I’ve meeted and greeted. I even waited until all the children left with their bags of books in hand. Now, in this room full of adults sipping wine and cocktails and nibbling on passed hors d’oeuvres, I can’t take it any longer.

“I need to speak to you in private about an urgent matter,” I whisper in Barrett’s ear. His concerned look tells me that came out far less sexy than I had planned. I sound like an accountant finding a discrepancy in someone’s bookkeeping. I’m trying here. I really am.

I take his hand and he follows me through the crowd, I keep a sweet smile on my face as I walk past the director of Books 4 Kids and the group of authors and celebrity readers she’s talking with. Nothing to see here, folks. Just a woman trying to seduce her fake boyfriend at a children’s fundraising event.

Outside the event room, I walk us down the hallway and upstairs.

A benefit of organizing this event is that I know the building well, and I know of a place I can take Barrett to be alone.

We reach the top landing and I turn right down the hallway. Finally, I open the door to the room I was looking for and pull Barrett in behind me.

“Where are we—”

It’s the library’s prop room. Inside, we’re welcomed by an assortment of old furniture pushed along the walls, costume racks shoved into one corner, and a variety of boxes, stacked haphazardly throughout the room. Musical instruments, letter charts and boxes of toys that they use for the little toy library once a week.

Barrett glances around the room before his gaze lands on me.

“You wanted to talk?” His lips quirk with intrigue. “Here?”

I’m realizing maybe this isn’t the best location for seduction, but I can’t back out now. We’re already here.

“Um, yes.”

He moves closer, and with every step his shoes strike the linoleum floor, my heartbeat ratchets up a notch.

“And what was the urgent matter, Chloe?” he says softly, like he doesn’t know how turned on I am right now. Like he can’t see what he does to me.

I don’t get to answer, because his hands lift to my face. His fingers curve along my jaw and into my hair, the pads of them applying just enough pressure to my neck to angle my face upwards. The brush of his thumbs against my cheeks has my mouth opening to him before our lips even meet.

When his warm lips brush mine, I melt into his mouth.

Barrett’s kiss is sweet, yet hungry. Gentle, yet demanding.