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His gaze dipped to my mouth. Then lifted.

“You’re nervous,” he claimed softly.

“No, I’m not,” I adamantly denied.

He smiled. “Your hands are shaking.”

I looked down. Traitors. Both of them. “It's the caffeine.”

“Caffeine?”

I needed to say something. Something sophisticated. Something flirtatious. Something that would remind him I was a confident, capable woman who knew exactly what she was doing.

Instead, I blurted out, “I don't smell like horse shit anymore.”

Silence. Then Damon's grin spread slowly across his face. “Good to know.”

I closed my eyes. “Forget I said that.”

“Not a chance.”

“I was trying to make conversation.”

“Mission accomplished.”

He leaned down. I froze. His nose brushed the side of my neck. I exhaled, his breath fanning my sensitive skin. Then he took a slow, exaggerated sniff. My knees nearly gave out.

He straightened.

“No,” he confirmed solemnly. “You do not.”

I laughed. A nervous, breathless sound. “Told you.”

“Although, for the record, you smelled pretty damn good earlier.”

“I smelled like a barn.”

“A sexy barn.”

I shoved his chest. He caught my hand. And suddenly, neither of us was laughing.

His fingers wrapped gently around mine. His other hand settled at my waist. My breath caught. He stepped closer.

Our bodies were almost touching. Almost. That tiny sliver of space between us felt like the most important distance in the universe.

His gaze dropped to my lips. Mine dropped to his. I could hear my heartbeat. Feel the warmth radiating from his chest.

The air seemed thicker.

He lifted his hand and brushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His fingertips lingered against my cheek. “Mickey,” he whispered.

Just my name. One word. And somehow it sounded like a question. A promise. A warning.

I didn't know how long we stood there. Seconds. Minutes. An entire geological era.

All I knew was that I wanted him to kiss me. Badly. Desperately. In a way that made every logical part of my brain throw up its hands and resign.

His forehead nearly touched mine. His breath mingled with mine. I closed my eyes. His lips brushed mine. Barely. A whisper of contact. A promise of more.