Heat Wave by Karina Halle- Sneak Peak

It was impossible not to.

“Momentary lapse of judgement,” I tell him. “I blame Dan’s punch.”

“I’m your boss. It was reckless of me. I took advantage of you.”

“Whoa, hey now,” I tell him. “You didn’t take advantage of me. I wasn’t that drunk. I knew exactly what I was doing.”

“And yet you still did it,” he says, his tone softer, his eyes searching mine, shining in the streetlights.

“As I said…it was a momentary lapse of judgement.” I avert my eyes, feeling that pull to him, like the waves to the moon. I can’t put myself in that situation again.

I can see him cock his head out of the corner of my eye, studying me. “Do you regret it?”

I swallow. “Do you?”

“I just said it was a mistake.”

I nod. “Yeah. Yeah and you’re right. It was.”

“People make mistakes all the time,” he goes on, his words taking on a silken quality. I can’t help but close my eyes as he comes forward. His fingers trail along my jaw, disappearing behind my ear and into my hair.

Oh, god, not again. This is a test. Stay strong.

I keep my eyes closed.

“Some people never learn from them,” he adds softly.

I suck in my breath as my nerves dance from head to toe. “Why are you doing this?” I whisper.

He exhales slowly, his hand leaving my hair and drifting down my shoulder, my arm, leaving a wake of heightened skin. I surpress the urge to shiver.

“Touching you?” he asks.

“Yes.” My voice shakes.

“Because I want to.”

“And you think you just can?”

“Because I know you want me to.”

“You just said it was a mistake.”

“Maybe I’m testing you.” His hand comes off of me. “To see if you’d make the same mistake again.”