Delaney

Looking around the crowded café, I knew we needed to give up our table. We’d lingered there for an hour while people waited for tables. Even our super sweet waitress was starting to give us the stink eye every time she came to ask if we needed anything else.

“You look as disappointed about having to leave as I am,” Sebastian remarked.

“I’ve been having fun,” I admitted.

One eyebrow rose. “You sound surprised.”

“To be totally honest, I am,” I told him. “When I agreed to sit with you, I expected to find out you were one of those hot guys who does nothing but talk about himself.”

“You think I’m hot?” he asked with a cocky grin.

“That is what I just said,” I replied in a dry tone. “Technically, it was simply implied that you’re hot, but I think you were able to figure out my meaning without some big explanation.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, I figured it out, but I was hoping you’d say something about how much you want to rip my clothes off.”

“Tempting as that is, I’m going to pass on feeding your ego this afternoon,” I replied, trying not to let the image of Sebastian with no clothes on take root in my mind. It was an image I intended to fantasize about later.

“Am I at least going to be able to talk you into giving me your number now?” he asked. “I can’t possibly give you a proper goodbye kiss if I’m worried I’ll never see you again.”

A lot of people will argue this only happens to guys, but I swear the idea of kissing Sebastian got me so turned on all the blood left my head. Pulling my phone from my purse, I used that as an excuse to avoid talking until I could speak without saying anything too embarrassing, like suggesting he rip his own clothes off. As I sent him a text, I was pretty proud of myself. It was a good reply—suggestive with no mention of him stripping naked. It only took me two tries.

“Oh, shit!” When I looked down at my phone, I was mortified to realize I hadn’t deleted the entire message involving him stripping naked.

ME: naked. I wouldn’t want to do anything to miss my opportunity to feel your lips on mine.

Sebastian looked down at his phone and then back up at me. “Auto-correct?” he suggested, and I could have kissed him for offering me a way to explain my mistake. Who was I kidding? I could have kissed him, anyway.

“Embarrassing mistake,” I confessed.

“So, no naked kiss?” he asked with a teasing twinkle in his eyes.

“Not today,” I replied with a sultry drawl.

Some might say it was wrong to tease Sebastian, but I figured we may as well suffer together. I was definitely going to be thinking about Sebastian, and I didn’t even have Justin to get me through it.

“I can’t wait to taste every inch of your body,” Sebastian murmured. “Are you a screamer, Delaney?”

He had definitely turned the tables on me in my game of teasing. Unable to speak, I just shook my head. The last guy I’d been with had been Cody, my ex-husband, and I’d barely made a sound in bed with him.

“You will be,” he promised before tossing money on the table and standing.

“I can pay for my own cake,” I offered.

Sebastian shook his head. “When you eat that second piece later, I want you to think about me. Can I walk you to your car?”

“I would appreciate that,” I told him honestly since I wasn’t ready for our time together to end.

When we walked out the door, Sebastian placed a hand on my lower back. He made no move to put his arm around me, simply kept his hand there. That simple touch sent sparks of lust shooting through my body. I’d written stories about women reacting this strongly to a simple touch from a man, but I’d never experienced it before.

“I had a great time,” he began, talking as if he weren’t sending hot waves of lust into my body. “This was definitely not the way I expected my day to go. In fact, I need to thank my sister for getting me to shop for her on my week off. I’m really glad I met you.”

“I’m glad we met, too,” I admitted. “My friends have been trying to convince me to go out with someone for months.”

“So, your breakup with Justin wasn’t recent?” he asked before catching himself. “Sorry, I know I promised we wouldn’t talk about Justin until you’re ready. Can I see you tomorrow?”

I hesitated. I definitely wanted to see Sebastian again. That was why I’d given him my number—that and I wanted him to kiss me. I really wanted Sebastian to kiss me. We’d just reached my car, so I set the cake on the hood.

“Why the hesitation?” he asked, using his hand on my lower back to turn me to face him. One hand moved to cup my cheek as his lips brushed against mine in a feather-light kiss. “You like me.” His lips brushed against mine again. “I definitely like you.” His tongue slid along one corner of my mouth. “Go out with me tomorrow.”

When I nodded, Sebastian’s lips covered mine. His kiss was slow and deliberate as his tongue teased my lips, just barely sliding in before retreating. My hands moved up his chest to his shoulders as his hand on my lower back guided me even closer. I could feel the heat radiating from his body and my own seemed to be on fire, despite the cold air. When his tongue moved in to explore my mouth, I moaned loudly, forgetting we were in public.

Sebastian slowed the kiss, easing back, before finally pulling away.

“I am really looking forward to seeing you tomorrow,” he murmured before brushing his lips against mine one last time.

The rest of our goodbye was somewhat hazy. My mind was still caught up in Sebastian’s kiss. When I grabbed my cake and slid into my car, I wanted to sit and fan myself for a few minutes, possibly let out a girly squeal and text my friends. Since Sebastian was still standing there, watching me in a way that let me know he was just as affected by the kiss, I decided to drive off. I’m not sure how he’d react to my girly squeal. As I pulled into traffic, I smiled. It had definitely been an unusual day.