Page 91 of The Singles Club

I turned, ready to power walk back to the elevator when his door opened. I spun around. He was wearing a T-shirt and pajama bottoms, and I looked down at his perfect bare feet.

Gawd, he was beautiful.

I intertwined my fingers, my stomach jumbled in nerves. “Um…so… you know how I’m horrible with relationships. I somehow always manage to screw them up. And my whole theory on love… I think that maybe I was wrong, but I don’t know… Because you made brownies that day and I just… I never… really… opened myself up like that to anyone and… you sang for me when I was scared and…”

He reached out, brushing my arm. “Vivian, what are you trying to say?”

I brought my hands to my face for a few seconds and dropped them down to my sides. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

His mouth parted, but no words came out.

I stepped closer. “I’m not sure if you feel the same or if—”

Before I could utter another word, his lips were on mine, both hands cupping my face. Just as soft and warm and electric as the first one.

Fireworks.

The green in his eyes was intense, and I knew he wanted me just as much as I wanted him. After a few heavy breaths, I slipped my fingers around the back of his neck, pulling him closer.

If the last one was fireworks… this one was anexplosion.

The heat of his mouth consumed me, and I had the deepest urge to get closer to him. I wrapped my legs around his waist. The feeling of his chest pressed against mine sent any rational thoughts tumbling down one by one like a skyscraper being demolished. His hands glided down my back and under my ass as he carried me inside. He slammed the door shut before thrusting me against it.

My lips explored that beautiful jawline of his, trailing up to his ear. “I want you,” I said under heavy breath and ground my hips against him, slipping my hands under his T-shirt to feel his hot, smooth skin. He was just as turned on as I was.

I’d almost forgotten how good this felt. How good sex felt.

He placed his hands on my cheeks and ripped his mouth from mine. “Vivian,” his voice was low and husky. “We need to slow this down.”

No. Oh, please, no.

His eyes were filled with want and hunger, but there was a pleading behind them. I knew if I kept going, I could coerce him into a night of unbelievably passionate sex, but he wasn’t ready. I slid my legs to the floor.

He took a step back, letting out a long breath. “Wow… that wasintense.”

I know, and it could get even better.

Justin’s hands glided down my arms until his fingers entwined with my own. “We should talk about what it is we’re doing. Make sure we’re on the same page before we go too far.”

He was right, I knew he was right, but the throbbing between my legs said otherwise.

“I agree.”

With one hand still holding mine, he led me to the couch, and we sat down, our knees touching. He brushed a curl off my forehead, his fingers tracing the edge of my jaw. “I realized you said youthinkyou’re falling in love with me. That’s a lot different from knowing you are.”

I twisted my necklace. “I didn’t expect to feel this. I thought I had it all figured it out… about love, and now I’m not so sure.”

“Let me ask you this… and let’s leave me, or us, out of it for the moment.”

“Okay.”

“Do you hope that love is real… or do you want to continue believing it doesn’t really exist?”

My eyes burned as a slow ache rose up my throat. “If love is real,” I whispered, “then it means the problem isme. That maybe I’m not built for it. I’m great at lust and attraction, bad with attachment and true intimacy.”

Justin held a hand over his mouth as he searched my eyes. “How many days until you move to Paris?”

“Eleven.”