Nicola Marsh - Sweet Thing / Make Me Want

God, the man could kiss.

If I was the queen of pretending, he was the master of manipulating lips.

My hand drifted upward to my mouth and a fingertip traced my bottom lip. I could swear it still tingled from the way he’d devoured me.

‘All locked up, Abs.’

I jumped and spun around, hoping Makayla hadn’t seen me. ‘Thanks.’

She grinned and pointed to the small table set up in the kitchen where staff took their meal breaks. ‘Why don’t you sit and tell me all about the dishy Tanner while I fix us a hot chocolate?’

‘Nothing to tell,’ I said, far too quickly, and Makayla raised a knowing brow.

‘You’ve been avoiding the office all afternoon and blushing at random times for no reason so I beg to differ, my friend.’ Makayla tittered as she performed a little pirouette, something she did often, as if to keep her dance training at the forefront of her mind. ‘Plus I just saw you staring into space and touching your lip, so I’m guessing you’re fantasising about Hot Stuff kissing you.’

‘You’re too damn perceptive for your own good,’ I muttered, but took a seat at the table anyway. ‘Make mine a double.’

‘Two giant marshmallows coming up,’ she said, busying herself at the stove. ‘Have to say, it’s nice to see you lust over a guy. In the three months I’ve been here, you haven’t mentioned anyone let alone been out on a date.’

Was I that pathetic? Considering I’d avoided men for the last twelve months since Bardley the Bastard, probably.

‘Who said I’m lusting over Tanner?’

Makayla beamed as she poured hot chocolate into two mugs. ‘Sweetie, it’s all over your face.’

‘Am I that easy to read?’

‘I’m good at reading people.’ Makayla plopped two marshmallows in each mug and headed for the table. ‘Got a ton of experience at an old job.’

Sadness downturned her mouth for a moment, like it had been a less than pleasant experience, before her signature smile was back and she visibly brightened. Makayla spent all her spare time attending dance auditions and had worked in a few theatre productions. Maybe she needed to get a read on the competition?

‘It’s probably my self-imposed year-long drought—’

‘You haven’t been with a guy in a year?’ Makayla squealed and mimicked a faint as I rolled my eyes.

‘Yeah, I’m that much of a sad case.’

It wasn’t until that moment I realised I was. Sad. My marriage might have been bland at best, but I missed the intimacy of having someone to debrief with at the end of a day. Of having a male perspective on life. Of being with a guy, even if the sex had been as lacklustre as the marriage.

Maybe that was why I’d enjoyed Tanner’s kiss so much?

Yeah, and downplaying it would make me forget it in a hurry. Not.

‘You need to get out more,’ Makayla declared, her forehead crinkled in thought. ‘A night out on the town. You and me. Drinks. Dancing. Deviously scoping out hot guys.’

‘Nightclubs aren’t really my thing—’

‘Bull.’ Makayla waggled her finger at me. ‘I’m not taking no for an answer. If you’re lusting over our new boss on the first day, you need to get laid.’

‘I’m not a guy—’

‘Girls have needs too, and after a year? Sweetie, you must be pretty damn needy.’

I laughed as Makayla wiggled her eyebrows.

‘There’s this fabulous club, the hottest dance venue in Sydney, called Embue. We’re going. Tomorrow night.’ She did another jig. ‘So get your dancing shoes on, baby, because I’m not taking no for an answer.’

I’d seen Makayla like this before, when she’d railroaded me last month into buying an exquisite rose silk scarf I couldn’t afford at The Rocks market. And before that, when she’d insisted I attend an art gallery opening that featured the weirdest nude paintings.

She wouldn’t give up until I said yes, so I sighed. ‘What kind of a weird name is Embue?’

‘It means steamy in French.’ Makayla winked and fanned her face. ‘Don’t you want to get all steamed up over some guy?’

I already was and that was the problem. Because heading out to some dark, dingy nightclub to scope out men wouldn’t make me forget Tanner and the potency of his kiss.

I’d need to meet Channing or his equivalent for that to happen and the odds were a billion to one of any guy remotely coming close to my screen idol.

But I had a feeling Makayla wouldn’t let up. She’d asked me out to go clubbing several times since she’d started working here and we’d become friends, and I’d fobbed her off with excuses of homework.

With school holidays coming up and the universities winding down, she wouldn’t buy that excuse this time.

I gave a resigned shrug. ‘Okay. Let’s do it.’

Makayla clapped her hands, excitement making her eyes glitter. ‘Two babes out to shake things up. Can’t wait.’

I could, but I needed something—maybe even someone—to distract me from this insane attraction to Tanner.

A night out could be just the thing I needed.

CHAPTER SIX

Tanner

I HAD TO hand it to my brother. He sure knew how to run a business. Le Miel turned a handy profit and had the potential to expand if the boutique next door ever accepted his generous offer to buy them out.

I’d studied the spreadsheets yesterday and today, and couldn’t find a single weak spot.

Unlike me, who’d discovered a major one: for prim, snooty women who kissed like a frigging dream.

Even now, a day and a half later, I couldn’t get that kiss out of my head. Which was plain crazy, considering the number of women I’d kissed over the years. I hadn’t been in double figures for a long while so why did Abby, with those weird azure blue eyes and her cool façade, get to me so damn bad?

So I’d done what had to be done. Avoided her. Snuck out yesterday while she’d been in the kitchen with Makayla, and locked myself away in the office all day today.

We’d exchanged civil greetings this morning, that was it. Suited me fine. I didn’t have time to be some society girl’s plaything. Her walk on the wild side to celebrate her divorce.

Not that I wasn’t interested. Sex with Abby had the potential to be phenomenal. Women coming out of a shitty marriage could go off like firecrackers.

But Remy would bust my balls if I inadvertently hurt her and she quit out of some misguided notion that any future chance meetings between us would be uncomfortable.

It had happened before, when I’d been young and dumb; had opened my first club and slept with my accountant. She’d been looking for more than a good time, despite her reassurances before things started up. When it soured she left and I’d lost the best damn accountant in the business.

No, I wouldn’t be responsible for screwing this up for Remy, not when he’d spoken so highly of Abby when I’d called him last night and first thing this morning.

I’d keep my distance. Maybe even apologise for that kiss. Remy’s business had steadily increased over the last year and, considering he recorded Abby’s progress as part of her apprenticeship, looked like his protégé had been a big part of that.

Le Miel and Remy couldn’t afford to lose Abby.

Which meant I had to keep the snake in its cage.

I glanced at the clock. After seven, when I needed to start my own work at nine. No time for a workout to ease the kinks out of my back. Sitting at a desk for twelve hours straight was for fools.

Pressing the tips of my fingers to my eyes, I did a few yoga breaths while rolling my shoulders. I heard the door open and when I opened my eyes, Abby stood in front of me, with a steaming espresso and an almond croissant.

‘You’ve been working hard all day and haven’t been out, so I thought you might like a snack?’