Page 35 of An Inevitable Marriage

We were still close. Close enough the warmth of her breath blew over my lips with every low word leaving hers.

The thumping inside my chest grew stronger and louder. What was I supposed to tell her when I didn’t even know the answer to her question?

What did I do that for, in-fucking-deed?

Dropping my hands even faster than I’d placed them on her, I put some much-needed space between us. Unfortunately, the little distance wasn’t sufficient to provide me with an escape from those eyes. Gaze unnervingly fixed on me; Snow slowly lifted her fingers to her ruby lips.

Blood rushed through my veins, burning a white-hot path straight to my groin. I shifted from one foot to the other as my mind provided a vivid image of me stepping up close enough to drag my thumb over her lush bottom lip. I’d mess up the color on her lips, creating a beautiful red smear down her cheek.

Then I’d dive in and ruin the rest with my mouth.

Shit.

These fucked-up thoughts needed to take a damn hike.

“You have…” Snow’s soft voice sounded, snapping me out of my fantasy. What would she say or do if she knew what scenario played out inside my head?

A fucking disaster, that’s what this was. How was I supposed to live with this woman when these were the kinds of turns my thoughts took in her presence? Shit, how the hell was I supposed even to reel them in?

I’d never had a problem like this. Not once.

Snow cleared her throat, intruding on my thoughts yet again. I blinked, then blinked again before she finally came into focus. Trembling fingers pointed toward my mouth, then slowly shrank back to touch her own lips.

“It’s red.” Her voice was so soft, I’d bet I was the only one who’d heard her.

A good thing, since it took me a few moments to understand what she was trying to say. It took even longer to search my pockets for something to wipe the stain from my lips. When I came up short, Snow quickly grabbed her purse.

Tissue in hand, she moved closer and lifted onto the tips of her toes. I was more than a head taller than her and needed to bend down to meet her halfway. I was immediately assaulted with enough scents and aromas to drive me insane.

I couldn’t quite figure out what it was: strawberries and something floral. It was tropical, almost like a sunny day on a secluded island.

Fuck, she smelled so damn lovely.

“Don’t do it again,” she whispered close to my ear.

The feel of her breath against my skin sent a bone-rattling shiver through my body. I wanted to twist my head and taste those lips again, but I’d do it thoroughly this time.

Fucking hell. There was something very wrong with me. Maybe I needed to see a doctor. Or a therapist. This wasn’t normal.

“I won’t,” I grumbled.

“Good.”

Her gaze locked on to mine, and I swear, I drowned in the bewitching green of her irises. It was just me and her and that stare and the fucking uneasiness crawling over my skin.

The longer we stood like that, the more it felt like those eyes tried to peer into the darkest depths of my soul. My blood burned hot. Too bloody hot. Need or irritation? I couldn’t be sure. I just knew if I stayed there any longer, I’d succumb to the sudden, gnawing need to claim her luscious red mouth and find out if I’d taste strawberries.

With a silent grunt, I snatched the tissue from her fingers and took a few deliberate steps back.

“Where do we sign?”

The gruff tone in my voice had both Rafe’s and the judge’s gazes snapping to mine, eyes narrowing and brows furrowing in unison.

I would have laughed at how comical it was if it wasn’t for the myriad of unfamiliar feelings running amok inside my body.

That and the annoyed expression on my friend’s face.

Rafe’s jaw pulsed a few beats too fast, and I knew he was ready to throw some Italian insults my way. But then the judge’s stare zeroed in on my mouth, or more accurately, the red stain I still hadn’t wiped off.