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His grip on my neck flinched when I tugged him closer again. His other hand came up to cup the other side of my neck, angling my head to deepen the kiss.

When I tentatively tasted his lip with my tongue, I heard a low sound rumble in his throat at the contact.

And that was when I pulled away just a hair, just enough to create space and for our eyes to meet so close together, “…Was that good?”

He blinked, his eyes hooded and darker as he stared back at me, murmuring something that sounded a lot like “fuck me” before he placed his lips on mine again.

I groaned at the additional pressure he added this time. I opened my mouth and met his tongue with my own. I forgot all about being in a very public, crowded bar. How my brother was probably still in that booth across the way, watching to make sure I was safe. None of that mattered, all that mattered was Leo’s mouth on mine. The way his tongue slid sensually against mine. How his grip on my neck and jaw felt like the most natural, wonderful feeling in the world.

How good it felt to simply beheld.

Without thinking too much about it, I slipped both of my hands underneath his open leather jacket, resting them on the sides of his cotton shirt and feeling the hardness underneath.

“Are you enjoying this, Jacqueline?” Leo asked against my mouth, nipping at my bottom lip once again before I had a chance to respond.

By some miracle, I was able to mumble some form of, “God, yes,” against his lips.

He smiled against me, before pressing a firm kiss against my lips once more and pulling back. His hold on my neck dropped as he trailed his fingers down my shoulders and arms again. He rested his hands on my wrists, gently removing them from his sides.

I was panting.

I was in way over my head.

But I didn’t care. That was the whole point of tonight.

“Want to get out of here?” I was pretty sure I gasped the question.

In response, Leo abruptly stood and pulled his wallet out to throw some bills down on the bar.Oh crap, I forgot I had ordered a drink and never touched it. I started patting around in the pockets of my skirt for some money to pay, but he shook his head at me before taking my hand and pulling me off of my barstool, “You’re covered.”

I smiled and mumbled, “Thanks,” before tugging against his hold, “Wait, wait.” I almost forgot the most important part. And part of me panicked, wondering if I was about to ruin this before we got to the fun stuff, “I need to take your picture.”

Leo lifted an eyebrow before a grin took over his sharp features again, “For safety?”

I nodded and took out my phone, laughing when Leo dropped my hand to pose with both of his hands on his narrow hips, his boyish grin doing things to my insides.

I sent the picture to Marco, with Leo’s first name. I also added a “British accent” mostly to brag. Once I pocketed my phone, I took Leo’s hand again and let him lead me out of the bar.

“This is going to sound a little tacky,” Leo spoke as stepped out into the warm night. Summer was going to end soon, but the warm days would last well into November, “But my hotel room is only a block away.”

“No one else is staying with you?” I should have asked beforehand, I realized.What if he was married? What if he had a partner waiting for him?

“No, I’m alone,” Leo replied. He still held my hand but waited for me to engage. To let me lead the way. I grinned, looking down at how large his hand was in comparison to mine, how his fingers interlaced with my smaller ones. I hadn’t held hands like this in a very long time, and it was both heartbreaking and rejuvenating to relearn just how much I loved this kind of casual intimate touch.

With a deep breath filling my lungs for confidence, I took the first step forward, silently encouraging Leo to take the lead.

ChapterOne

JACQUELINE: PRESENT DAY

“That’s it,”he murmured against my neck. I shivered, releasing a groan I normally would have tried to swallow but didn’t feel the need to this time. I arched into him, relishing the heavy weight of his hard body on top of me. I tried to meet him thrust for thrust, but the hold he had on my hands sent my blood racing, my thoughts scattered into nonsensical fragments, and my body eventually fell lax, surrendering to him, “Do you like it when I talk you through it, Jacqueline?”

I had suspected for quite some time I needed intimacy like this, but this was the first experience I had to test the theory. So I nodded against the comforter while moaning an affirmative because words were lost to me.

“Bloody hell,” Leo grunted against my skin, “You’re so beautiful like this.”

* * *

It wasagainst company policy to slap a strip of duct tape over the CTO’s mouth.