Carly Phillips - Sealed with a Kiss

The scent of soap and shampoo, of clean, musky male enveloped her in a humid fog. She was completely aware of him and her body’s response. Her nipples tightened beneath her T-shirt and she was grateful for the hooded sweatshirt she wore that covered the evidence.

She cleared her throat and shifted positions to alleviate the sudden throbbing in unmentionable places. “So what’s your plan for the day?”

“I’d like to meet with your father at the jail and get a bail hearing set up as soon as possible.”

Molly opened her eyes wider in surprise. “You make it sound so easy,” she said, her hopes rising already.

“It shouldn’t be difficult. I have my office working on filing notice with the court that I’m now the attorney of record and getting copies of everything in the public defender’s hands. They’ll send it on to me. Thank God for fax and e-mail,” he said, laughing.

Laughing? She narrowed her gaze. Where was the man who’d arrived yesterday full of attitude and anger?

“So what are your plans for the day?” he asked, throwing the question back at her.

She shrugged. “My usual routine.”

“Which is?” He leaned in closer. “Come on, share your daily habits with me,” he urged in a playful tone.

“Why?”

“Because I’m curious.”

She shook her head. “Wasn’t it just yesterday you said you were here for my father only? You didn’t want to touch on anything remotely personal.”

A cloud passed over his eyes and lifted just as quickly. “I changed my mind.”

“Obviously. The question is why and don’t tell me that a good night’s sleep did wonders for your disposition.”

The bastard grinned, a sexy, heart-stopping grin.

She ran an unsteady hand through her hair and leveled him with her best glare. “I don’t like playing games. Maybe you forgot that about me but it’s fact. Yesterday I apologized and you shut me down and this morning you’re happy and flirting-”

“Is that what I’m doing?”

“You know darn well you are.”

He reached out and touched her cheek, his caress hot and steady against her face. “Now I’m flirting,” he said, his grin wider.

She lifted her hand to swat him away but found herself curling her fingers around his wrist instead. “Don’t play with me.” She tried to issue a strong warning, but her husky, trembling voice betrayed her.

Hunter was stepped closer, his face inches from hers. “Despite what I said when I arrived yesterday, I realized you were right. We do have unfinished business, starting with me accepting your apology.”

Her pulse beat out a rapid rhythm that increased with his sincere words. “Well, I’m glad you’ve come around.” She licked her dry lips and reminded herself that she was smart enough not to read more than face value into his words. Still, she couldn’t deny how happy she was that his attitude had changed, if only because working to free her father would be easier on her now.

Or would it? As he held her gaze, his hazel eyes glittered, golden flecks dancing with a desire she recognized, not only because he’d looked at her that way before, but because the same yearning was building inside her, too.

Molly saw his intent even before he moved and knew she should back away from him fast. She still didn’t know why he’d had a sudden change of attitude toward her. Didn’t know if she could trust the good mood he’d developed overnight. So if she were careful, she’d retreat before the dynamic between them changed yet again.

She didn’t.

Slowly, deliberately, never breaking eye contact, Hunter lowered his head until his mouth met hers. His lips were velvety soft but his movements were hungry. He sank his tongue into the deep recesses of her mouth, swirling around and around, possessive and sure of what he wanted. Somehow he knew what she wanted, too, and delicious flutters nestled in the pit of her belly, urging her to meet him thrust for thrust, to kiss him back.

Devouring.

Apologizing.

Making up for lost time.

Nothing else mattered. His hands came down on her shoulders and he pulled her closer, while his lips turned harder and more demanding against hers. Her breasts brushed against his chest, making her nipples peak and grow increasingly sensitive. Heavy heat along with dewy moisture settled between her thighs in a delicious, throbbing pressure and a pulsing need that made her question her actions a year ago and her sanity now.

She grabbed his shirt and curled her fingers into the rough cotton, desire and yearning rushing through her body at a rapid pace, one that matched the demanding thrusts of his tongue inside her mouth and his lower body moving against hers. He tasted so good. His desire for her was so intense, an answering moan reverberated from the back of her throat.

She couldn’t get enough of him and she needed so much more, but suddenly and without warning he stepped back, leaving her body shaking, with only the wall behind her for support.

“You see?” he asked, staring at her through heavy-lidded eyes. “Unfinished business.”

She swallowed hard, everything within her still trembling uncontrollably.

As if he knew even the wall wouldn’t offer enough support, Hunter rested his hands on her shoulders.

Unwilling to lean on him until she understood why he’d kissed her and, more importantly, why he’d backed away, Molly stepped closer to the wall.

“Is this a game to you?” she asked. “Am I a game?” The same kind of game she’d warned him she wouldn’t play. Not even she deserved that kind of punishment.

He shook his head, running his thumb over his damp lips as he studied her with those gorgeous eyes. “No games.”

“Then why-”

“I stopped because I didn’t want your family to find us going at it in the hall like kids in high school,” he said in a gruff voice.

She drew in a deep breath. “And you kissed me because-”

His grin returned. “Like we both said, unfinished business.”

Molly didn’t know if he meant physical or emotional business, but she felt certain that over the next few weeks she would definitely find out.

She ran her tongue over her lips and tasted him there, salty, masculine and overpowering. “When I said unfinished business, I meant we had things to discuss, not that we had to…you know.”

He laughed. “Are you saying that the kiss wasn’t on your agenda?”

