Sinful Chocolate by Adrianne Byrd Page B

old college friends? Gisella snatched opened the door and Sasha darted in between her legs with a loud meow.
    However, the real war victim was clearly Charlie.
    â€œ Mon Dieu. Look at you!” Her eyes widened at the number of scratches covering his face, neck and arms. “Come here.” She grabbed him by the wrist and led him toward her adjoining bedroom. “Here. Take a seat.” She lowered the toilet seat and then rustled for some supplies.
    Charlie sat and looked around. “I’m sure it’s not as bad as it looks,” he said.
    â€œNonsense,” she said. “You’re bleeding.” Gisella twisted open a bottle of alcohol and pulled out a few cotton balls. “Now this is going to sting a bit.”
    Despite the warning, Charlie sucked in a shocked breath and bounced around on the toilet seat like a Mexican jumping bean.
    â€œBe still,” she instructed softly and then blew on a few deep gashes. “Is that better?”
    Charlie grew still. “A little.”
    Gisella glanced up and their eyes locked. “You’re a big baby, no?”
    His cheeks dimpled. “I wouldn’t say that.”
    For a few seconds, the bathroom tiles magnified their shallow breathing and Gisella swore it even picked up the sound of her heartbeat. Fantasy Charlie paled in comparison to the real deal. Charlie Masters could easily grace the glossy pages of fashion magazines instead of wheeling and dealing behind some office desk. He was just that beautiful.
    Forcing herself out of her self-imposed trance, she returned her attention to cleaning a few more scratches, especially the long one across his right cheek. When she leaned forward, Lord help her, she could literally feel his warm breath rush against the exposed portion of her cleavage in her low-cut tee. It took every ounce of her will-power to keep her knees from buckling and depositing her on his lap. All the while, his gaze remained locked on her.
    â€œI’m beginning to think you’re a masochist.”
    She blinked. “A what?”
    â€œSomeone who enjoys torturing people.” When she still looked confused, he added, “Either kiss me again or let me stand up.”
    She quickly backed away from him.
    â€œI thought so.” He stood and eyed a Band-Aid in the corner of the medicine cabinet. “May I?”
    She nodded, swallowing the lump amassing in her throat.
    Charlie leaned toward the mirror and applied an invisible band-aid against his cheek. “There. Good as new.”
    She smiled. “Sorry I threw Sasha at you.”
    â€œSorry I frightened you.”
    They stood staring at each other, but Gisella knew what they were both thinking about.
    That kiss.
    â€œSo,” she said, hoping to deter him from asking about it. “How do you know my sister?”
    He stepped back. “Anna is your sister?”
    â€œHalf sister,” she corrected. “Different mothers, same father.”
    Charlie blinked. “Oh. I would have never thought—you two don’t look anything alike.”
    That was true. Anna was tall and angular and Gisella was thick and curvy. Though both women were attractive, the facial features were stark opposites.
    â€œWell, I take it she’s not here.” He laughed. “Know when she’ll be home?”
    â€œActually, she’s out of town for a couple of weeks. In the meantime, it’s just me and Sasha.”
    â€œThe killer cat.”
    Gisella laughed.
    â€œWell,” he said with a note of disappointment.
    â€œWhen she calls,” Gisella said, “I’ll be happy to tell her you came by.”
    â€œThat’ll be great.” Charlie bobbed his head and went back to staring at her. The memory of their kiss still threatened to become a topic of discussion.
    â€œDo you want to leave a number so she can call you back?” Gisella offered.
    â€œSure. Um, you gotta pen?”
    Gisella glanced around and decided against