Just One Night by Carly Phillips (fiction book recommendations txt) 📕

her off guard. He’d never looked at her with sensual awareness before. She didn’t count his cloudy drunken gaze. His intense stare focused on her lips, and her body responded, her nipples puckering, and arousal trickled through her veins. Considering her tight dress, he couldn’t miss her reaction, and she had no way to hide the evidence.

His eyes slid downward, zeroing in on her chest. Mortified, her cheeks burned, and she took a deliberate bite of the cone to distract herself.

An intense, sharp pain shot to her forehead, and she squeezed her eyes shut tight. “Brain freeze!” she cried, her hands pressing hard against her temple, poking herself where the stabbing continued.

He pulled his chair over to hers. “Are you okay?”

She glanced at him through slitted eyes. “It hurts.” Since she was a migraine person to begin with, brain freeze was ridiculously painful and sometimes didn’t subside as quickly as it did for other people.

He took the cone from her hand and placed it in the extra cup the girl behind the counter had provided, doing the same with his.

Concern on his face, he held out a hand. “Come here.” He pulled her against him, and she rested her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes as she waited for the pain to subside. He pressed his fingers gently into her forehead, massaging the aching spot.

She drew a deep breath and inhaled his familiar and arousing woodsy scent, allowing herself to relax into him.

“Better?” His arm tightened around her.

She nodded, forcing herself to sit up and slide her chair away from his. “I am. Thanks.” She blew out a long breath, ignoring the residual pain.

“Do you want any more?” he asked.

She looked at the cone melting into the cup and shook her head. “No.” After the unexpected searing pain, she was wary of eating more. She felt guilty about the wasted dessert but knew she wasn’t going to risk a real migraine by putting something cold into her mouth.

He rose to his feet and scooped up the uneaten treats, tossing them in the nearby trash. “Come on. Let’s go back to the hotel. I have to make some calls and you can lie down for a little while. This isn’t a business trip, and if I need anything, I can always let you know.”

She nodded. “Sounds good.” She could use the break for her headache. The sharp pain had subsided but left a dull throb in its place. And she also needed a breather and time alone, away from Linc and his heady presence.

*     *     *

Linc hung up from his last call. A glance at his phone told him it was almost six p.m., and it had been a long day starting with their early flight to Florida.

While he worked, he’d been constantly aware of Jordan’s presence. She’d disappeared into her room to unpack, then returned to sit outside on the terrace, wearing a bikini bathing suit as she walked past him. The scent of coconut sunscreen wafted behind her, leaving him in a painful state of arousal.

He’d set up his laptop at the table by the sliding glass doors, taking advantage of the ocean view. But instead of watching the waves, he’d been distracted by Jordan’s sexy curves.

She’d surprised him by ordering them a late lunch, which he ate while on the phone, and she took hers to her lounge chair. She’d remained outside for an hour, then came back in and said she planned to take a shower and lie down for a nap.

Only then had he been able to concentrate on business.

He shut down his laptop and rose to his feet, stretching with a groan. He’d wanted to crash early, but they needed to eat a decent meal. Mr. Chow was downstairs, and if Jordan was in the mood for Asian cuisine, they could eat in the hotel.

He walked to her room and knocked on the closed door. When she didn’t answer, he let himself into the darkened room, the only light coming from the sheer drapes covering the sliding glass door leading to the terrace.

She lay on her side, her body covered by the white fluffy hotel robe, her long legs peeking out from beneath the hem. Her hair was damp and her lips slightly parted. He couldn’t deny the emotional tug in his heart as he looked at her or the kick of desire rushing through him. None of which was appropriate for a man who valued their relationship above all else. But he was drawn to her in ways well beyond friendship.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and slid the back of his hand over her cheek. “Hey, sleepyhead. Wake up.”

Her eyelashes fluttered and her blue eyes met his. “Hey,” she murmured. “What time is it?”

“A little after six.”

“I guess I needed that nap.” She pushed herself up against the pillows behind her, and the sudden move shifted her robe. The tie had loosened in her sleep and the sides parted, revealing the swells of her breasts, creamy skin and full mounds he was dying to hold in his hands.

He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat to alleviate the pressure of his erection against the stiff material of his shorts. “How’s your head?” he asked in a gruff voice.

“Better, thanks.” She smiled and it reached her eyes, telling him she was okay.

“Good. Are you hungry? Because I was thinking we could go downstairs for dinner.” If he could stand without showing her his hard-on, he thought, swallowing a groan.

“I’m starving,” she said.

So was he. Starving for her.

He met her gaze, unable to look away or break their connection. She stared back with what started as curiosity and turned to something more the longer it went on. Desire now pulsed hot and heavy through his veins, and from the flush in her cheeks, she felt the same way.

This time they were both sober. And this time they wouldn’t stop at a kiss.

“We really shouldn’t,” she said into the heavy silence surrounding them.