Sweet Trouble by Susan Mallery Page B

was still new to Matt. She had to give him time.
    She was oddly aware of him as they crossed the parking lot. It was summer, and the sun still hadn’t completely set, despite the fact that it was near nine.
    “Thanks for dinner,” she said when they reached her Subaru. “We needed to talk.”
    He touched her cheek with the back of his fingers. “I understand why you’re here,” he told her. “I’m working the problem.”
    “Someone’s been to management seminars,” she teased.
    He grinned. “More than I want to admit to.”
    “You must hate them.”
    “Every second.”
    “All that group bonding.”
    “Not my style,” he admitted.
    That hadn’t changed, she thought. He’d always been more of a one-on-one guy. And speaking of one-on-one…
    He seemed to be standing a little too close. He was still touching her cheek and she could feel definite heat where their skin brushed. His eyes were so dark, she thought, her brain getting fuzzy. She remembered when getting lost in them was the best way to spend a day. Was that still true?
    “Dammit, Jesse,” he murmured.
    Was he upset about the past? Aware of the growing tension between them? Thinking about kissing her as much as she thought about kissing him?
    She knew she had to keep things light. Try to establish a friendship so he would be in a good position to get to know his son. Anything else would be a mistake. Only this was Matt and he’d been the last man she’d kissed. She suddenly ached to feel his mouth on hers, his arms around her. She wanted to feel aroused and safe at the same time. She wanted—
    He leaned in and kissed her, just as she’d hoped he would. A light kiss that allowed her time to adjust to the reality after years of living on fantasy.
    His mouth was exactly as she remembered. Warm and firm, but just soft enough to make her want more. She leaned in slightly, putting her hand on his upper arm where she felt his strong muscles. He cupped her jaw, then tilted his head and licked her lower lip.
    Electricity shot through her. Need burned hot and bright, melting every part of her. She went from interested to intense in a heartbeat.
    He put his free hand on her spine, above her butt. He used just enough pressure to draw her closer, but not so much that she felt she was going to be forced. Which made her want to shift nearer on her own.
    Parts of her began to ache. It had been forever, she thought dreamily, and here she was, back where she’d started. She couldn’t help remembering how it had been between them—all passion and surrender. She wanted that again. Wanted all of it.
    He deepened the kiss, then pulled back and kissed her jaw, the side of her neck before returning to her mouth. She felt herself getting swept away. The fact that they were in a restaurant parking lot didn’t really matter. There was only the moment and the man.
    He kissed her over and over, arousing her with each stroke of his tongue. But something was different and that difference was what brought her back to reality.
    She became aware of the way he slowly circled her spine with his palm. It was deliciously exciting and made her want to purr, but it wasn’t anything he’d ever done before. He dropped his hand from her jaw to her shoulder and lightly rubbed her bare arm. Again, thrilling but not Matt. Even his kisses were different. They were more perfect, more practiced. He was a man who knew how to arouse a woman in a matter of seconds.
    She hadn’t taught him that.
    She drew back and told herself it didn’t matter. That it had been a long time and of course he’d been with other people. But it hurt to have proof that his life had gone on.
    “Jesse?”
    She forced herself to smile. “Impressive. You know your way around a good seduction.”
    “I’ve always enjoyed kissing you.”
    It was true, Matt thought, knowing that getting Jesse into bed would be pleasurable for them both. So what if he had a good time? That didn’t mean he wouldn’t walk away when