Candlelight Conspiracy Read Online Free PDF Page A

skin. The act was simple, fleeting, and damn nice.
    What could they do next? TV was out, which eliminated a movie too. Damn, he hadn’t had to entertain anyone in a while. He’d already fed her, now they needed an activity and suggesting the one he had in mind would be indecent—more than likely.
    He walked back to the living room, trying to remember if he had any board games. She stood, grabbed the blanket off of the couch, and turned, bumping into him.
    “Oh.” She stepped back.
    He didn’t move a muscle. Her brown eyes widened. Flames flickered on the wall behind her and shadowed her innocent features. How could he feel so close to a woman he barely knew? God, he wanted to reach out and touch her—feel her soft skin under his fingertips, touch her pink lips with his.
    As he debated a proper, or improper, next step, she reached up, cupped his face in her hands, and kissed him. Surprise caught his breath. There wasn’t a hint of sweetness in her kiss—no, she’d led with fiery want. He slipped his hands around her hips to her lower back and pulled her closer. Returning her zeal, he opened his mouth to her and entwined their tongues. There was no way in hell he was going to say no to Sophie. Her hands worked their way up, sliding around his neck and up into his hair, creating a powerful mix of need, submission, and panic.
This is what I’ve been missing.
    Their bodies pressed together. He found the bottom of her t-shirt and slipped his hands under to the softness of her belly. He felt her gasp, causing his heart to pound. He ran his hands up her back, needing to touch every inch of her warm and silky skin, claim her. She pulled away slightly, and before he could ask why, she grabbed his shirt and pulled it up. He helped her, not wanting to be separated for long. She shed her shirt at the same time, revealing a white cotton bra and slender torso. Their skin collided, and Marc’s mind went blank. The contact with her soft skin burned him, and he needed more. Now.
    His lamps and the kitchen lights sprang to life.
Dammit.
Sophie pulled away, and they stood there, arms wrapped around each other, inches apart. Neither spoke.
    The question on her face was hard to ignore. And he didn’t have an answer. He wasn’t sure what they were doing or where their kissing would lead, either.
    Sophie stood on her tiptoes and kissed him once on the lips before fully breaking their embrace. His chest chilled—he didn’t like the new sensation. He wanted the old one back. His arms fell to his sides as he watched her step away.
    “Um … thank you for the outstanding dinner,” she said.
    Her brows rose, and pink started to tinge her cheeks.
Sonuvagun, she’s adorable.
He wanted to reach out, wrap his hands around her hips, and pull her back to him.
    “No problem. Anytime,” he said, when he really wanted to say, “Stay.”

CHAPTER THREE
    Sophie couldn’t sleep. After a jaw-dropping, tingle-inducing, soul-calling kiss, how could she? And knowing that the man who could kiss her like that was right across the hall made her pillow and bed very uncomfortable.
    There was only one thing she could do tonight, and it wasn’t sleep. She sat up, turned on her lamp, grabbed the pen and notepad she kept by her bed, and curled her knees to her chest. Writing always helped her process situations and emotions.
Don’t fail me tonight.
    She started to hum various melodies to match the way she’d felt at Marc’s—she needed to find the right mood for the song. A silky, tender tone stuck; she closed her eyes, swaying her head side to side. His apartment was identical to hers and yet, with her eyes shut, she didn’t see the walls—she saw the candlelight, the sincerity in his eyes, and allowed herself to explore what the flutters in her belly meant.
    Her heartbeat sped up with the excited energy that bounced around from limb to limb. She opened her eyes and began to write words associated with what she was feeling. Candlelight, flickering