Tempted

I lean forward and place my head gently on his heart that’s in the right place. “Thank you.” I want to erase the pain, so I turn my head up and place a gentle kiss on his lips. He responds eagerly, his tongue begging for entrance. I give in to his demanding kiss, wanting to help him chase away the ghosts of the past. I understand too much. I’ve lost people too.

Pulling away, he buries his face into my neck, tickling me gently with his lips. “Enough of this heavy shit. I’m starving. Get dressed. I’m taking you out.”

My eyes widen and my mouth hangs open. “Um, like on a—”

“Like for lunch, Bailey.”

“Lunch?” I pucker my lips at him. Is he asking me out?

“You know the meal after breakfast but before dinner?”

God, I sound dumb. “Oh, okay.”

Drew leans forward and brushes a gentle kiss on my lips. “Yes, Bailey. Like a date.”

I can’t help the smile that forms. A date with Drew Lawson? I walk into my bedroom and peer at myself in the mirror. I’m a mess. My eyes are sunken, and my hair looks like a bird’s nest sitting on the top of my head. Fuck, what the hell am I wearing? I can’t believe he saw me like this. I can’t go in public with him looking like this.

“Drew?” I shout through the walls.

“Yeah?”

“Where are we going?” I want to ask what I should wear, but that just seems pathetic.

“There’s a great little sushi restaurant I know a few blocks away. How about we go there?”

“Okay.”

I rummage through my closet. Pulling out a white cotton eyelet dress, I quickly undress and slip it on, then head into the bathroom and attempt to apply makeup and brush my hair.

Fifteen minutes later, I step out of the bathroom a new woman. The look in Drew’s eyes sends a shiver down my body. I can clearly see his hunger from across the room.

“Okay, you want to eat?” I say, grabbing my purse off the side table next to where he’s now standing. His eyes roam up and down my body, and his lips turn up slightly. It pulls more on the right side and causes a small dimple to form. The look he’s giving me makes me melt.

“You have no idea,” he states in a silky voice that causes my knees to buckle.

The sexual innuendo isn’t lost on me. Desire pools in my stomach as I try to regulate my breathing. He steps forward and clasps our hands together, then pulls me closer to him.

His breath fans my neck as he whispers into my ear, “After lunch . . .” He pauses, and his tongue trails down the curve of my neck. “You’re dessert.”

Yes, please.

I wish we didn’t have to eat at all. Being here with him in my apartment is surreal. It’s crazy and strange and I want to stay in this private bubble a little longer. I take a step away from him because if I don’t, we’ll never leave.

Maybe that’s a good thing.

My face heats as I remember him going down on me in the bar and bending me over his desk and—goddammit, Drew notices because his eyes narrow and his dimple shows again.

“What are you thinking about over there?” He smirks.

“I’m not about to contribute to your already enlarged ego, Mr. Lawson. So I’ll just say that you know how to please a lady.” I giggle at the word lady.

“Lady, huh? Well, I think we should skip lunch and give it another go. We’ll see just how much of a lady you are.” There is mischief in his eyes.

“Wh-what are you doing? Drew Lawson, don’t come any closer. Lunch. You said we need to eat lunch.” His grin is ear to ear.

“Fuck lunch.” His eyes smolder.

The next thing I know, he has me up over his shoulders and carries me to the bed. He sets me down, tickling my sides.

“Stop. Oh my god, Drew. Stop!” I screech.

“Say please,” he taunts.

“Never.”

“Say please, Bailey, or we’ll be doing this all day.”

“Okay, please. Please! I’m begging.” My side hurts from laughing.

When he finally stops, he’s laughing so hard he’s holding his side. He looks so young and carefree at this moment. He leans down, capturing my lips in a searing kiss.

But this kiss is different. There is a level of passion behind it that has never been there before. It has me questioning if he could be feeling what I’m feeling.

His hands cup my cheeks. Pulling away, he stares into my eyes before running his hand through my hair.

“I want you, Bailey,” he whispers.

“Take me then.”

He bends down once more, kissing me softly. “I promised you a date, and you deserve that. I want you to know that this is turning into more for me.” His eyes penetrate my soul. “It’s not just about sex.”