By the time the taxi pulled to a stop in front of Lenna’s apartment building, she swore every nerve in her body had to be high on steroids. The Red Bull from their Jäger Bombs had definitely kicked in. But she didn’t feel like laughing anymore. No, her adrenal boost had moved onto to other parts of her anatomy.

As she paid her half of the fare and slid from the back seat, Braxton followed her out. “I’ll walk you to your door.”

She wasn’t about to say no.

As soon as they exited the car, the cabbie put the engine into gear and drove off. Braxton whirled back and frowned after the departing automobile.

“Where the hell is he going?”

Lenna covered her mouth with her hand to hide one of the giggles she thought she’d drained from her system at the club, but it blurted out between her fingers.

Braxton turned toward her. He pointed after the departing cab. “That was my ride.”

Lenna nodded. “I know.” She kept in a smile as she said it, but a moment later, she laughed outright.

Finally, Braxton shook his head and joined her with his own chuckle.

“Come on up,” she offered, holding her hand toward him. “You can call another cab from my room.”

He paused, looking uncertain. “I did leave my cell phone charging in my car.” Finally, he took her fingers. The warmth of his touch spread up her arm.

Lenna nearly whimpered with want.

Mr. Perfect was proving to be a lot more damn wonderful than she’d originally figured. He wasn’t so debonair and polished that he intimidated her with his wealth and status, but he had these slight little flaws bringing him down to earth and making him practical. He could tell the corniest jokes and was clumsier than one would think. He’d tripped at least twice on the dance floor tonight only to laugh at himself and say he’d meant to do that.

Then, when Lenna discovered a chip in the corner of one of his top teeth, confirming he wasn’t faultless, he’d touched the dental flaw with the tip of his tongue, making her stomach quiver in response. Chuckling, he explained its origin.

His sister had punched him in the face when he was thirteen because he’d murdered one of her dolls, hanging it by the neck from the stairwell of their house. His parents had decided not to repair the chip so he’d always remember not to underestimate the roundhouse of a ticked off sibling. And he’d never gotten around to fixing it since he’d moved out onto his own.

Smiling over that story, Lenna tried to block out how warm his body was behind hers as he followed her to her room. When she stumbled on a step, he caught her waist to steady her. If he wanted her, he could have her, right then and right there on the stairs of her apartment building.

There was a distant voice in the back of her brain, telling her to stop this insanity. She should send him back down to the entrance and tell him she’d call the cab for him. But she didn’t want to. She wanted one last moment alone with him. So, she paused at her door and tugged her room key from her front pocket without scooting him off.

The back of her neck tingled with awareness. Knowing he was right behind her, watching her, she fumbled with the lock. She couldn’t get past the fact he was about to enter her apartment.

“Did I tell you how incredible you look tonight?”

His voice spiked through her, making bumps lift along the back of her neck, and her nipples to perk to attention. The insides of her thighs tingled and her skin turned so sensitive, even the brush of her panties against her core made her shiver. She lifted her face.

His glazed eyes looked soulful as he curled his hand and pressed the fist against his chest. “I think I die a little every time I look at you.”

Lenna’s key slid from her hand and dropped to the floor at their feet.

Braxton looked down at it for a second and then lifted his eyes. “The first time,” he went on, “at the Christmas party, when I looked up and saw you in the doorway...” He paused and sucked in a breath as if he were reliving that very moment all over again. “I couldn’t breathe. I haven’t been able to breathe right ever since.”

Lips parting, Lenna shook her head to deny his words. “You shouldn’t be telling me this.”

Braxton let out a lopsided smile. “I know. God, how I know.” Lifting his hands, he cupped his head and stared at her, fighting some kind of inner battle. “Your dad would freak if he could hear me right now. He’d probably kill me.”

Hands dropping limply to his sides, he gave her a pleading look. “I didn’t want to say anything. I didn’t want you to know. But, I guess I’m kind of hoping we’re both so drunk, we won’t remember this tomorrow. So, I’m just going to keep making a fool of myself.”

He took a cautious step closer. “Lenna...” he whispered. “Since the first moment I laid eyes on you, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

Wrapping her arms around her waist, she swallowed and stared at the ground. “I keep thinking about you too,” she confessed, blowing her resist-and-evade program all to hell.

She heard him move toward her, cautiously creeping closer, until she could see his pant legs from the corner of her lowered eyes.

Lenna raised her gaze to find him inches away. Her heart beat madly against the base of her throat.

“It might only be because you’re forbidden,” he admitted. “Or maybe it’s because you’re so pretty. But I want to know you.” He lifted his hand and grasped a stray piece of her hair fluttering away from the rest of her blonde locks.

He rubbed it between his fingers. “I want to know everything about you.”

From that point on, she was a goner. “What...” She paused to lick her lips. “What do you want to know?”

“Everything,” he repeated. “I want to know your favorite color. Your favorite food. Musical group. I want to know what your first word was? When you started walking? What you wore on your first day of school. Who was your first boyfriend? When was your first kiss? And more than anything, I want to know how you taste.”

Lenna swayed closer.

He lifted his face, his eyes searching, pleading. She focused on his mouth and found herself licking her lips again. He dipped his head but stopped himself at the last moment. His eyes rose to hers, his gaze seeking approval. “Lenna?”

God, would he just kiss her already? She was dying here. She wanted his mouth on hers. Now.

But she didn’t want to be the one to initiate it. She wanted him to do it. She wanted to be able to blame him in the morning when she realized what a mistake this moment had been.

He wouldn’t, though. Not without her full consent, her total cooperation, and her equal amount of participation. And, oh Lord, she was going to give it. She closed her eyes, her body straining forward.

His fingers dropped the piece of hair he’d been toying with and moved gently to the side of her throat, where they slid softly and oh-so slowly into her hair. Lenna’s head fell back. She let out a soul-relieving sigh.

“Kiss me,” she commanded.

He shook his head and swallowed. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop.”

“Do it anyway.”

He hissed out a breath and caved.