Hot & Heavy (Lightning 2)

“Bet you can,” he says after he’s swallowed. He doesn’t say anything else about it, though, until after he’s finished rolling out the second sheet of dough.

“Come here,” he says, laying the dough on the cutting board.

“No.” I take a long sip of wine, and keep my ass planted squarely on the barstool. I know my strengths and I’m pretty damn positive homemade pasta is not going to be one of them.

But I underestimated Shawn’s determination, because he crosses the kitchen and latches onto my wrist with his flour-cover

ed fingers. Then he tugs until, laughing, I finally relent.

“When you end up eating pasta that looks like it’s been hacked to death by Norman Bates, I don’t want to hear about it,” I warn him as he hands me the knife.

“I’m not sure what it is with you and fictional serial killers, but I gotta say I kind of dig it.”

“I love old movies.”

“Yeah?” He looks pleased. “Me, too.”

Then he wraps his arms around me from behind, placing his hand over my right one, which is currently holding the knife. “What you want to do is—” He breaks off when I start laughing, shoots me a confused look. “Why are you laughing?”

“Are you Ghost-ing me?”

If possible, he looks even more confused. “I’m making you dinner and hope to talk you into spending the night. I pretty much thought that was the opposite of ghosting.”

“Not that kind of ghosting. Ghost-ing, like in the Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore movie. You know, when she’s making the pot and he does the thing…” I hold my arms out, like they’re wrapping around another person.

“Oh.” His eyes start to smolder. “Then yes. I’m definitely doing the Ghost thing. In fact, if I remember correctly, I’m pretty sure it goes something like this.” He takes my hands in his, holds them up as he kisses his way down my neck.

I’m half-laughing and half-aroused as I turn my head to look at him. He takes instant advantage, swooping in for a kiss that has my hand shaking and my knees going weak all over again.

He pulls back first, and I lean forward with a whimper to follow the kiss. And the pleasure. He laughs, low and wicked, but kisses me a second time before he twirls me around to face him.

“Then it goes something like this, right?” He grabs on to my ass with flour-covered hands, then lifts me up. He holds tight as I let out a startled laugh before wrapping my arms and legs around him. He twirls us around the kitchen a few times, mouth moving sexily on mine.

By the time he lets me down, we’re both laughing. And turned on. And covered in flour.

I couldn’t find a better metaphor for spending time with Shawn if I tried.

Chapter 17

Shawn

I like watching Sage eat.

Then again, I like watching her do a lot of things. Laugh. Sleep. Breathe.

But there’s something incredible about watching her eat food that I’ve made for her, all sex-tousled and wine-tipsy and beautiful, so beautiful it makes my brain melt and my heart ache just a little.

“More wine?” I ask, picking up the bottle as she takes the last sip from her glass.

“I shouldn’t.” She puts a hand over the top of the glass. “I’ve got to drive home.”

“You’re spending the night.” It’s not a question, but still I watch her carefully to see what her reaction is to my proclamation.

For long seconds, she doesn’t say anything. She just stares at me with eyes gone a soft, golden brown—a little sleepy, a little wary, all sexy. The silence stretches into a minute, and still she gives me no hint as to what she’s thinking, what she’s feeling. I’m about to plead my case, to fucking beg her to stay with me if that’s what it takes, when she does the unexpected and removes her hand from the top of her glass.

Everything inside of me relaxes. I have more time with her, and right now that’s all that matters. The fact that it is should send me running in the other direction, but it doesn’t. Then again, I’ve already realized that I’m falling for this girl.

Leaning forward, I pour her a third glass of wine, then top off my glass as well because why not? Then watch as she forks up the last bite of pasta on her plate. She closes her eyes for just a moment, makes a little sound deep in her throat. Then swallows and licks her lips.