Page 40 of Hard Rock Deceit

"Sad," I whispered. The beginnings of tears stung the back of my eyes. I blinked rapidly, refusing to letthemfall.

"I'm feeling happy," he said simply. He continued before I could fully grasp his words. "Happy that you trust me enough to take me along while you work. Happy that I get to be here with you, alone. I'm happy you might not need meanymore."

I inhaled a sharpbreath.

"Why?"

His gaze flicked from left to right, looking into each of my eyes, searching andassessing.

"Because it means I candothis."

Leaning forward, so slowly as to give me time to respond, he brought his lips mere inches from mine. I tensed up before relaxing,anticipating.

He kept himself there, not moving. He waited for so long I became impatient,restless.

Something came over me, some carnal instinct that went beyond wants and needs, an instinct that squashed all anxiety anddoubt.

In one bold move, I moved forward and pressed our lipstogether.

Sparks shot through me. I gasped into August's mouth. He used his fingers on my cheek to guide me, urging us closertogether.

His tongue swept a line across my bottom lip. I opened to him, unthinking. The slip of his tongue against mine made my head swim. He angled our heads, deepeningthekiss.

His taste was as delicious, as sumptuous, as his scent. Black tea and earthandsalt.

I wanted more of it. I wanted more of him. No other thought entered my mind while this man's lips were on mine. I wouldn't allow it. This was new and exciting and thrilling. I refused to let worry and uncertainty ruin thismoment.

I wanted August. Even before I truly understood what it was to want someone, I'd wanted him. For all the passion and desire that he saw in my art, that he saw in me, it was nothing compared to the passion of his kiss. His lips, teasing for entrance. His tongue, brushing and licking at mine. His hands stroking my hair back from my face, so gentle yetstrong.

I was breathless with need. My insides pulsed with desire, my skin begged for his touch. Liquid heat pooled to the apex of my thighs, turning into molten lava, burning me,meltingme.

The aching need was almost too much. A single kiss and I was alreadygrowingwet.

When I finally had to break the kiss, I clung to him, fisting handfuls of his shirt, not wanting toletgo.

As I gasped for air, he covered my hands with his and brought them to his lips. He placed warm kisses to each of my knuckles, easingtheirgrip.

"You don't need to hold on so tight," he said softly. "I'm not goinganywhere."

"Do you mean that?" I blurted. "BecauseI—"

Because after that kiss, I never wanted to let him go, everagain.

August cradled my hands to his chest. He bumped my nosewithhis.

"I'll stay here all night if you wantmeto."

My heart swelled in mychest.

"Why are you so goodtome?"

"Because you deserve it." Brushing my hair out of my face, he cupped both my cheeks. "I told you before. You have something I don't see very often. It called to me." His eyes searched mine, staring deeply. "Not many people catch my attention the wayyoudid."

It had been my art at first, hadn't it? August said he'd been following my work forsometime.

Just like he'd plucked the twins off a street corner, August had come into my life like a whirlwind, sucking me in, sending me to dizzying heights, leaving me disorientated and stirred upinside.

"You may feel out of your depths—" he begantosay.