Page 18 of It’s Only Love (Citrus Pines #1)

“I’m good with whatever you choose,” she replied, he smiled at her and left. She turned back to Taylor.

“Before I forget, how much do I owe you for yesterday?” she asked.

Kayleigh put Taylor’s drink in front of her and Taylor snatched it up, slurping noisily from the straw instead of answering. Christy stared at her until she finished.

“Don’t worry about it.” Taylor shrugged.

“I don’t think so Tay, I owe for the space, the food, and the bar staff at least. Let alone any money you lost not having your normal customers in!”

“Are you kidding? There were loads of people here, I didn’t lose money. Anyway, it’s fine, it’s been taken care of,” Taylor said, not meeting her eye.

“Well as sweet as that is, I’m not having you and Justine pay for it. It’s not your responsibility. So, tell me how much and I’ll split it between you, assuming you went halves?”

“Um, we didn’t pay for it. Not for all of it anyway, just some,” Taylor hedged.

Christy had a sinking feeling inside and she already knew the answer to her question before she asked it. “Well, then who did?”

*

Dean dried his hands and wandered out of the bathroom whistling.

He started walking down the narrow corridor back out to the bar but stopped short when he saw Christy stomping towards him.

She sure did look mad, her hands fisted at her side, glare on her face.

Pretty pink lips pinched in anger, her little blond curls bouncing adorably with each furious step.

Her lush breasts bounced, threatening to spill over the top of her sexy dress, like they had all damn evening.

He flicked his eyes back to her face before he started drooling, and before she caught him and detonated.

“Hey Christy. What’s up?” he called, making sure his smile was wide enough to pop his dimples. He figured she liked them, he caught her staring at them before.

“You bastard!” she spat.

Wait, what? He looked behind him in case there was someone else she was talking to.

There was no one there, he turned back to face her, confused.

Was she mad at him? He expected her to slow down the closer she got to him, but she didn’t, she kept going and backed him into the wall, the brick scraping his shoulders through his thin shirt.

“Whoa, what’s the matter darlin’?” he asked, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

She stood on tiptoes, getting in his face and jabbed her finger into his chest. “Don’t call me that! I didn’t need you to pay for yesterday. He was my father , my responsibility, and no one asked you to do that!” she shouted, her eyes flashing angrily.

“Dammit, Taylor,” he muttered.

Christy poked his chest again, her sharp nail digging in. It wasn’t hurting but there was definite pressure there, not that he was complaining.

“Don’t blame her. I’m glad she told me. I won’t be indebted to anyone. I’m not your charity case and I didn’t need you to pay for dinner either!”

“Look, I was just trying to be nice, alright? You’re having a tough time at the moment, and I just wanted to help you any way I could,” he said gently, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She shrugged him off. “Oh, now you’re being nice to me? I’m surprised you know how!”

“Hey! That hurts darlin’. How many times have I tried to apologize for being an idiot to you?” He smiled down at her, hoping to charm and disarm her. He grabbed hold of the hand that was still jabbing his chest and brought it down to her side but didn’t let go. He took a step towards her.

She moved back, still fuming at him.

He wondered how big her bluster really was and how quickly he could coax her out of it.

He took another step forward, a bigger one and she stepped back again, frowning up at him.

He did it again and this time when she moved back, she bumped into the wall on the other side.

His torso pressed up against her, her softness giving way beneath the wall of his chest.

She glared up at him. “I don’t need your charity; I can handle things myself,” she huffed.

He could see she was starting to run out of steam. He was a little disappointed, he couldn’t deny he liked seeing her all worked up, her cheeks flushed with anger, eyes flashing, chest heaving. She was stunning, his little firecracker.

“And whatever you’re trying to do to me and Beau, stop it.

” As she spoke, she flattened her hand to his chest to push him away, but she couldn’t budge him.

The warmth of her palm seeped through the material of his shirt and heated the skin beneath.

