Love Bites: A Sugar City Novella (Entangled Bliss) (11 page)

“Sit.” He pointed at the seat beside him and she sat. “You were right. I needed to talk about our research and some other things. I’m glad I did, and I’m really glad you saw it.” He paused and shifted closer to her. “I was afraid you’d go straight to the airport, but I still had to look for you, I had to
try
.” He sighed. “The front desk wouldn’t tell me if you had a reservation, but I hoped you were here. Never imagined I’d find you on top of a bar.”

“Yeah, well.” She bit her lip. “I was trying, too.”

He took her hand and pulled her so her knees were between his. “This can work,” he said, staring into her eyes. “I know it can.”

“After your little broadcast,” she gestured at the TV, “you know you’re going to be on the Discovery Channel again—and you
should
be. You’ve got such an important job.” She pulled back her hand. “What if being with me—because of
my
job…what if that messes it up and—”

“See.” Jeff cut her off. “
This
is what I like about you. You think of others first. You almost got swallowed by a shark, yet your first words to me were about losing the bloody tracker.” He took her hand again, sandwiching it between his so she couldn’t pull away. “You were thinking of me, and I love you for that.”

Sharona felt her heart grow light, wanting so much to believe his words. Maybe she needed to take her own leap of faith. And it wasn’t just physical. She was drawn to Jeff for so many reasons that she hadn’t known existed when they’d first met at that very hotel.

“Sharona Blaire.” Scooting closer, Jeff touched her cheek and ran a thumb along her skin, making every cell tingle. “Please forgive me. Don’t say my idiotic mistake ruined the greatest love story since Jonah and the whale.”

“Jeff…” She felt tears behind her eyes. “Of course I forgive—”

The sensation of his lips on hers was just as stunning as the first time. She felt the buzz down to her toes. With their mouth attached, he put his hands on the sides of her neck and she wound her arms around him, feeling safe and protected, like she did each time they were together.

His breath was sweet and welcoming against her skin when he whispered her name. From over his shoulder, she caught Sigrid’s eye. She gave her a tiny nod, then went back to her other customers.

Remembering something, Sharona pulled back. “Jonah and the whale?” she whispered, staring into his eyes.

Jeff laughed. “Marine biology humor.”

“That’s so hot.” She grinned. As the band played another hit from the seventies, Jeff’s hands found their way inside her shirt. Before they explored too far, a group of wedding guests bellied up to the bar.

“I think they want our spot,” Jeff said, his mouth against her neck.

“They can have it,” she whispered. “Hey, are you up for one more game?”

“Sharona…” he warned.

“Not even role-playing?”

Jeff pulled back and eyed her. “Oh, baby.”

She ran a hand up his thigh. “We should pretend like we just met.”

“Like we’re total strangers and I pick you up at a bar?”

“Or
I
pick
you
up.”

Jeff’s hands glided along the skin of her back, one finger skimming across where her bra strap should have been. He pulled away to look her in the eyes. “You’re not wearing a…” Slowly, she shook her head and he cocked one of his crooked Han Solo grins. “Sweet mother of…”

“Back to our game,” she prompted.

“Right.” Jeff removed his hands from her back. “So we just met. What comes first? Your call.”

“First…” She placed her hands on his chest, then slid them around his neck. “I kiss you.” She pressed her lips to his, hard, until her head went beautifully fuzzy.

“I like that,” Jeff whispered, hovering over her mouth. “Then I kiss you and do this.” New sparks shot behind her closed eyes as Jeff’s hands cupped her butt and deftly pulled her onto his lap, her legs straddling him. “What’s next?”

“Next”—she managed to breathe out—“I notice your sexy accent and ask if you’re from these parts.”

He repositioned her on his lap, then kissed her nose. “And I say I live in Miami but grew up an hour from here. Then I ask if you’d like to come home with me tomorrow.”

Sharona pulled back. “Meet your family?”

“Too fast for having met five minutes ago?” He rubbed his nose against her cheek. “They’ll absolutely love you, Sharona. Do you have to fly home tomorrow?”

“I’m supposed to, but I already turned in my report and…” She grinned, feeling butterflies in her stomach and a coiling tension in her core. “I’m allowed a little vacation. And thank you for the invitation. It means so much to me.” She kissed him slowly, forgetting how to think, how to breathe.

“I’m anxious to see what happens next,” Jeff said, moving his warm hands to her hips and sliding her off his lap she could stand. “I’ve only been picked up at a pub once before.”

Sharona smiled, while trying to stay upright. “Well, since you’re also visiting, the polite thing would be for you to invite me to your room…show me your shark bite.” She tugged at the front of his shirt, then slid in a hand, touching the slick band of scars on his stomach, feeling his muscles contract. “I have no words, Jeff Cruz”—she paused and touched her forehead to his—“to explain how sexy you are. But I can’t wait to show you.”

“Ditto,” he said with a grin, cupping a hand over her hip then gliding down. “Just to warn you, I don’t give my love bites on the neck.”

Hot damn
. With her eyes locked on his, she fisted the front of his shirt, pressed her mouth against his and stepped back, forcing him to stand. Lips still connected, she walked him backward through the crowd. Not until they were in the elevator bay did she break the kiss.

“Which floor?” she asked, fighting to catch her breath.

“Floor?” he panted, moving to her neck.

“Which floor is your room?”

He pulled back. “I don’t have a room. I planned on going straight to my family tonight. Then something much more important”—he cocked an eyebrow—“came up.”

“Oh. Well then, I suppose I’ll be inviting you to my room. It’s only polite.” She stepped out of his arms and pressed the call button. “Wait right here?” she asked. “I’ll be back to get you.”

Jeff narrowed his eyes. “No bloody way in hell, gorgeous,” he whispered, drawing out the words. “Don’t think I’m letting you out of my sight this time. Or ever.”

Sharona bit her lip and thought about her cluttered hotel room, the unmade bed, her notes and computer and unpacked clothes. Then she looked at Jeff.

As the doors slid open, she stepped into the empty elevator, reached out a hand, and pulled him inside.

“Going down…”

* * *

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Acknowledgments

Thank you to the usual suspects…

My Entangled Dream Team: Stacy, Alycia, Heather and Debbie. Writerly friends and non-writerly friends: Sue, Ginger, Nancy, Lisa, Cindi and Rachel. Sara, for lending me both SED Independent Auditors of Miami-Dade County and vile Garry. My family for being cool and excited and supportive. Readers, bloggers, reviewers and all my amazzzzzing social media peeps. Each of you makes me a better writer! Last but not least, The Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week,”
Jaws
(in all its reincarnated, franchise glory), the supersexy “Shark Men” of National Geographic (including the late Paul Walker…the original inspiration for Jeff Cruz) and all the other killer fish stories that continue to fuel my obsession, love, terror, nightmares and captivation.

About the Author

Ophelia London was born and raised among the redwood trees in beautiful northern California. Once she was fully educated, she decided to settle in Florida, but her car broke down in Texas and she’s lived in Dallas ever since. A cupcake and treadmill aficionado (obviously those things are connected), she spends her time watching art-house movies and impossibly trashy TV, while living vicariously through the characters in the books she writes. Ophelia is the author of ABBY ROAD; the Perfect Kisses series including: PLAYING AT LOVE, SPEAKING OF LOVE, and FALLING FOR HER SOLDIER, and the new adult DEFINITELY, MAYBE IN LOVE. Visit her at
http://ophelialondon.com
. But don’t call when
The Vampire Diaries
is on.

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