Just for Today.... Emmie Dark

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СКАЧАТЬ pouted, faking a hurt look. “My lady, you wound me.” He clapped one palm to his chest, over his heart.

      His chest would be firm, she’d bet. Hairy or not? His high collar and bow tie allowed for no hints, and the shirt was fastened with those special tuxedo studs that matched his cuff links. Jess had never played with those before. A wicked impulse came from nowhere. It made her fingers itch to undo that tie and open the shirt, button by button, to reveal his skin and satisfy her curiosity.

      She raised her eyes to his and realized some of her thoughts must have been painted on her face. The green of his eyes had turned forest-at-dusk dark, and his body was poised with a careful stillness.

      The stillness of a predator about to strike.

      A sudden jolt of nerves shot through her belly. Be careful, Jess. It was all very well to play games, but when you had no intentions of following through, the line in the sand had to be very clear. “I, uh,” Jess began, not entirely sure what she was going to say.

      He leaned forward, a fraction, and his hand reached for hers, peeling her grip from the stem of the wineglass and taking her hand lightly. He didn’t clasp it tightly, just let her fingers loosely sit in his palm. His own fingers moved almost imperceptibly to stroke the inside of her wrist.

      Jess felt the touch echo throughout her body, resonating loudest in the parts that had been empty for too long. Her breath caught and a slow burn of arousal lit deep inside her.

      Oh, it had definitely been far too long. A thrill of anxiety went through her—nerves and excitement all wound up together. Was it time to remedy that? Could she possibly let something like that happen?

      From everything Jess had heard from Hailey, Sean was the epitome of the love-’em-and-leave-’em type. No permanent address, he’d been dragged to town for the wedding and would be disappearing again as soon as he could—much to Hailey’s relief.

      If a girl wanted some casual, no-strings-attached sex, Sean Paterson was probably the perfect choice. But he was Hailey’s brother-in-law, and Jess didn’t want her sex life—or lack thereof—to be workplace gossip.

      Excuses, excuses, the wicked impulse from within tutted. You want to be alone the rest of your life? You really want to be defined by failure forever? You’ve got to start somewhere....

      Jess took a quick glance at the dance floor where Hailey and Rob were drunkenly clutching each other as they swayed to the music. It wasn’t as if they would notice. And she doubted Sean was the kiss-and-tell kind.

      But there was one more thing. Sean was Rob’s older brother, she knew that, but he still had to be significantly younger than her. It just wasn’t...proper.

      The fact that all this thinking was required had to be a sign, too.

      She managed a strangled-sounding laugh as she extracted her hand from his, feeling her cheeks heat and hoping her flush wasn’t too obvious.

      “If I only wounded you, clearly my sword isn’t as sharp as it used to be,” she said.

      “Perhaps you just need more practice.” He didn’t seem deterred in the slightest.

      “At fighting?”

      “If that’s what’s on offer, I’ll take it.” He gave her a lopsided smile, the kind of charming, disarming look that had undoubtedly broken hearts all across the country.

      Jess was afraid it was about to be her undoing, as well.

      She licked her lips, wondering if there was any lipstick left on them. “You should be more careful. You don’t know much about your opponent.”

      “True. But I like what I’ve seen so far.”

      This time Jess did roll her eyes. A girl had her limits. “Does this shtick really work for you?”

      His expression turned suddenly serious and he shifted forward, elbows on his knees, fingers interlaced, his face mere inches from hers. She could feel the heat of his legs where they bracketed her own. He’d well and truly invaded her personal space, and Jess would have edged away, but her back was right against the chair and there was nowhere to go.

      “What would you prefer?” he asked, eyes boring into hers.

      “What? In terms of a seduction?” She held his gaze when she said it, just to see if he flinched. He didn’t.

      “Is that what this is?”

      “Isn’t it?”

      He seemed to give the matter some thought. “I’d probably call it flirting, but, yeah, I guess if we break it down, seduction probably better expresses my eventual goal.”

      There was something incredibly appealing about confidence like that. In any other circumstances, it would be annoying as hell, but right here, right now, it was definitely working for him. And for her—despite the butterflies tangoing in her belly.

      She couldn’t help but smile. “You’re pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

      He shrugged one shoulder. “I can be. When the moment calls for it.”

      “How old are you?”

      A quick frown creased his forehead. “Twenty-eight. Why?”

      “I’m thirty-five.”

      “And?”

      “And?” He was incredible. “I’m seven years older than you.”

      “So?”

      “Do you even remember when this song came out?” Jess gestured to the dance floor where wedding guests were bopping away to a song Jess fondly remembered from her high school days.

      “I prefer classic rock from the sixties and seventies. This pop stuff is giving me a headache.”

      Jess sighed. He didn’t get it.

      A woman called out Sean’s name from the other side of the room. Jess looked over and saw her wave and head their way—Rob and Sean’s mother in an imposing teal-green suit. Her hair was a solid helmet of hairspray and not a strand of it moved as she strode toward them. The chunks of diamonds in each ear and around her throat sparkled almost blindingly.

      “Isn’t that your mother? Does she want to talk to you?”

      Sean glanced up and a pained expression crossed his face. “Not now, Mom,” he called out to the woman who was still three table lengths away.

      “But, Sean—”

      “Later.” He dismissed her with a careless wave.

      Mrs. Paterson stopped with an expression so wounded, Jess almost wanted to make Sean apologize. But then she shot her son a look that would curdle milk and threw up her hands in exasperation. She mouthed the word typical and rolled her eyes before turning back the way she’d come. Sean didn’t see any of that, Jess noted; his gaze was back on her, and it was as if the interruption had never happened.

      “Let’s dance.”

      “Huh?”

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