But it did. And when Shane’s mouth came down on hers, she did absolutely nothing to stop him.
Maybe it was the strain of hearing about her father that made her seek comfort in Shane’s embrace. Perhaps she thought they might as well get this behind them, since it had been inevitable. Maybe if they could just satisfy their curiosity or whatever it was that had been initiating these kisses, they would be able to get past this new, unwelcome awkwardness between them and get back to the way they had been before.
The kiss probably wouldn’t even be as spectacular as she’d remembered, she thought as she allowed her lips to soften beneath his.
Shane’s left arm was still wrapped around her shoulders. His right hand rested against her cheek. She sank into him, her lips parting slightly—just enough
to allow him to promptly take advantage and deepen the kiss.
Shane drew her closer, moving slowly, giving her every opportunity to pull away. She made no effort to do so, telling herself she was merely trying to prove her new theory that it had been her resistance, her panic, that had made the previous kisses seem so exciting. So dangerous. She told herself it would be different this time. They would determine once and for all that kissing each other was no big deal, hardly worth the risk of ruining their previously uncomplicated relationship.
She told herself those things even as her arms closed around his neck. Even as she pressed more tightly against him. Even as his tongue swept past her lips to explore every inch of her mouth. No big deal, she reminded herself, even as her blood ran hotter and her heart began to race.
Shane shifted on the couch, leaning over her, pressing her into the deep cushions behind her. He changed the angle of the kiss, his lips moving hotly, hungrily over hers, his tongue probing, tasting, savoring.
Just a kiss, she reminded herself even as her fingers burrowed into his crisp, thick hair, holding him closer.
And then his hand slid slowly down her side to pause at her hip, to fit her more snugly against him. And her entire body reacted with an explosion of sensation so intense, so needy that it terrified her.
She ripped her mouth from beneath his. “Shane, stop.”
He froze, hesitating only a moment before reluctantly pulling away. “Too fast?” he asked, his voice husky.
“Too everything,” she answered breathlessly. “We can’t do this. It’s just not right.”
His voice was wistful when he replied. “It sure felt right to me.”
He was still lying half on top of her. Their legs were still tangled, his fingers still buried in her hair. She pressed her hands against his shoulders, pushing him upright. “I don’t know why this keeps happening,” she almost wailed as she struggled to sit up and scoot farther away from him. “We’ve been friends for more than a year. I don’t do this sort of thing with my other male friends.”
“I should damn well hope not,” Shane growled, pushing a hand through his hair.
She gave him a fierce look. “It shouldn’t happen with you, either.”
“I think it’s too late to keep things from changing now.”
Kelly gave a despairing moan.
Shane twisted again on the couch, looking at her intensely. Too intensely, she thought, aware that her hair was still tousled, her lips still damp from his kisses, her cheeks still flushed from their passion. “Look, I know this isn’t something either of us expected to happen—but it has,” he said bluntly. “Why does it frighten you so much?”
“You never acted like this with me before.”
“Like what?”
“You used to treat me like one of the family. Now...”
“Now I treat you like a woman I find extremely attractive.”
She gulped. “That’s...”
He lifted his hand to touch her trembling lower lip with the tip of one finger. “Now I kiss you the way a man kisses a woman he wants.”
Her lungs convulsed. “Shane,” she said with a gasp. “Don’t...”
“There’s something happening between us. I know you feel it, too. Why does it frighten you?”
“Why?” She stared at him, wondering if he could really be that dense. “You have to see what a huge mistake this is. What a disaster it could be.”
“Why don’t you explain it to me?”