The movie was both funny and filled with action, a flick about so-called retired special agents finding themselves back on active duty.

Adam had been a little worried at first when she had suggested Netflix. What if she was really into those tearjerker chic flicks? Not that he wouldn’t be willing to sit through one if it meant spending time with Holly, but this was so much better.

Once they’d had their fill of pizza, they paused the movie and made popcorn. When they started it up again, she sat closer to him on the floor, enough that their shoulders touched. Warmth spread through him from the point of contact, sinking deep into his overworked, tired muscles. As entertaining as the movie was, it was difficult to pay attention when all he could think about was how nice it was to have her next to him.

As the final credits rolled across the screen, Adam turned to look at Holly, only to find her already looking at him. Her gaze moved from his eyes down to his lips. He had been able to resist kissing her once, but that same strength fled him now.

He leaned toward her slowly, giving her every opportunity to stop him, to turn away, but she didn’t.

His lips brushed hers, tasting of salt and butter. They were so soft. Soft and full, parted slightly in clear invitation.

Adam deepened the kiss, his tongue allowing him a proper taste, and groaned. Needing more, he cupped the back of her head, her hair like silk beneath his fingers, holding her exactly where he needed her to be.

It felt as if liquid heat had been injected into his veins. Every nerve fired to life in a wave that started from where their mouths met and flowed outward from there. In those moments, everything else ceased to exist. There was only Holly. Her taste, her scent, her soft and pliant mouth, and the hesitant, exploring touch of her tongue.

Never before had he been so affected by a mere kiss. Never before had he felt such a sense of rightness, nor a blaze of hunger so hot and fierce that it threatened to turn him to ash where he sat.

When he finally pulled away, he looked into her eyes and saw the same dazed wonder he knew must be mirrored in his own. He wanted to say something, but for the life of him, he couldn’t think of a single, coherent thing to say. The only words popping into his mind were “more” and “fuck yes.”

Her lips were darkened and slightly swollen from his kiss, her skin was flushed, and her eyes sparkled.

She stared at him, her little pink tongue grazing over her bottom lip, and said, “I think Max has to go out.”

It took a moment to translate her words over the rush of roaring blood in his ears, obviously on the express train south where the rest of his blood seemed to be gathering.

He was vaguely aware of Max pushing his way up between them, his paw coming to rest on Holly’s arm.

Somewhat shaken, Adam leaned back enough to allow Holly to rise.

What the hell just happened?

* * *

HOLY EARTH-MOVING KISSES, Batman!

Holly knew she was moving toward the back door, but it was not by conscious effort. Her feet took care of the left-right-left-right forward motion, her hand automatically reached for and opened the door. She even managed to step out into the cool summer evening and inhale a few deep breaths.

She had read about kisses like that. Had even written about them herself. However, she had never actually experienced one before.

One minute, she and Adam were sitting next to each other; the next, his lips were on hers and she was lost. For a few minutes, everything else ceased to exist, and there was only Adam ...

The feel of Adam, all hot, hard, and warm.

The taste of Adam, salty, sweet, and spicy.

The scent of Adam, clean, fresh, and male.

If not for Max’s interruption, would they still be kissing? Or would they have progressed to other things? Would Adam’s hand have moved to cup something other than the back of her head? Would his skilled mouth have found something besides her lips to stroke and sip?

More importantly, would she have allowed it?

Absolutely.

Holly wrapped her arms around herself and shivered, and not from the gentle breeze. It was completely unlike her to lose control so quickly, especially over a kiss.

But, Good Lord, what a kiss!

Holly was a staunch advocate for the five-date rule: no sex until after a minimum of five dates, and they had to be good dates that spanned a multitude of venues and activities, not just hanging out at a bar or watching a game. Since she could count the number of men who had actually made it that far on one hand, she didn’t have a lot of experience. Of those who had made it to the magical fifth date, none had managed to light a fire in her core the way Adam’s kiss had just done.

Had it been the same for him? She had been pretty out of it when he had finally broken away, but when she had managed to pry open her eyelids, she thought he had looked every bit as lost in the moment and stunned as she felt.

Her lady parts tingled with a potent combination of hope, lust, and anxiety.

The big question was: what was she going to do about it? Technically, this was only the third time her and Adam were seeing each other. Coffee, dinner and a house tour, pizza and a movie. Was she willing to break her five-date rule? Was she strong enough to go back to kissing—yes, please!—and not melt into a puddle of desire at his feet?

One thing was for certain, she thought as she impatiently waited for Max to do his business. She sure wasn’t going to find any answers out on her porch.

As it turned out, she wasn’t going to find any in her living room, either.