‘Of course. Of course.’ She stepped back to permit him access to her apartment. ‘I wasn’t sure if you were coming or not.’
‘I left a message on your phone.’
‘You did?’ She frowned as she grabbed her phone and checked. Sure enough, there was a message from George, the time indicating he’d tried to call her while she’d been talking to Ethan. ‘Sorry. I didn’t get it.’
‘Never mind.’ He handed her the wine and she turned to take it into the kitchen and put it onto the bench. She knew she needed to pull herself together, she knew she needed to be professional and platonic. Friendship. That’s what she could offer him—for now, or at least until she figured out what was really happening between them. ‘Would you like a glass now?’ She turned to open the overhead cupboard to retrieve glasses.
‘No.’
She jumped at the sound of his soft, deep voice from behind her, not realising he’d followed her into the kitchen. When she turned to face him she gasped in surprise. The look in his eyes was unmistakably raw with repressed desire and she parted her lips, her breathing instantly erratic.
His gaze travelled the length of her body, taking in her clothes. ‘You look…’ He didn’t finish the sentence but instead slowly drew closer to her, causing her insides to heat and spiral with warmth. Nothing could have made her look away from him at that heart-stopping moment, and before she could utter a word George hauled her into his arms, his mouth hungrily capturing her own.
In contrast to the kiss they’d shared yesterday, this one was hot and heavy, leaving Melody in little doubt about just how attracted to her George was. So much for the decision to offer a professional and platonic relationship.
His hands roved over her back as he deepened the kiss. She went with him, eager to keep up, eager to show him just how mutual the desire was. He groaned and urged her backwards and soon she felt the coolness of the wall against her back. He leaned in, his body pressing against her own, and she felt her breasts crushed against the firmness of his chest.
The smell of raw, unleashed craving mingled between them as the need for more rose urgently in both of them. She dug her fingers into his shoulder blades before sliding them firmly down his back, feeling the flexed muscles beneath. Wanting to touch him, she impatiently tugged his shirt from the waistband of his jeans, her fingers now itching to make contact with his skin.
When the task was finally completed, she moaned with delight when she reached her objective. His skin was hot to her touch just as she’d known it would be. Giving in to the itch that had been building within her since early Monday morning, she allowed her hands to explore the solid contours of his torso, committing each one to memory.
George groaned against her mouth, unable to believe how this woman could set him on fire. The sensations he was experiencing were all completely foreign but he was definitely enjoying each new one she discovered. The touch of her hands on his body, the way her mouth was responding to his, giving in to every one of his needs, matching them eagerly.
She lifted one leg slightly and coiled it around the back of his, before sliding it slowly down to the floor. The action caused a stirring deep within him and he could feel himself losing control of the situation.
Breaking his mouth free, they both gasped in air before he pushed her hair aside and smothered the smoothness of her gorgeous neck in hot, feverish kisses. He then changed direction and dipped towards the exposed skin above her breasts. Her hands slid out from his shirt at the same time she murmured his name. ‘Mmm,’ she sighed, lacing her fingers through his hair. ‘George.’
The way she said his name pierced right to his heart and he realised that things were getting out of control. He worked his way up, not wanting to break the contact immediately but knowing he must—and soon. He nipped at her ear lobe and she giggled. The sound was intensely provocative and the last thing he needed right now.
He hadn’t meant to lose control like that, to grab her and smother her with kisses almost the first instant after he’d walked into her apartment…but she was all he’d been able to think about for most of the day, especially as he hadn’t seen that much of her. He’d missed her and his need for her had increased.
‘Melody.’ With his breathing still out of control, he looked down at her face. Her eyes were closed, her parted lips were dark pink and swollen from his kisses, her breathing as ragged as his own. She was a vision of loveliness. Unable to resist, he brushed his lips against hers, forcing himself not to deepen the kiss.
‘Mmm,’ she murmured again, and when he brushed them a third time her hands clamped themselves on either side of his head and held his lips where they belonged. Seductively, she ran her tongue over his lips and was thrilled with the shudder that tore through his body.