Fifteen minutes later, Megan felt like a wet noodle as she slid into Gabriella’s car. They’d already called in the massive dinner order, and really, all Megan needed to do was hold the box in her lap until they got to Summer’s. There were worse ways to spend her time.
Once they arrived, Megan was surprised to see that the guys were there already. Zach came out to greet Gabriella, and Alex came out to take the food. When Megan didn’t immediately move to get out of the car, Alex looked at her curiously.
“You okay?” he asked. “Shopping wear you out?”
She laughed softly. “You have no idea. Those two are lethal.”
Zach and Gabriella had already walked into the house when Ethan came out. “Everything okay?”
Alex handed him the box of food with a laugh of his own. “It seems like shopping took a little more out of her than she expected.”
For a minute Megan considered arguing that he didn’t need to talk about her like she wasn’t there, but she was too tired to.
“I can believe it,” Ethan said. “Next time, pace yourself. Summer and Gabriella are like Olympic medalists where shopping and girls’ days are concerned.” With a smile and a quick wave, he was gone.
Alex crouched next to the open car door. “You gonna make it?” he teased.
With her eyes closed, Megan couldn’t help but smile. “Go. Eat Chinese food. Save yourself. Just leave me here to sleep for a day or two.”
“No can do,” he said softly. “If you don’t join everyone inside for dinner, I’ll have to carry you in.”
Turning her head to the side, she opened her eyes and looked at him.
And almost forgot how to breathe.
Damn, why did he have to be so attractive? Here he was after moving furniture and painting all day, and he looked too good for words. She struggled to keep from leaning forward and tasting him. Her mind had to be playing tricks on her because Megan was fairly certain her memory of how Alex tasted and kissed was being overexaggerated.
He leaned in closer—or maybe she was the one who moved. Either way, they were a heck of a lot closer than they had been a minute ago.
Maybe it was the fact that she was feeling extremely mellow or maybe it was the fact that he was too damn tempting to resist. All Megan wanted was to know whether her mind had been playing tricks on her.
Alex whispered her name as he gently pressed his lips to hers.
Oh…
One of Alex’s hands came up and cupped her cheek, and his touch was both arousing and familiar. Megan mimicked his move and marveled in the scratchiness of his jaw, the warmth of his skin. She sighed and moved a little closer, and the kiss went from chaste to inquisitive to a full onslaught in the blink of an eye. She wanted to pull him into the car or have him pull her out onto the driveway so she could feel more of him, but for now, this would have to do—the taste of him and being consumed by him.
No, her mind hadn’t been playing games with her.
There had been no exaggeration.
Alex Rebat was sexy and sensual and completely lethal.
She pulled back because she couldn’t breathe, but Alex’s hand stayed where it was, gently caressing her skin. Megan leaned into it as she tried to catch her breath.
“It’s still there,” he whispered.
Her eyes drifted closed even as she nodded in agreement because she knew exactly what he was talking about.
“I know now isn’t the time, but—”
“Did she fall asleep out there?” Gabriella called out from the doorway with a small laugh. “Come on, Megan! The food’s getting cold!”
Alex stood and held out a hand to Megan. She accepted it and had to bite her tongue to keep from groaning at how good it felt to touch him. He gently tugged her to her feet, and for a brief moment, she was pressed up against him. Slowly she looked up at him and saw the same emotion on his face she knew was on hers.
Desire.
Plain and simple.
It would be so easy right now to reach up, wrap her arms around him, and pull him in for another kiss. As if reading her mind, Alex released her hand and said, “C’mon. Let’s go have some dinner.”
Mutely, she nodded, and they walked side by side into the house.