Jo Leigh - One-Click Buy - September Harlequin Blaze

He held out a hand.

If she uncrossed her arms to take his hand, he would have an extremely good view of her nipples gone hard in the cold. Oh, why had she worn a camisole today instead of a bra?

“Take my hand,” he invited.

She didn’t want to, but it was going to be darn difficult getting out of the muck without a boost up. Reluctantly, she took his hand and tried not to notice when he watched her nipples pebble.

“Where’s Duke?” she asked, teeth chattering.

“You sit.” He led Katie to a park bench and draped his suit jacket around her. The now familiar scent of him surrounded her like a welcome hug.

He retrieved her boot from where she’d lost it, then got down on one knee and slipped it onto her foot. Talk about a Cinderella complex.

“Duke,” she repeated. “Three-hundred-dollar deposit.”

“I’ll go find him.”

He returned a few minutes later with a scraggly, squirming, soaking wet Duke tucked under his arm. Liam took one look at Katie and shook his head. “You can’t go back to work like that.”

“I’m blaming this on you.” She grinned at him, not the least bit mad.

“Me?”

“I would never have thought to rent Duke out for a walk. I guess I’m an all-or-nothing kind of woman.”

“Okay, I accept full responsibility. Let’s take Duke back to the pet shop and I’ll drive you to my apartment. It’s just a few blocks from here. I can send your clothes out to the one-hour dry cleaner in my building, while you take a shower. I’ll let Max know that we’ll need to postpone the meeting for another time.”

Katie could have told him that her own condo wasn’t far away, either, but she didn’t. Bad as it sounded, she wanted to see the inside of his apartment. In fact, her heart was thumping eagerly and quickly.

She soon found herself riding in the elevator with him up to the penthouse of James Towers. She might have come from old money, but overall, she’d lead a very sheltered life. Her parents had been quite strict when she and her sisters were growing up, and it was only since college that Katie had really stretched her wings. She’d never been to a penthouse apartment before, alone, with a man she barely knew.

Her stomach tightened, sending sexy messages shooting straight to the most feminine parts of her. She tried to ignore the sensations, but she knew she was in serious trouble.

Remember the new leaf? No more meaningless sex.

Yeah, but what about the Martini dare she’d drawn the night before?

You don’t have to do it.

But that was the thing. She wanted to do it.

When they stepped inside his living space and she got a bird’s-eye view of downtown Boston from his wide, curtainless window, Katie forgot to breathe.

Incredible.

“Bathroom’s down the hall, first door on your right,” Liam announced, tossing his car keys on a table in the foyer.

The penthouse was straight out of Architectural Digest. Sleek, modern and totally staged. The place was devoid of any personal touches. As far as she could tell, there wasn’t a bit of the real Liam here.

It made her feel a little sad to think he lived in such a sterile environment.

Katie slipped his jacket from her shoulders and draped it over a black leather couch. It was only then that she caught him watching her with heavily lidded eyes as he took in the way her damp clothes molded against her body.

Quickly, she turned and beat a hasty retreat, desperately searching for the bathroom and some small shred of self-control. She locked the bathroom door and sank against it with a shaky sigh.

He knocked on the door and she jumped, hand to her heart.

“Yes?”

“Put on my bathrobe,” he said, “It’s hanging on the back of the door. And then hand me out your clothes. I’ll pop them down to the dry cleaner’s while you shower.”

Katie stripped off her clothes. She thought of his long, strong masculine fingers touching her garments and she shivered at the image.

Stop thinking like this.

She put on his bathrobe that smelled of sandalwood shampoo, opened the door a crack and thrust her things at him.

“Thank you,” he said.

Why in God’s name did that sound like a come-on? It was just a simple thank-you.

Cold shower, cold shower. Get in, get washed off, get out.

She did exactly that. Five minutes later, she was showered and wrapped in his bathrobe again. She took the time to rinse her undergarments out in his sink, then drape them over his shower-curtain rod. Then she searched the bathroom for a blow-dryer, but couldn’t find one.

“Liam,” she called, leaving the bathroom, her wet hair twisted up in a towel, and padded into the living room. “Where do you keep your blow-”

He was standing in the middle of room, stripped bare to the waist.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

He turned and a wicked grin tilted up the corners of his mouth. “Duke got me a bit wet and muddy, too.”

“Well, could you cover up or something?”

“What’s the matter?” He strolled toward her. “You don’t like what you see?”

“No, no-” she cleared her throat “-I like. Too much.” She waved a hand. “Now, cover up, please.”

The muscle in his throat jumped as his eyes traveled the length of her body.

He came closer.

Katie backed up until her butt hit the wall. “Um,” she said. “What are you doing?”

“What I’ve wanted to do all afternoon.”

“It’s not a good idea,” she whispered as his mouth dipped closer.

“No?”

There didn’t seem to be enough air in the room. You’d think in a condo this expensive there would be enough air in the flipping room. And his brownish green bedroom eyes were smothering her with closeness.

Her heart thundered at the feral look in his gaze.

He wanted her.

And she wanted him. Wanted his sweet, moist lips on hers and his masculine tongue thrusting deep inside her heated mouth.

Not only was there not enough air, but it was way too hot in here. Sizzling, in fact. It was a downright devil den.

He took her in his arms and pulled her up tight against his bare chest. Her pulse galloped madly. She wasn’t so sure about this. Things were suddenly slipping rapidly out of her control.

“I…” She started to say that she didn’t think this was such a great idea, but she got no further.

His mouth came down on hers for real and it tasted good.

That night at the masquerade ball had been exciting and wild and quick, but this was different. This was up close and personal and lingering, with no disguises to hide behind. She had time to really savor his kiss. To taste cinnamon on his tongue and smell his deeply masculine scent.

Liam’s tongue seared hers. She had no idea a kiss could be so intense. The towel came unwrapped from around her hair, falling slowly to the floor. Liam pushed his fingers through the damp strands, cradling her head in his hands.

Katie felt as if her entire body had short-circuited. Her stomach jolted. Her lips parted. Her toes curled. Her eyes widened.

Delight detonated in her mouth. A wildfire rolled through her nerve endings. He was suddenly more essential to her than the air she’d craved earlier.

How unforgettable he tasted. How safe she felt in his arms. It was strange to feel this way considering the circumstances, but that was how it was. As if he could and would protect her from anything.

She wanted to make love to him so badly her insides throbbed.

He tightened his arms around her. She relaxed her jaw, and his tongue speared deep inside. Moaning softly, she slid her arms around his neck.

More, she had to have more.

His chest was hard muscle against her soft breasts. She ran her fingers through his hair and made a fist. He growled low in his throat and used his hand to trace her spine to the small of her back. Then, through the cloth of his bathrobe, he gently kneaded her backside.