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‘Monumentally.’

‘Probably one of the dumbest things I could do.’

‘Yup.’ When she looked back up at him there was a glint in her eyes, and he knew he was in a huge amount of trouble. ‘But I can’t help wondering if it might be less stupid if I were the one who kissed you.’

He didn’t have time to catch his breath or process her words before her lips were against his, hot and insistent and completely delicious. When she pulled back for a second to look at him, he did the only thing that made sense and wove his fingers through her curls, pulling her back close again.

She pressed against him, so warm and welcoming that the crisp, cool air disappeared, and the world around him dulled into nothing while he lost himself in her kiss. She didn’t hold back, instead weaving her fingers through his hair and tightening her grip on him while moulding her body against his.

In the glow of the streetlights, their breath puffing around them in an icy cloud, time slowed down and the world closed in to focus just on her — and in that moment every stupid, cheesy, overblown, hyped-up romance made sense to Rick. Angela invaded all of his senses, leaving him unable to think of anything else — not that he’d want to. It was unlike anything he’d experienced before — utter, perfect bliss. And he couldn’t get enough of her.

‘Oi, oi! Get a room!’ The wolf whistles and jeers forced them apart, and Rick felt his blood boil for another reason.

* * *

Feeling a bit unsteady, Angela buried her face against Rick’s shoulder, trying really hard not to laugh. What in the he . . . screw it . . . what in the hell was she thinking, kissing Rick of all people?

Rick, the arrogant idiot who’d been stupid enough to get into a driver’s seat drunk, destroy the café and seriously injure her — and she was making out with him in the street? She must have taken leave of her senses. It must be the stress of everything catching up with her — the usual challenges of running a charity, of trying to stretch impossibly tight finances further and further every week. It couldn’t be more than that.

Except . . . her lips still tingled and her body still thrummed from his touch, and she was pretty sure his arms around her waist were the only thing keeping her upright. She didn’t think she’d ever been kissed in a way that was so raw, or so real, which made it even harder for her not to laugh — the idea that the realest kiss in her life had come from someone who introduced himself by a screen name was too utterly ridiculous for words. But she couldn’t deny the fizzing excitement spreading through her from that kiss.

She didn’t resist when Rick, his arm still on her waist — no doubt keeping her from falling on her face — guided her gently into movement again. He didn’t say anything, and neither did she — mostly because she didn’t know what to say. But that didn’t stop a hollowness from settling in her stomach. She couldn’t help feeling that she was on the verge of missing out on something important. But rather than ponder on that, she tugged Rick’s arm.

‘Penny for your thoughts?’

‘Bloody teenagers,’ he grumbled. ‘Just thinking how much I’d like to dump them in the duck pond for ruining that moment.’

‘Maybe they had a point.’ Angela paused, not sure she trusted herself to focus on the conversation as well as the pavement, which had already tried to trip her once.

‘How do you mean?’

‘Well, we were stood there in the middle of the street, necking.’

‘Did you actually just say the word “necking” without even a trace of irony?’

‘Yes, I did.’ She looked up, challenging him to be stupid enough to comment further, hoping he would ignore the blush she could feel heating her cheeks. ‘Problem?’

‘Yeah.’ He stroked her face with cool fingers. ‘You’re so bloo . . . ming adorable that I want to kiss you again.’

The thrill that raced through her was electric — it short-circuited her mind, wiping out all sensible thoughts. ‘Are you still waiting for your gold-plated invitation?’

His arm tightened around her waist, pulling her deliciously firmly against him, while his other hand slid up her spine and wove fingers through the curls at the base of her neck, tilting her mouth to the perfect angle. His lips brushed hers so gently that she could have imagined it, but his breath was hot against her skin. ‘Tell me to stop, Angela.’

She didn’t know if the harsh whisper was a plea, a dare, a tease — but she knew how she wanted to respond. She nuzzled against him, letting her nose run along his as her lips teased the edge of his, brushed against his cheek and whispered, ‘But what if I don’t want you to stop?’

She was so close that she felt his smile before she saw it. He drew back to look at her, checking before he lowered his lips to hers, fizzing, thrumming tingles exploding throughout her. When his tongue hit hers, she moaned, unable to hold the sound back any more than she could stop the shiver that raced through her when he gently nipped at her lips. He drew her more tightly against him, and the sensation when his fingers traced down her neck made her shiver again.

He drew back slowly — hopefully reluctantly — and smiled at her. Properly, the way she liked. ‘You’re cold.’ He rubbed his hands up and down her arms.

‘Am I?’ She hadn’t noticed.

‘You’re shivering.’ He peeled off his coat.

‘Put that back on.’ She giggled.

‘Why?’

‘Because otherwise you’ll be cold. I’m a big girl, and I’m wearing a great big jumper dress and this big wrap.’ She tugged her woolly cape back around her. ‘It’s practically a blanket by itself. Really, Rick, I’m fine.’