed him back, all the emotions of this night coming out in her reaction to him.
He moaned too and deepened the kiss. His tongue found hers, brushing, tasting. The intimacy of the touch made her shake with need. God, he felt so good.
She sank her fingers into his hair, feeling the silky strands twining around them. His hold on her face was so sensual, so possessive. His thumb tugged at her bottom lip, opening her to him. And he tasted her more.
It was wild and erotic, and she knew she was acting out of control. But she didn’t care. She wanted to surrender to this.
But then he was gone. She swayed, her eyes still closed, her body limp with desire, her breathing short, disjointed pants.
“Poppy?”
She opened her eyes, trying to focus. Killian was still only inches away. She fought the urge to lift her lips to his again.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
His words jarred her like a bucket of ice water dumped over her head. Why not? It had been wonderful. Perfect.
“But she’s gone.”
She blinked again. Who? Then reality truly hit. He’d just kissed her to get rid of that woman. The kiss had been fake. A charade.
She straightened, although she still felt like she was reeling.
“Good,” she said with more composure than she felt. Inside, every muscle quivered like Jell-O. Even as she told herself to just shake it off. The kiss wasn’t real. Killian hadn’t felt the same things she had.
She managed to look out at the barroom. The table of women gaped at her, and even in her embarrassment and hurt she realized some of them looked at her with surprise, but others appeared almost impressed. Except the brunette. She’d returned to the table but sat with her back to them.
Maybe Poppy should have had a sense of smugness, but she just felt stupid. Stupid and offended. And hurt.
Beside her, Killian shifted and she realized she was still basically wedged between his legs. Carefully, because her legs wobbled as if she was on stilts, she stood and moved her bar stool.
Space would help. God, she hoped it would help.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” Killian repeated, and she found his apology angered her.
But her voice was quiet and even as she said, “No woman wants an apology like that.”
Killian nodded. She was right. He’d way overstepped his bounds, and how could a simple “I’m sorry” make up for that?
His only thought had been to make a point to that rude woman. Both women had been overbearing and disrespectful to Poppy. Something she didn’t deserve from anyone.
Of course, his kiss had been both of those things too.
But she’d been so feisty with the woman. It was utterly adorable—and arousing. He frowned at his own thoughts.
And if he was being honest, putting that woman in her place wasn’t why he’d kissed Poppy. He’d just wanted to kiss her, and then once he was, all he’d been thinking about was how amazing Poppy felt in his arms. And how he just wanted more of her.
But his loss of control hadn’t been fair to her.
He started to apologize again but caught himself.
Poppy reached for the wineglass in front of him, but she didn’t make eye contact as she did so. She finished off the last bit, then clutched the glass in her hand, watching her friend play guitar. But he didn’t think she was even seeing him.
