Here's a sneak peek of Crush! Happy reading!
I knew Marlena wouldn’t be thrilled with my leaving or my excuse. The client you’re with is the only client you have, she’d drilled into my head. But at that moment, I didn’t care. I needed air before I did something entirely nuts, like lean over the table and find out how that rosé tasted on McKenzie’s lips.
I found the back hall inside the restaurant by the restrooms and paced a bit, trying to work the energy from my body. Back and forth, up and down. Shaking out my arms as my fingers dusted my thighs. It was this crawling feeling, this urge to go back to her, to pull her somewhere quiet—somewhere like this.
“Hey.”
I pivoted on my heel and there she was, like I’d summoned her. I stood there, dumbstruck for a moment before my brain kicked into gear. “Hey,” I said.
Smooth, Ryan. Real smooth.
She stepped toward me and I moved to get out of her way. My left step to her right one, and her right step matched my left. We were impossibly close. The tension I’d tried to shake off roared back, louder and stronger than before. Sexual, and that other something that made her irresistible to me.
I could kiss her here, I thought. I could just kiss her and no one would see, no one would know. I leaned toward her, seeing how she would react, desperate to read every clue she would give me. Should I? Should we?
My eyes bounced between her lips and her eyes, searching for her answer to the question I was asking without words.
Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and my eyes shot to hers. Her gaze was intense as the darkened hallway faded away. Yes. She was here with me. Our faces were scant inches apart, and I canted toward her.
Her eyes blinked rapidly then widened in surprised, as she stepped back sharply. “I was— I was— I was just going to the—the bathroom,” she said.
I stepped back as well, my arm swinging wide to invite her to step past me. Without another word, she scooted into the restroom and closed the door. I heard the lock click into place and I sagged against the hallway in relief. That was a close call. I’d almost ruined everything.
I didn’t wait for her, knowing that it was only going to be awkward when I saw her next, so I settled back in at the table and joined the others in talking about San Francisco restaurants. When McKenzie returned, I didn’t even glance in her direction for the rest of the meal.
Oh Ryan... you're cute when you're trying to avoid Kenzie.
XO -
