It Started with No Strings.... Kate Hardy
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her. ‘What kind of coffee would you like? Cappuccino, latte, flat white?’
She looked surprised. ‘You can really do all those sorts of coffees?’
He gestured to his coffee machine. ‘Yup. My one bit of self-indulgence.’
‘Impressive.’ She smiled. ‘A cappuccino would be lovely—but no chocolate on the top for me, please.’
‘You don’t like chocolate? Or is that a diabetic thing?’
‘A bit of both,’ she said. ‘I’m probably the only woman in the world who doesn’t really like chocolate. My best friend says I’m weird.’
He laughed, and made her a cappuccino.
She took a sip and her eyes widened. ‘This is fabulous. What coffee do you use?’
‘It’s a blend from a deli in Manchester,’ he explained. ‘I’m hoping I’ll find somewhere like it in London.’
‘So you’ve just moved here?’
He nodded. ‘I’m starting a new job.’ Moving on. Moving upwards. Making a difference. The one thing he hadn’t been able to do when it really counted, and he’d vowed to spend the rest of his life making up for it. Not that he wanted to talk about why he’d always been so driven in his career. Especially to someone he’d only just met. So he concentrated on making them both a bacon sandwich, then handed a plate to her.
She took a bite. ‘You are perfect.’ Then she blushed. ‘Sorry.’
Aaron couldn’t resist teasing her. ‘Were you talking to me or the sandwich?’
‘The sandwich,’ she confessed. ‘Though I guess that, as you made it, you’re perfect by association.’ She grimaced. ‘Sorry, my social skills are usually a bit better than this. Blame it on the champagne.’
‘No problem.’ He smiled at her. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d met someone so cute; her warmth and sweetness made him like her instinctively.
And that made Joni exactly the wrong kind of woman for him. The more he talked to her, the more he could tell that she wasn’t the sort who kept relationships short and sweet and didn’t let them get in the way of her life, the way he did. He didn’t want something permanent—and it wouldn’t be fair to lead her on and let her think that he could offer her something he knew he just wasn’t capable of giving.
He managed to make small talk until she’d finished her coffee. ‘I’ll drive you home.’
She looked nervous. ‘That’s very nice of you to offer, but you were drinking at the club.’
‘I had half a pint of beer, plus one glass of champagne with you, and we’ve just eaten. I’m safely under the alcohol limit for driving, but I can call you a taxi if you’d rather.’
‘Thank you, but I think I’ve impinged enough on you. I’ll call one myself.’
He knew he should just let her go—it would be the sensible option. But something made him want to keep her close, just for a last few moments.
‘Dance with me again first?’ he asked.
She looked at him. For a moment he thought she was going to say no; then she nodded. ‘OK.’
He put on an album by a jazz singer with a soft, smoky voice and held out his arms. She walked into them and rested her head against his shoulder. He rested his cheek against her hair; it was as soft and silky against his skin as he’d expected it to be.
This was a bad, bad idea.
But he couldn’t help himself. There was just something about her. Something different. Something that drew him. Something he couldn’t put his finger on.
As they swayed together, he gave in and closed his eyes, letting himself focus on holding her and dancing with her.
He wasn’t sure which of them moved first, but then he was kissing her—really kissing her—and she was kissing him all the way back.
He dragged his mouth from hers. ‘Joni,’ he whispered.
She stroked his face, and he ended up pressing a kiss into her palm. ‘I honestly didn’t ask you back here for anything more than coffee.’
‘I know,’ she said softly.
He was finding it hard to breathe. ‘But now … Will you stay?’ he asked, his voice hoarse.
WOULD SHE STAY or would she go?
Aaron didn’t have a clue.
Joni was silent for a long, long time. And then she said, ‘I, um, don’t usually do this sort of thing.’
‘I’d already guessed that,’ he said softly. ‘Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you.’
‘It’s not that,’ she said. ‘I’m flattered. But I’m not looking for a relationship right now.’
‘Neither am I,’ he said. ‘Which makes it even more unforgivable of me to have asked you to stay. It’s totally dishonourable.’
He was about to turn away and grab the phone to call her a taxi when she slid her hand over his and squeezed it. ‘The answer’s yes.’
He knew he ought to give her a chance to change her mind. But right now he wanted this so badly. Needed this so badly. And he had the strongest feeling it was the same for her.
In answer, he kissed her.
Then he lifted her up and carried her to his bedroom. He stood by the bed and let her slide down his body so she was left in no doubt about how much he wanted her.
She looked him in the eye and licked her lower lip.
He took the invitation and kissed her, then lifted her hair so it fell over her shoulder towards the front of her body, turned her round and undid the zip very, very slowly. He caressed her skin as he uncovered it; it was so soft, he couldn’t resist touching his mouth to it and kissing his way down her spine. She made a tiny noise of pleasure, so he unsnapped her bra and continued kissing his way downwards. When he eased the dress over her shoulders so it could slide to the floor, she stepped out of it. Then, once he’d dealt with her bra, he turned her to face him.
‘You’re so beautiful,’ he said softly. She was still wearing her knickers and, with her hair falling to cover her breasts, she looked almost as modest as she would’ve done wearing a bikini at a beach. Yet, at the same time, she was sexy as hell. The ultimate temptress.
‘I need to see you, Joni,’ he said hoarsely. ‘Lift your hair.’
Just as he’d hoped, she pushed her hair back with both hands and lifted them to the back of her head.
‘Like a goddess,’ he whispered.
She blushed. ‘Hardly. I’m just an ordinary woman.’
Did she really have no idea? ‘You’re gorgeous,’ he said. ‘Everything about you. Your hair, your smile, your eyes—just gorgeous.’
This time, she actually smiled. ‘And I’m feeling just a little bit vulnerable here, because you’re wearing an awful lot more than I am.’
It took him less than ten seconds to get naked. ‘Better?’
‘Much better.’ And this time it was his turn to blush as she surveyed him.
She leaned forward and traced a line from his ribcage to his belly button. ‘Very nice abs.’
‘Thank you. But I’m just ord—’ He caught himself as she laughed.
‘You’re not very good at