Page 33 of Isolated (Harper Security Ops #21)

For the remainder of our lunch together, Iris regaled me with tales of her exciting, wild, and fun-filled years as the oldest of three girls.

As much as I loved hearing the stories, what I found I enjoyed most was hearing about them from her.

The way she talked about her family and the expressiveness in her features and voice told me so much about the woman I felt such a strong pull to.

By the time we finished lunch, I confessed, “I made a mistake.”

Concern littered her features. “What do you mean?”

“I thought we’d go apple picking this morning and that I’d bring you out for lunch afterward.

” I sighed. “And just like dinner last night, I never planned anything to do following lunch today. So, now I’m regretting it, because I’m having such a great time with you that I’m not exactly ready for this to be over. ”

Faster than I could even consider a solution, Iris declared, “Then you should take me home and stay for a while.”

I stared at her.

There it was again. That offer.

Sensing where my head was at, Iris called my name. “Landen?”

“Yeah?”

“We don’t have to do anything yet.” Her lips curved into a small smile. “We could just sit on the couch and watch a movie. Maybe cuddle a bit. Possibly share a kiss or two.”

A grin formed on my own face, even if I wasn’t entirely sure how long I’d be able to resist her. “I think that sounds fantastic.”

By the time Iris and I made it back to her place and picked out a movie, the watching part of the plan flew out the window.

Feeling her close, smelling her, and remembering what it was like to have my mouth on hers, I was far more interested in giving her the kisses she wanted than I was in watching a movie I’d already seen.

But sitting beside her and having her curled into the side of my body quickly turned into me winding up on my back and Iris’s gorgeous, soft body on top of mine.

I tore my mouth from hers and kissed down her throat.

“Landen.” My name came out of her mouth like a moan, and there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do to hear it again.

My hands roamed over her body, delighting in the feel of her curves. She squirmed and rolled her hips over my raging hard-on. And we kissed and kissed and kissed. The only thing that could have made it any better would have been if we didn’t have a stitch of clothing remaining between us.

I imagined it.

As my tongue drove into her mouth and tangled with hers, I imagined her soft naked skin against mine. I dreamt of hearing those moans turn to whimpers as I sank myself between her beautiful thighs. I pictured the look on her face as I brought her to the edge and sent her soaring over and over.

When the visions in my head mixed with the reality of what was happening in the moment and became almost too much to pull myself back from, I gave a gentle tug on her hair and urged her mouth from mine. “The things you do to me, Iris, are criminal.”

“You started it,” she breathed.

My lips twitched. “I know. It’s worth every ache I feel now, but I need a minute before I rip these clothes from your body.”

Iris tipped her chin down and offered a seductive look. “I won’t mind.”

The moment the words were out of her mouth, the fantasy played out in my head as another groan tore up my throat. “You are so wildly sexy and tempting, sunshine. I don’t even know what to do with it, with you.”

A flush crept over her skin, and she dropped her cheek to my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, grateful she was giving me the small reprieve to get my breathing and the excitement under control.

And after the movie ended, we made dinner together. I learned a thing or two in the kitchen, but I spent most of my time stealing touches and soft kisses.

The kissing continued after dinner, to the point I stood just inside her front door with my mouth on hers.

“You know,” Iris rasped, her lips just a hair’s breadth away from mine. “If I wasn’t so accustomed to typically spending my entire weekend working, I wouldn’t be doing this.”

“Wouldn’t be doing what?”

Iris slid her palms up my chest and draped her arms over my shoulders, pressing her body tighter to mine. As her fingers drifted up the back of my neck and into my hair, she spoke softly. “I wouldn’t be standing at the door, kissing you goodbye.”

My arms tightened around her, loving the feel of her body against mine. I couldn’t wait to do the very same without any clothing to separate us. “What would you be doing instead?”

Brushing her lips lightly against mine, she said, “I’d be doing whatever I could to convince you to stay.”

This appeared to be quite the challenge for her already, so I didn’t share that it wouldn’t take much convincing to make it happen. One word, one look, and I’d do whatever she wanted.

“I won’t ask you to tell me what those things are for fear I might not be able to tear myself away from you if you do.” My hand drifted over her ass and squeezed. “It’s already difficult enough to leave here after everything you did over on that couch. ”

Iris’s eyes roamed over my face. “If you don’t want to go…”

Soft laughter escaped as I buried my face in her neck and inhaled.

The scent of her alone could bring me to my knees, and this battle to step away from her and walk out the door was getting more and more difficult.

I kissed my way up the front of her throat, made it to her lips, and said, “The promise of you is enough, Iris. For now, anyway.” I pressed another soft kiss to her mouth.

“But don’t forget what I vowed to you earlier today.

I’ll make it worth the wait once we take that step. ”

“And you say I’m confident,” Iris murmured, her fingernails scratching the back of my scalp.

I brushed my cheek against hers before nibbling on her earlobe. Her body shivered against mine. “I don’t think it’s so much about confidence as it is about months and months of fantasizing. You don’t want to know the things I’ve thought about doing to you.”

Her voice was practically pleading with mine when she countered, “Maybe I do want you to tell me. Maybe that’s exactly what I want.”

Groaning, I brought my hands to her hips and pulled my head back to look her in the eyes. “I’d rather show you, sunshine. Soon. I promise.”

The way her features shifted almost had me abandoning my plan to wait just a little bit longer. Almost.

Whether it was the effort I put in or some divine intervention, I didn’t know, but somehow, I managed to take a step back from her.

“I had such a wonderful time with you today, Landen.”

When it would have been so easy for her to pout or push for more, Iris didn’t do that.

She was willing to let me lead this at the pace I wanted.

The more time I spent with her, the more opportunity I had to experience different scenarios with her, the faster I was learning that the Iris I’d built an attraction to for months before was the same person I was getting now.

She was still just as soft and openhearted and sweet as ever.

“I’m glad, Iris. I enjoyed myself immensely with you today, too.”

Her hand drifted down to the side of my face, where her thumb stroked along my cheek. “I already can’t wait for Monday morning.”

I laughed. “I think you’ve always liked Mondays, so that’s nothing new.”

“That’s fair,” she acquiesced, a smile on her face. “But at least now I can add being able to kiss and touch you to my reasons for being so motivated and ready to hop out of bed.”

“You’ve touched me before at the gym.”

Biting her lip, she shook her head. “Nowhere near as often as I’ve wanted to.”

I groaned again. “You’re killing me, you know that?”

She beamed at me.

After kissing her one more time, I reached out and opened the door. “Goodnight, sunshine.”

“Goodnight, Landen.”

The entire drive home, I had to fight the urge to turn around and give in to what we both wanted.

But I’d remain patient. Because what we had today was great, and I felt really good about where things were headed.