Broken Course by Aly Martinez Read Free Book Online Page B

like an old friend. Granted, we don’t know each other well. It’s not like I was expecting him to whisper sweet nothings or anything. It just felt like the heat in his voice was gone. However, now, as his hand drifts over the small of my back, I know I couldn’t have been more wrong.
    "Hey," I finally respond, taking a step away, but Leo doesn’t release me.
    "How long do you have for lunch?" he whispers into my ear, sending chills down my spine.
    "Um, an hour." I grab his biceps for balance and, for some strange reason, turn my head to give him access to my neck.
    A small moan escapes my throat as his breath teases my skin. Leo and I haven’t even kissed yet, but I’m completely okay if he wants start with my neck…in the middle of the street…in front of my office. Shit.
    I clear my throat and back away, fully expecting to find him smirking at me. Only Leo looks just as affected by our brief moment as I feel. His eyes are hooded and full of absolute trouble .
    He sucks in a deep breath. "Okay, so I’m going to take you to lunch—sans food poisoning this time. Then we are going to discuss that moan tonight over dinner," he says bluntly.
    As much as I would like to be shy and timid in this moment, I can’t resist the impulse to deflect his flirty advance. "Oh, we are most definitely not talking about that. Besides, if we are going to talk, we should start with how long you sat outside waiting on me," I respond with a sarcastic laugh.
    "You’re probably right. Talking would only prevent me from making you moan again. I like the way you think." He winks before grabbing my hand and walking down the street.
    I’m left with my jaw hanging open at his forwardness.
    He releases my hand and guides me into a very well-known chain restaurant; obviously, Leo isn’t any more willing than I am to take another chance on a random food.

    "COME ON. I can’t afford to be late," I say, dragging Leo from the restaurant.
    Lunch went much like everything does with Leo—easy, comfortable, and fun. We didn’t talk about anything profound. No deep, dark secrets were revealed. We just ate lunch and enjoyed each other’s company. It was by far the best date I’ve ever been on. All fifty minutes of it. I’d give anything to make it last longer, but knowing that we will be going out again tonight makes it sting a little less when I see the tall tower of the newspaper building only a block ahead of us.
    "How long do you have?" he asks.
    "Six minutes."
    "I only need two." He grins mischievously. I want to be alarmed by the flicker in his eyes, but as he pulls me down the side street, I lose any desire to care. "I need to talk to you for a second."
    "Five minutes." I count him down to distract myself from getting lost in his hypnotic ways.
    Leo abruptly stops me, pushing me off-balance. I slide my hands over the curved muscles of his shoulders to keep on my feet and…well, just to cop a feel. I close my eyes. As if looking at Leo weren’t hard enough, touching him gets me every time.
    Fuck. I just moaned again. And Leo verifies it with his smirk when I peek open my eyes.
    "Just so you know, I’m going to kiss you."
    I stumble back at his honesty. My shoulders meet the cool brick of the building. It’s lunchtime on a busy Chicago sidewalk, but I’m with Leo James. Fuck the rest of the details. The sounds of the city whirl around us as I close my eyes in anticipation of finally feeling his lips pressed to mine. Yet they never come. My eyes flash open to find him watching me.
    "Not right now," he corrects, and I sigh with a mixture of relief and disappointment, causing his smile to grow. "Sarah, tonight. I’m going to kiss you. Not on a sidewalk, but in my bed."
    "You’re pretty confident, huh?" I snark, needing some way to disguise my desires. I know there is no way to deny that he turns me on. I won’t even try to pretend otherwise.
    "Nope, just optimistic." He leans in close, pinning me against the building. His lips taunt me,