Page 51 of Men or Paws

It got much worse than that.

Or much better, depending on who you asked.

Beth was now on top of me.

And not just a little bit.

Just about every square inch of our bodies was touching. Her face was jammed into my neck like a suction cup, while her hair tickled my nose. We were like human pancakes and the only thing missing was a little bit of butter, maple syrup, a side of bacon, and a cafe latte.

Beth slowly lifted her head, her face torturously rubbing against mine.

Please do that again a thousand times.

I swallowed hard and gazed into her eyes, neither of us saying a word.

Her blouse had hiked up her back when she fell on me and my hands were happily wrapped around her waist, my thumbs crossing over her obliques to her abs.

“Are you okay?” I asked, loving how soft her skin was and wondering if the rest of her body was just as soft.

Beth was a little out of breath. “I’m . . . fine.”

She looked far from fine. In fact, I was sure she was in as much pain as I was, the pain of wanting to be closer yet knowing it would change things forever if either of us moved a muscle.

Beth reminded me of one of those birds that accidentally flew into my kitchen window on occasion, at first a little stunned by what happened, then shaking off the shock of the collision and flying away, but not before dropping a turd on one of my patio umbrellas.

Except Beth wasn’t making an effort to get off me.

I didn’t have a problem with that.

What I did have an issue with was getting another whiff of her amazing scent while her body was plastered against mine. It didn’t do me any favors in the don’t-get-aroused-because-she-will-know department.

I was starting to feel a little loopy, actually, and the urge to glance at her lips was strong, but I held her gaze. Beth’s presence did something to me, stirred something inside, put me in a craving state of mind. I wanted more.

When Beth let her guard down and she forgot that she was with Rocco Romano, the movie star, I saw more of the real person that she was.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t attracted to that.

The evidence was pretty clear.

I had a Beth Buzz.

Like a fine wine, I wanted someone to pour me another glass of this intoxicating woman and keep ‘em coming until I passed out or died with a smile on my face.

What was it about Beth that had me so off kilter? I’d tried to ignore her, but it was like I was amused, fascinated, attracted, and frightened, all rolled into one.

Luckily, the beautiful bird came to her senses in the nick of time, ready to spread her wings and fly away before I did something dangerous like trying to kiss her.

Beth slowly got up, pushing off my chest again with her palms.

Her blouse puckered forward enough to give me a tempting view.

I was so close to taking a peek.

Luckily, I had the willpower to abstain.

“I saw that,” Beth said, sliding off me painfully slow, then getting to her feet.

So much for the willpower.