Shauna could only stare at
him as she felt his hand slide below her earlobe to where her pulse was already falling all over itself at the prospect of
his kiss. His face lowered then he stopped.
"Any objection?" his gruff question was softly
seductive.
The butterflies in her stomach trembled. "No."
Shauna felt the sensuous contact of his lips against
her jaw. The whole world seemed to hold still, his breath flowing warm against her skin, the light citrus-scent of his cologne
wrapping around her senses as he place a light kiss on her cheek. She trembled, unable to help the broken sigh that escaped
her.
That kiss, that simple kiss, felt as innocent
as moonlight and as guilty as lust. And not nearly enough. Suddenly, his mouth moved to her lips, slanting over hers, claiming
it as if he'd been starved for it. She groaned at the contact, losing herself in the taste of him, in the rush of his need,
in the hunger that had her wrapping her arms around his shoulders as he slowly took her breath away.
One kiss slid into another, demanding more, giving
more and causing the world to tilt behind her eyes, blending the surreal and the real.
For so many years she'd wanted this, wanted him!
It felt so good, so right. She eased against the hard planes of his body, thrilled at his hardening erection and guttural
groan of weakness. Drowning in the brunt of his kisses, she arched against him and trembled when his hands cupped her breasts.
"Oh, Max!" She wanted to rip his clothes off,
wanted his skin on hers, wanted his hot mouth everywhere...
He abruptly broke the kiss and touched his forehead
to hers. "Shouldn't we take it slow?" he asked huskily.
"No," she said, completely without thinking.
He grinned. "Then you want to know what my fortune
cookie said?"
She licked her lips, knowing he would tell her
anyway. He leaned back a bit but kept watching her mouth and it made her hungrier for more of his.
"Make a wish and it will be granted." He leaned
further back.
"What do you wish for?" she found herself asking.
There seemed to be too many haggard breaths and
heartbeats before he replied, his voice gruff with warning. "I wish to see you in little more than those pink satin slippers
you're wearing. You. With me. For the whole night."
She struggled to clear her mind, unable to even
speak, the images his words created blazed through her mind. Was he serious?
The tremor of his broken chuckle brushed her skin.
"Don't look so shocked, honey. You wanted to know."
His thumb remained at the curve of her throat,
stroking her racing pulse. There was just enough fire still in her veins to want to make impulsive decisions, to make her
want to throw caution to the wind and take him up on it.
Abruptly, the elevator doors opened, and she sobered
as reality settle in. "Haven't you heard you're supposed to be careful with what you wish for, Max?"
The heat in his gaze was full of conviction. "Believe
me, I thrive on wishes, but I learned the hard way that they're not for cowards."
What the hell did that mean?
He stepped back and Shauna stepped out of the
elevator, feeling aroused and naked and confused.
When the steel doors finally blocking out
his heated gaze, Shauna was embarrassed to see her own stupefied, dreamy expression reflected back.
*Excerpt by Delilah Dawson
