Distraction

Chapter Thirty-Six

'I don't hate you.'

His hand rested on her knee. 'I've missed you.'

He was prepared to risk his parents' disapproval for her, to put his reasons to one side for her. He was her Somebody. He had to be. She put her half-drunk coffee down, her heart thumping as she leaned up to kiss him. Her lips had barely touched his when Isla growled.

Patrick laughed softly before reprimanding Isla, sending her to her basket. 'Think she's jealous?'

Libby smiled at the puppy. 'I was here first, sweetheart.'

Okay, if this was happening, it wasn't happening on the kitchen floor. Libby stood up, not missing Patrick's frown at the laddered holdups.

'You don't like the St Trinian's look?'

He shook his head.

'You prefer angelic don't you?'

When he nodded, she put a foot on the dining chair next to him and peeled off one of the hold ups. He raised his eyebrows and as she switched legs, his smile grew. Slowly, she slid the second stocking down and he stood, running his hand up her leg.

'Do you think it's too early to tell you I'm in love your perfect legs?' he asked.

Libby laughed, unable to stop gazing at his fabulous lips - utterly kissable and just a few inches from hers. She tipped her head up. No growling puppy would stop her this time. The kiss in the garden, the night Baxter died, had been full of nerves on both sides but showed how quickly things would hot up. There were no nerves this time.

She wound her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer, one hand toying with her hair, just like he had over dinner. An involuntary shiver ran through her body as his hand brushed her bare shoulders.

'We still should've done this on Halloween,' she said.

Patrick tried to smile mid-kiss. 'Are you ever going to let me forget that?'

She shook her head and he paused, pushing her fringe out of her eyes. With their bodies so close, she could feel his heart beating, or was it hers? His breathing was as erratic as her own and this time, when he kissed her, his tongue gently toyed with hers. Play hard to get? Not a chance.

Without taking his lips from hers, he guided her out of the kitchen and they staggered through to the living room. The light from the fire in the wood burner and the fairy lights on the Christmas tree created the perfect setting - as if he'd planned it. Maybe he had. Seeing little point in acting coy, Libby began unbuttoning his shirt, adoring the pleased groan he gave. She eased his shirt off his shoulders and used the pause in kissing to check him out. How many times had she imagined him like this, shirtless and horny as hell? The reality was a lot sexier than her dreams. The mountain biking clearly did one hell of a job keeping him fit. She ran a finger over his perfectly toned abs, gazing up at him with a cheeky smile.

'Enjoying yourself?' he asked, grinning.

'Definitely.'

Her nails raking over his chest and flicking a nipple soon wiped the smile of his face. He flinched and laughed, but flipped her around so she faced the wall and he stood behind her.

'Two can play at that game,' he whispered, his breath tickling her ear.

Libby stood helpless, loving the cool wall against her burning cheek. He pushed her hair to one side and scattered tiny kisses up her spine and neck. Shivers flew down her body as one of his hands snuck around her waist, the other to the zip at her side.

'This dress might look sexy as, but it feels like a cheese grater.'

'Better take it off them.'

His fingers tugged at the zip. It didn't budge.