Unwrap Me. Susan Lyons

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СКАЧАТЬ god, how could she phrase this? “Want to come in for a drink, and we can plot how to murder Karen?”

      A broad smile flashed. “You bet.” He came up the steps, and when he was under the porch light she saw the gleam in those greenish gray eyes.

      She shivered again, but this time not from the cold.

      3

      Closing the door behind him, Nick wondered why Jude had changed her mind. Did she feel the same sense of connection he did? A sexual pull, for sure—what guy wouldn’t be turned on by a woman like her?—but there was something else he couldn’t pin down. Maybe it had sprung from the shared chuckle over Karen’s crazy plan.

      A plan that was definitely growing on him. Oh, yeah, he could buy into being Jude’s Secret Santa gift. She must’ve told Karen she was looking for some action. His cock swelled as he imagined her unwrapping him.

      And vice versa.

      He tossed his coat back on the chair and followed her into the living room.

      The first thing he noticed was what wasn’t there. No tree, no Christmas decorations, no cards on the mantel, not even a poinsettia.

      The room was cozy and appealing, though. Flames in the gas fireplace. A plush couch, love seat, and chair upholstered in chocolate fabric. Framed photos of flowers, shelves of books, a nice entertainment system. The flat-screen TV was playing CSI. The original Vegas one. In contrast to the crime show, a mug and a pile of knitting sat on the coffee table beside a vase of sweet-smelling orange and yellow flowers.

      She clicked off the TV. “What would you like to drink?”

      “Anything but eggnog.” Nick wasn’t in the mood for it—not after the send-off party.

      “There’s none of that in the house. How about red wine?”

      “Great.”

      “I’ll get it. Why don’t you put on some music?”

      Nick browsed her CD collection. Light jazz and romantic songs, hip-hop, classic rock, even rap. But, strangely, no Christmas music. He picked up Michael Bublé’s Call Me Irresponsible and ran his eye down the tracks. “The Best is Yet to Come,” “It Had Better Be Tonight,” “I’m Your Man,” “Wonderful Tonight”…Oh, yeah, this should set the mood.

      Jude came back with an open wine bottle and two glasses. Banrock Station Shiraz. She held out a glass, unsmiling.

      He came over to her. This close, he was very aware of her height and curvy body. If he reached out and pulled her into his arms, all she’d have to do was tilt her head and he could kiss her. Her breasts would brush his chest and—man, his cock was hardening again. Didn’t help that her scent, like roses and peaches mixed together, was drifting over to him.

      He clicked his glass against hers. “To meeting each other.”

      Her cinnamon-spice eyes searched his, and she didn’t sound convinced when she echoed, “To meeting each other.”

      After they’d both sipped, he sank onto the couch, tugging her with him. “Look, let’s not kill Karen. And let’s forget about the Secret Santa thing and pretend we’re two strangers who met all on our own and kinda like each other. Enough to spend an evening and, you know…”

      Her lips tipped up a little at the corners. “See where things go?”

      “Yeah. No pressure, no expectations. Okay?”

      She studied him some more. The tension eased from her face, and a smile grew. “Okay. But wherever it does go, we’re agreed on no strings attached, right?”

      He raised his glass in another toast. “For sure.”

      They were both quiet then. It seemed that now that they’d decided, neither of them knew where to start.

      Trying to keep things low key so Jude wouldn’t back off, Nick suggested, “Tell me something about yourself. Anything you want. Then I’ll tell you something about me.”

      “Okay.” She tapped her finger against her wineglass. “This shiraz is from Australia. I lived there for a year after college and got a chance to explore.”

      “Cool. One of the firefighters at my hall is from Queensland. He’s doing an exchange because his girlfriend lives here.”

      “I visited Queensland. It has the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen.”

      They talked about her year in Australia, the conversation flowing easily now. Nick liked watching Jude—her changes of expression, the light in her eyes. Everything about her was a turn-on that kept his blood humming with awareness. Arousal.

      The way she’d lift a hand and rake her hair back in one of those feminine gestures that accented the curve of her breast, the long line of her neck. She’d curled her legs up, sitting sideways facing him. One denim-clad knee touched his thigh, a subtle turn-on. The air was rich with her peachy scent. She smelled edible, and he was getting very hungry.

      His hands itched to touch her. Talking was good, but her body drew him.

      He guessed she’d told Karen she was looking for sex, but that didn’t mean he should insult her by taking her for granted. No, he should act like this was a normal first date. It was getting late. Time to leave and ask her out for dinner tomorrow.

      “And can you believe the Aussies put sliced beets in hamburgers?” She laughed, shaking her head. A strand of hair stuck to her moist lips.

      Oh, damn, he couldn’t resist. He reached over to free it and tuck it behind her ear. “Beets, eh?” His fingers traced the soft rim of her ear.

      Bublé was singing about how he’d met a wonderful girl out of an orange-colored sky. A meeting as unexpected as the one set up by Nick’s Secret Santa sister-in-law.

      He forgot about the music, caught up by the silky texture of Jude’s skin as his fingers drifted across her cheek and down to her chin.

      “Mmmm.” Her lips parted, and he ran his fingers lightly over them, too. Free of lipstick, naturally rosy. Full and soft against his skin. Kissable. Very kissable.

      Testing, he leaned toward her.

      Jude stopped breathing. This was the moment the evening had been leading up to. It was her move, her decision. Fear brushed her, making her shiver. The last man she’d kissed was her ex, Don. The fiancé who’d dumped her.

      But this was different. Neither she nor Nick wanted a serious relationship, so there was no danger he’d commit to her and then betray her. All he was asking for was a kiss.

      She shoved aside the fear and leaned into him, smelling the richness of red wine, meeting his lips with hers.

      A first kiss was always a test. A delicate exploration and negotiation. Who are you, what do you taste like, what feels good for you, what’s your style as a kisser? And, most important, what feelings do you arouse in me? And vice versa.

      An entire future hung in a first kiss. It could be lost or created in those seconds.

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