The Lunchtime Special

Chapter 16 - Coffee, Tea or Me?

"Dance with me?" Jake stands and holds out his hand; I take it and allow him to guide me to the floor where other couples are already drifting to the haunting blues number. One arm circles around my waist, pulling me close, our other hands placed carefully on his chest as we begin to move. I'm barely aware of anything but him, of the firm planes of his body pressed against my curves. His breath whispers down my neck, sending tingles of awareness along my spine and when I give a small sigh, he holds me tighter still. I'm enveloped by his masculine scent and a heady feeling of pleasure and contentment; the evening, though it had had a stumbling start, has felt magical, and it wasn't difficult to understand why. Jake has been attentive, considerate, sweet, funny and goofy – an incredibly potent mix. He's a good dancer too; I feel safe and secure in his arms, at times like I'm floating on air. I give another sigh.

"You okay?" he murmurs softly.

I nod, pressing myself further into his warmth and nuzzling my face against his neck, feeling a faint tremor in response.

"Yes," I assure him quietly. "Very okay."

How long we dance I have no idea; I only know that at some point his lips whisper close to my ear, "Would you like to get out of here?" and my body instantly obeys, following him away from the crowded, dimly lit room to the fresh cool night air awaiting us.

He helps me on with my coat and scarf then puts on his own, takes my hand and we begin walking toward my hotel, which he tells me is only a couple of blocks away. I'm hyper aware of the touch of his fingers threaded through mine, the warmth of his engulfing hand, the solid strength of the arm brushing against me occasionally. Sneaking a glance at him every now and then, I watch as the yellow glow of shop lighting turns his hair a soft tawny gold and catch my breath, resisting the urge to reach out and touch. All too soon I see the hotel's sign approaching and feel as if Mexican jumping beans have invaded my stomach, nervous about what might happen next yet excited too. The hotel foyer is deserted, as is the lift. We ride in silence and I'm so busy keeping my racing thoughts in check and trying to work out what his might be that I almost miss it when he speaks.

"Mia, I'm so sorry again about the...incident...with Shelley."

"No harm done," I assure him, "except perhaps to your lap with me sitting on it for so long."

His smile makes the beans start jumping again. "I particularly enjoyed that part of the evening, and besides, what's a torn ligament between friends?"

Laughing as much at the cheeky grin on his face as his teasing words, I swipe his chest playfully. "So much for all your grovelling," I chuckle, only to have the breath stolen from my lungs when I'm pushed slowly up against the wall of the lift, an arm either side of my head and a whole chunk of wonderful, sexy man right in front of me, looking into my eyes so intently I need to swallow.

"I still have one more way to apologise," he murmurs, ducking his head towards me, his voice low and rough and sending vibrations throughout my body.

A kiss, please let it be a kiss. Or two.

Oh God.

I gasp at the hot breath over my ear before full, firm lips capture my lobe, sucking gently. When I utter a soft moan he nips lightly and the sensation runs directly to my other erogenous zones, putting them on full alert to sit up and pay attention. I raise my hands to his shoulders and his lips move to my neck, kissing, sucking and licking me into a quivering mess. Neither of us is aware of the lift stopping or the ping of arrival at my floor, nor of the couple who enter the lift – until one of them clears their throat, loudly, and we jump and straighten, blushing furiously. Jake grabs my hand and pulls me out and along the corridor and I follow blindly, unable to focus on anything other than my need to have his lips back on me. Or his hands. Or his anything.