Christ, he really wished she hadn’t done that.
Kale gulped and felt his blood rush at the sight of her luscious mouth and fleshy lips. Lips designed for kissing.
Him.
Everywhere.
Now.
Fuck!
Her tongue snaked out and drew the straw inside. Puckering her mouth, she took a long suck, mirrored a sexy bedroom purr, and swallowed the icy concoction.
Desire twisted inside him as a burst of heat shot straight to his groin, making it tighten painfully. He suspected this woman had no idea how sexy she was or that she’d been getting under his skin for the past week. Hell, since the minute he’d looked into her seductive eyes, the attraction was instant, potent, all-consuming, and anything but casual. There was no denying how much he wanted her. And right now the sight of her wet, sensuous lips wrapped around that long, tubular straw filled his mind with all kinds of wild and wicked images.
Kale eased himself onto a stool and draped his tux jacket over his lap. He angled closer, close enough to breathe in her arousing feminine scent. His nostrils flared as her hypnotic aroma curled around him and seeped under his skin. She smelled like a fragrant spring flower on a warm sunny day. Heaven help him, he’d make a deal with the devil himself to be the bumblebee in charge of pollinating that blossom.
He exhaled an agonized groan and clenched his jaw. If he didn’t banish his thoughts and curb his desires, his jacket would soon be performing a magical hovering act.
When she swirled on her stool, their outer thighs connected. Lust clawed its way to the surface and clamored for attention. A thin sheen of moisture dampened his skin. The soft scrape of her silky smooth leg against his drove every sane thought from his passion-rattled brain.
Without fully considering his actions, he reached out and brushed a tendril of nutmeg hair from her delicate shoulder.
Would the silky curls at the apex of her legs be the same buttery soft texture, the same rich color?
Surprise registered on her face, and she flinched at his intimate touch. Her warm hand darted out and closed over his. The sweet friction of skin rubbing skin made his cock pulse and thicken.
Twining a wavy curl around his finger, his hand hovered near the creamy swell of her full cleavage for an extra second. Long enough for him to absorb the heat radiating from her naked flesh. Gorgeous chocolate, come-hither eyes stared at him in utter shock.
She shivered under his invasive touch. “What are you doing?” Erin asked. Her tone might have sounded alarmed, but the spark igniting her eyes told an entirely different story.
Wondering what color the soft tuft of curly hair between your thighs would be if you were drenched with passion.
Pulling his hand away, he swallowed. Hard. Like he had a dry piece of steak lodged in his throat.
“Your hair was about to dip into your drink.” And I was about to come on the spot. He felt it best to keep that last thought to himself.
“Oh.” She blew her wispy bangs off her forehead. With lips close enough to taste, her sweet, strawberry-scented breath wafted across his face. His mouth salivated, eager for a deeper, more satisfying taste. A fever rose in him. He had no idea what kind of spell she had over him, but he wanted her with a passion he’d never before experienced.
As she ran her finger around the perimeter of her glass, his thoughts fragmented. How could she make such an innocent movement so damn erotic? He shifted to alleviate the tight ache in his groin.
“Thanks,” she murmured, her voice dropping an octave. “You’d think my hair had a mind of its own.” Her low chuckle sounded rough, edgy. She brushed a few loose strands from her shoulder and grinned. “So much for sitting under the dryer for hours.” Rolling her eyes, she lifted one slender shoulder and gave a resigned sigh. “That’s why I usually skip the salon and pull it back into a ponytail.”
“Fancy hairstyles don’t really fit you, do they, Erin?” He liked that about her. She was perky, earthy, natural, and beautiful without high-priced hairstyles and layers of makeup.
It occurred to him that Erin was the antithesis of the women from his social circle in Los Angeles, superficial women caring only about their needs and desires while pretending to have depth and empathy for others. After spending the last week around Erin, Kale could see right through her bad-girl act. He caught glimpses of a woman who was full of warmth and compassion pretending to be superficial, something his every instinct told him she wasn’t.
How interesting.
“I noticed you always wore your hair tied back during rehearsals.” He gave a slow nod and paused to consider her a moment longer. “It suits you. I liked it that way.”
She laughed in response and shot him a wary look. The low, throaty, bewitching sound of her aphrodisiacal tone rolled over him.
One perfect eyebrow arched. “That’s a first. I always thought men liked a woman’s hair long and loose, so they could run their hands through it.” Wiggling her fingers, she mimicked the actions.
A casual shrug curled his shoulders. Shutting out the din of the crowd, he lowered his voice and nestled closer. He pressed his body against hers and put his mouth near her ear. “Yes, well, I guess I’m not like most men.”
A doubtful expression crossed her face but she didn’t respond. Breaking contact, she twisted sideways, pursed her lips, and took another long suck from her straw.
Hell, those plump lips of hers looked like they
