“Okay, got it.” His eyes were lit with amusement. Clearly he was just thinking of this as…well, whatever it had been before she’d overthought it.

The air between them buzzed with currents. Unwanted, complicated, but definitely there.

Leo just stood still with a little half smile. And she couldn’t read him at all. Like, could it be possible her whole body was ready to burst into flames while he was completely unaffected?

There was nothing to do but finish this and back up. As quickly as she could. “Ah, hello, Renaldo, so lovely to see you again,” she said in her best French accent. Then she air-kissed both cheeks, making a polite little smack with her lips. This time he offered his cheek the right way, and it was over in seconds.

Whew. Cheek-kissing lesson over. Note to self: bad idea.

Except when Tessa released a breath and started to pull away, he grabbed hold of her arms and tugged her closer. And kissed her cheek. For real.

Her pulse jumped. Every muscle froze. The short, brief contact of his lips left a burning sensation on her cheek, and the firm, encompassing grasp of his hands felt imprinted on her cool skin.

“That’s cheating,” she said, struggling for lightness, but her voice came out raspy and hoarse.

She flicked her gaze up to his beautiful brown eyes, the same exact color of how she loved her coffee. He was staring at her—intensely. And she could not tear her gaze away. “Oh, Countess,” he said slowly, his mouth turning up in the slightest smile. “I never cheat.”

Countess? She couldn’t help the flush that rose to her cheeks. Because it was kind of cute. And very flirty.

Before she could say anything, he bent his head and lowered his lips.

She wouldn’t be able to remember later who initiated the contact, but somehow—for the first time ever—they actually met in the middle.

He kissed her tentatively, slowly—at first. He tasted like wine and smelled like soap, and the way their lips moved together was a long, slow dance that became more intense, more heated—like water on the stove coming to an inevitable boil.

His arms slid softly to her waist, and she leaned into his hard body. The contact was electric, making her head swim and her knees weaken and the quiet, now-starlit little patio spin out around them.

Leo’s lips were soft and warm and oh yes, very knowledgeable about kissing, and suddenly she was lost in the feel of him, his lean hardness, the gentle fierceness of his touch.