Her breath was coming in shallow pants now, brushing her breasts against his chest and then moving them away with each exhale.

When he didn’t move away from her, she stared up at him, her icy blue eyes melting the longer they stared.

The air grew thick and hot with tension. Dean’s breathing became as shallow as hers as desire spread through him. Did she want him? She ran her tongue over her lips, and her eyelids dipped slightly, hooding with arousal. Oh yes, she did, but her body tensed as she fought against it.

He had wondered if it was just the alcohol last night or the stress of the day that had made her try to kiss him.

God, he thought about that only about a thousand times.

What would have happened if he’d given in and tasted those lush lips.

He had hardly thought about anything else since last night, his dreams filled with what could have happened.

He needed to know, was dying to know what she felt. He bent his head down to her ear.

“Shall we talk about last night?” he rasped, his voice thick with need.

He heard her sharp intake of breath and smiled to himself.

He nuzzled against her ear, the sweet berry scent of her hair enveloping him.

“Did you want to kiss me, Christy?” He watched goosebumps spread across her neck and pulled back to see her.

Her eyelids had drifted closed, her mouth parted slightly.

A rush of heat flared in his groin and he felt himself hardening.

“I was drunk, not thinking,” she replied, sounding sluggish.

He moved his mouth back to her ear. “That’s not what I asked you, Christy,” he admonished, slowly laving the shell of her ear with his tongue.

She gasped and fisted her hand in his shirt, pulling him closer.

He nibbled on her lobe and she whimpered.

Oh yes, he had her, he just needed her to admit it.

“Say it.”

She pressed her lips together, refusing to let the words tumble out and free them both.

“Say it, Christy.”

“Yes, I wanted to kiss you,” she rushed out, breathing heavily.

He rewarded her admission, tracing a line of kisses down her neck. She sighed and leaned into him, relaxing her body against him. He tangled a hand in her curls and kissed his way back up and along her jaw.

“Wait, what are you doing?” she asked, pulling out of the moment, but he was too far gone, he couldn’t let her walk away without tasting her.

He grabbed her hand and pinned it over her head, the movement arching her back and mashing her breasts into his chest. Feeling her hard nipples abrading him, evidence of her arousal, he hissed at the contact.

He rubbed his lower body against her. The moment she felt his erection, her eyes widened and she moaned.

He dropped his head and slanted his lips over hers, her mouth was soft and hot.

She moaned again, and her tongue swept into his mouth.

He tilted his head for deeper contact and stroked his tongue over hers.

A punch of lust hit him low in the stomach as their tongues touched, tingles scattering through him.

She tasted like strawberries, sweet and irresistible and he licked into her mouth again, her taste branding him.

His free hand moved down to cup her breast, unable to help himself.

She arched her back again pressing herself into his palm more firmly.

This wasn’t like any kiss he had before.

It was hot and sweet, wild and passionate.

She matched him pace for pace, lick for lick.

She sucked on his tongue, hard, and his thoughts strayed to what else she could wrap her delectable mouth around and suck.

The kiss spiraled out of control, becoming carnal and dirty.

He ground his pelvis into her, needing release.

She moaned into his mouth again, sending vibrations through him, and rubbed herself against him, just as desperate for relief.

Was she wet and ready for him? His cock pulsed at the thought of sliding into her wet heat.

All of a sudden as fast as it started, it stopped.

She pulled herself away from him, her cheeks flushed, that sexy mouth all swollen from his kisses. “Beau,” she murmured, not meeting his gaze. She swiped her hand across her mouth, wiping his taste away.

“Shit,” he replied.

What had he been thinking? How could he do that to Beau?

It didn’t matter that she and Beau weren’t serious yet.

What sort of guy did that to his best friend?

He needed to get away from her. Now. But he couldn’t while sporting wood.

She shoved past him and went down the corridor, back out into the main bar area.

He leaned against the wall, trying to get control of his emotions.

He went back into the bathroom to splash some water on his face and when his body had calmed, he went back out to the bar.