The breath hitched in her throat but she managed one word. “Flynn.”
“Remember?”
How could she forget the way he’d made her feel? How his touch had scorched her body. How he’d taken her to the heights, then released her into a tide of passion.
“Yes, I remember.” She wet her suddenly dry lips. “Nevertheless, I—”
“You haven’t even seen it yet,” he pointed out dryly, moving toward her.
“No, but—”
“It isn’t jewelry, if that’s what’s bothering you.”
They both knew that wasn’t really what bothered her. It was the attraction between them. The sensual tension that threatened to spiral out of control every time they were together.
He stopped right in front of her. She could smell his aftershave, a distinct scent of sandalwood and cedar that endorsed his masculinity and threatened to overwhelm her.
Feeling it would be churlish to refuse now, she shakily held out her evening purse. “Hold this please,” she said, accepting the small box from him. The quicker she got this over with the better. And, yes, she really was a little excited to be getting a present.
She ripped the paper slightly as she undid the package to reveal a bottle of an expensive perfume she’d wanted to buy herself for ages but hadn’t. This particular scent was way out of her price range these days, and when she could have afforded it—when she’d been married—she hadn’t wanted to wear it. Not for Robert.
“Oh, my.”
“You don’t like it?”
Her eyes shone. “Of course I do. I love it.”
“ Allure,” he murmured. “I think the name’s appropriate, don’t you?”
A quiver surged through her veins. “Thank you,” she said, deciding to ignore the remark. “It’s just what I wanted.” About to place the box down on the sofa, she froze as he reached out and touched her arm. Without warning, a billow of awareness fell over the room.
“And this is what I want,” he drawled, putting his hand under her chin, tilting her mouth up to him.
It happened so suddenly she didn’t have time to react the way she knew she should. Instead, she trembled as his head lowered toward her. Trembled, but her lips parted even before their mouths touched.
It was a stunning kiss, one that swept her straight back to yesterday, to being in his arms, him doing delicious things to her, doing them with just his mouth this time, nothing else. Nothing but his tongue sliding over hers, his velvet touch so very sensitive against her own. So sensitive that her senses reeled.
She moaned but he continued to caress the moist cavern of her mouth, gentle yet demanding, coaxing her toward abandonment, toward the sensual heaven he offered.
And then, ever so slowly, he began to ease back. He teased her lower lip with his teeth for a long moment, letting the air move in where before there was only him.
Finally his head lifted. He stared into her eyes, his own dark and sensual. “Happy birthday for yesterday, Danielle,” he murmured.
“I…” She swallowed, licked her lips, tasted him there. “Um…thank you.”
Giving her a look that said he wasn’t unaffected, either, he took the package out of her hands and replaced it with her purse. “Let’s get out of here,” he growled. “Before I kiss you again.”
She let him lead her to the door, the touch of his hand searing through the material of her sleeve, the scent of him making her light-headed as they rode down the elevator.
Without speaking they walked out the building toward his parked car. She tried to clear her mind of him but it was impossible with his presence beside her.
It was no better in the confines of his Mercedes. He was so close, almost touching, he only had to lean toward her, pull her toward him.
She swallowed. If it didn’t smack of cowardice, she would have hopped out right then and there, thanked him for the offer and gone home. An evening spent watching television was better than feeling so…Well, it was better than feeling. Period.
Flynn caught her sneaking a look at him and braked. “It was just a kiss,” he rasped.
Her throat felt dry. “I know.”
“Then don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” she said, despite herself, despite knowing what he’d say.
“Like you think I’m going to devour you at any moment.”
Devour? Yes, he was like a tiger circling her, ready to leap and make love to her at the first hint of weakness. If she ever let him past her guard, she’d pay for it dearly.
His sensuous lips began to twitch. “I promise you I only pounce when there’s a full moon. And there’s no full moon tonight.”
The absurdity of it made her smile to herself. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“Relax, Danielle.”
She arched an elegant brow. “Now that is asking too much,” she mocked, and received a stunningly sexy smile in return.
Fortunately for her, he pulled out of the parking spot and they drove the few kilometers along the waterfront in a less tense atmosphere. The amazing orange of the sky as the sun started to sink below the horizon calmed her and made her feel as if she might just be able to get through this evening.
Situated on the esplanade, the restaurant was fashionably busy. The maître d’ welcomed Flynn with reverence and immediately escorted them to an intimate table for two in the corner with a spectacular view of the now dark, turquoise ocean beaded by the last rays of the setting sun.
But she couldn’t look out the window forever, and eventually turned back to the beauty of her immediate surroundings. Leafy ferns near their table provided a sense of privacy she could have done without as she glanced around the elegant decor, honing in on the small dance floor at one end of the room. Her skin quivered at the thought of dancing in Flynn’s arms, but perhaps she was getting ahead of herself. Perhaps he didn’t dance.
And perhaps the world had just stopped turning. There was no way he wouldn’t take the opportunity to get her in his arms again. She knew that as surely as sexual appetite was his middle name.
“They seem to know you here,” she said for something to say after the waiter took their order for drinks.
“I’ve been here once or twice.”
With who? she almost asked, then decided it was none of her business whom he took to dinner.