A shudder ran from her toes to her scalp. He must have felt it passing under his fingers where he gripped her hips, because he smiled. This wasn’t Mike’s joking smile, or his friendly smile, or even his whiskey smile. This was a smile she wasn’t familiar with. This smile was pure sexual attraction. Confident. Predatory. From anyone else, that would be a turnoff, but coming from Mike? Yes, please.

“Zoey...” He kept doing that—repeating her name, as if it was all he could think to say. She was having the same problem, so she waited for him to continue. Or just say her name again, with that sexy growl in his voice. He closed his eyes, and that seemed to help him come up with more words. “Is that what you want? For me to kiss you?”

All she could manage was a nod. But that was all Mike needed. Just the briefest of touches was enough to make her forget everything but the sensation of his mouth brushing against hers. Back and forth. Back and forth. Each pass brought him closer, until his mouth held hers. They both froze. This was it. The line had been crossed.

His hand slid up her back, pulling her against his solid body. Her own hands had been just hanging there at her sides until now. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and suddenly the kiss shifted from tentative to urgent. She wasn’t sure which of them instigated it, but their mouths crashed hard against each other now. Their heads turned to allow more access, and his tongue pressed its way into her mouth.

He turned and held her against the wall, his hand now working around to her front. Under her T-shirt. Hot against her skin. Brushing the bottom of her breasts. That was the touch that made her flinch. The passion rising in her was too much. The sensation. The emotion. The desire to have their bodies entwined together without any cumbersome clothing in the way.

But damn it, this was Mike McKinnon.

Mike felt her turmoil, and let out only the smallest groan as he pulled away from the kiss. She was mortified when she felt herself rising up on her toes to maintain contact, but he stopped her with his hands, now back on her hips, holding her steady. He was staring at her, his eyes dark and conflicted. She knew just how he felt.

“Definitely worth it.”

She barely heard his words as they brushed past against her cheek. It took her a moment to make sense of them, and a chill ran across her skin when she did. He was telling himself the kiss was worth the risk to their friendship. That gave her a brief burst of pride, which evaporated as soon as she thought about what they’d just done. She shook her head slowly, feeling a wave of sadness.

“We’ll never be the same again.”