Damaged Read Free Page B

there.” He points toward the restaurant. His face is serious, all smooth features and big blue eyes. “You sat at my table and made me very uncomfortable. I haven’t had such a beautiful woman overtly hit on me like that before. It was quite embarrassing.”
    My smile is making it hard for my mouth to hang open in shock. It keeps opening and then my grin snaps my lips shut. “I did not!” I know he’s teasing me, but I can’t stop. I don’t want it to stop, and I realize that I’m actually laughing.
    His arms are folded over his chest. He taps a finger to his lip, as if he’s remembering. “You did. You ordered wine and just assumed that I’d put out. Really, Sidney, you’ll have to learn to control yourself a little better in the future.” He looks at me from the corner of his eye, as he glances at his car.
    I know he’s baiting me, but I can’t ignore him. I can’t walk away and I don’t want to. He smiles at me with those wicked lips. It makes me want to kiss him, hard. I change tactics. I want to throw him so far off balance that he falls over. I step in front of him and look up at him from under my lashes. “Okay, you caught me. I like you. I want you. I can’t keep my hands off of you. But tell me this, beautiful man; why should I bother controlling myself when I can tell that you want me just as much?” Slowly, I step closer to him. Our bodies are a breath apart as I look up into his eyes.
    Smiling, he manages to say, “You shouldn’t.” He watches me, waiting to see what I’ll do. I feel my heart pounding. His eyes drift to my lips and back to my eyes. Every inch of my body flickers to life. I want to feel his hands on me. I want his lips on my mouth. From the look in his eye, I know he wants it too.
    I lean in closer, teasing him. I feel his breath on my lips. His scent fills my head and I breath him in. “Are you always this irresistible?”
    “Are you always this coy? Do you just flirt, leaving your lips way too close to a man that desperately wants to kiss you?”
    My hands drift to his hair as he speaks. I touch him gently and hear his breath hitch. It sends a thrill through me, making me brave. There’s little space between us. The tension is so strong that I can’t stand it another second. I lean in slowly and brush my lips to his. Beautiful Man stands there. He seems surprised. He doesn’t move. He doesn’t kiss me back. Disappointment floods me. I look down, breaking the kiss. I can’t hide how hard I’m breathing, how much he turns me on.
    Rejection doesn’t look good on me. “I’m sorry,” I breathe. I’m about to turn away when I feel his fingers tilt my chin up. I look him in the eye, and see something there that I didn’t expect.
    He’s smiling softly. “Don’t be. I just like to be on a first name basis with the random girls that I suck face with in swank parking lots.”
    I smile. “I didn’t realize the parking lot was swank, too.”
    “It is. And Miss Sidney, if you’d be so kind as to divulge your last name?”
    “Who talks like that?” I laugh.
    “I believe that I do.”
    “Sidney Colleli.” I bit my bottom lip and look up at him.
    “Peter Granz.” His voice is deep and rich. The way he says his name makes my insides melt, and the way he kisses is even better. Gently, Peter pulls my lips back to his, and he kisses me lightly. It sends a charge through my body and makes my toes curl. I lean into him, loving the way he feels. Every part of me is tingling, wanting more. The kiss is so light, so brief. When Peter pulls away, I can barely breathe.
    I n a breathy voice, I say, “It’s nice to meet you.”

 
    CHAPTER 3
     
    I glance back at the restaurant, worried that my date will come through those doors at any second. Eager to leave, I glance at Peter and ask, “Would you like a ride home?”
    Peter nods and says, “That’d be great.”
    I grin. A girlish giggle bubbles up inside me and I swallow it whole. I’m going to be alone with a