An unexpected smile tugged at her lips. “I don’t have an agenda except clearing my father, and as far as that goes, we have work to do.” She held her breath, hoping he’d take the hint and change the subject away from them. She needed time to think clearly and couldn’t do that as long as he was around and close, and ready to kiss her at any given moment.

“Okay, but first I want to say something about what went down last year.”

Obviously he’d do things his way, not hers, Molly thought. “Okay, what’s that?”

Hunter was still shaken from the depth of their kiss, but some things couldn’t remain unsaid. “About Dumont.”

Molly blinked, obviously surprised he’d choose to talk about her almost stepfather. “What about him?”

“I’m sorry that you got hurt when Lacey decided to return from the dead. I know how much having Dumont as your stepfather meant to you. And in the end, you were right to have faith in him. He had changed.”

She stared at him through widened eyes. “Thank you,” she said softly. Obviously she recognized how hard it was for him to say anything nice about the man, given their past.

He treated her to a curt nod. Reining in his rampaging emotions wasn’t easy. He’d promised himself he’d see where things between he and Molly could go. Thanks to that kiss, now he knew. And he was scared to death because this woman still had the power to stomp on his heart.

But only if he let her, Hunter reminded himself. He was in control this time and no way would he let her emotionally close enough to hurt him. Still, he wasn’t looking for retaliation.

He wanted peace, Hunter realized, and that meant being honest with her. “Molly?”

“Yes?”

He heard the note of hope in her voice. “I’m not the same man you knew last year,” he warned.

Not that he thought she’d fall head over heels and want to end up with him. She’d already turned him and everything about him down flat.

She inhaled deeply. Her mouth was red from the pressure of his lips.

“I saw your apartment. I caught a glimpse of the changes,” she said bluntly. “They weren’t you.”

“You really don’t know me. I’m not saying that to hurt you. It’s just a fact. That part of me was alive before I met you and it’s resurfaced since.”

“Okay, but why-”

“Forget it.” Hunter had no desire to explain his reasons to her. That would give her power over him and he refused to hand her that kind of weapon. “I didn’t mean to bring it up.” He felt stupid for even considering warning her against falling for him.

As if.

“Can I drive you anywhere this morning?”

“As a matter of fact, you can. Starbucks and then I do volunteer work. You can drop me off there.”

He inclined his head. “Caffeine sounds good to me. I don’t want to go over to the jail until I’ve heard from my office and it’s too early for them to have been in touch with the court.”

“Sounds good. Bring a pad and pen or a laptop. However you like to work. I’ll fill you in on some details about my father and the case, and we’re going to brainstorm our next step.”

Hunter narrowed his gaze. “Our next step? I didn’t know you were going to play assistant.” He liked to work alone.

“I’m not.” She straightened her shoulders, once again the cocky Molly he knew. “I’m going to play partner,” she said with an unexpected grin.

He was definitely in over his head with this woman. And it was too late to bail now.

HUNTER HELD the door for Molly as she walked into the Starbucks on Main Street in town. Except for the fact that they were in a shopping center with a huge parking lot out front, they might as well be in Albany. All Starbucks looked alike, which would have given him a feeling of comfort if not for the woman leading the way.

He hadn’t looked beyond her luscious lips in the hallway earlier. He did now and she was still the Molly he admired but he realized that the woman who dressed for maximum impact was nowhere to be seen. Sure, she’d been in her red cowboy boots the day she’d come to see him, but he’d noted her bland-colored top then, and taking in her outfit now, he wasn’t the only one who’d changed.

She wore a pale pink V-neck top and soft faded denim jeans with a pair of running sneakers. No bright colors, no dazzling accessories, no red cowboy boots. Since seeing them on her long legs again in his apartment, red had become his favorite color. Just last night he’d had another dream about making love to her while she rode him wearing nothing except those sexy boots.

Today she’d ridden behind him on his bike.

She said she’d never been on a motorcycle before yet she’d settled in like a natural. She’d wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tight, aligning her body with his and pressing herself into him harder with each turn they’d taken. He’d imagined her breasts flattened against his back as he drove. The bike always gave him a rush and an adrenaline high, but with Molly plastered against him, he could add arousal and a surge of sexual energy he desperately needed to work off.

Considering the way she’d kissed him in the hall, Hunter didn’t think getting Molly into bed would be all that difficult. Unfortunately he still wasn’t sure it would be smart. He wasn’t certain sex would be the way to get her out of his system. Instead, he feared he’d want her even more, since that was the state he’d found himself in ever since that kiss.

As she walked ahead of him now, her clothes might indicate a woman who didn’t want to be noticed, but the sexy sway of her hips and the occasional flip of her hair told a different story. Everyone in the store took notice of Molly as she entered, and the farther they walked inside, people recognized her and called out a greeting.

“Hi, Molly.”

“Hey, Molly.”

“How’s your dad?”

The hellos and questions came rapid fire from around the shop and Molly answered each person by name and with a smile. She seemed more at ease and happier here than she had at any time in law school or in his hometown.

She really had found the home she’d been looking for. Could he begrudge her that?

They stepped up to the counter.

“Grande fat-free decaf latte with sugar-free vanilla?” a young guy behind the counter asked.

He had dark brown hair cut short and a roving eye that liked to settle on Molly’s chest. He was young and obviously cocky enough to think he could compete for a woman like Molly.