Hometown Girl Read Online Free Page A

he wasn’t joking. Nope.
    The closer they came to the water, the windier it got. He led her past the Fairway—the world’s best supermarket—and onto the next pier, which held a huge, old brick warehouse.
    “You live here?”
    “Yeah, I live above my studio. When I first moved here, I took it because it was cheep. I stayed because I love Red Hook, being right on the water—literally—and being able to wake up at three in the morning with an idea and hit the studio when it’s still fresh in my mind.” He stopped and watched her reaction. She wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but she had a feeling that for some reason, it was important.
    She stepped back and took in the old brick and the arched metal doors and windows that lined the building—some the size of garage doors. She ran her hand along the aged brick. “This building is beautiful. I’m so glad they haven’t demolished it to build condos.”
    Whenever the wind kicked up, the water sprayed the edge of the pier. Simon shielded her from the wind and spray it carried. They’d walked to the last unit and stopped. He stood beneath the light and cocked his head, contemplating something. He stared into her eyes as if he was searching her soul. “Are you sure you want to come in? If not it’s okay, I can grab my car and take you home.”
    She mirrored the tilt of his head. “Do you want me to come in?”
    He let out a breath as if he’d been holding it. As if he was nervous. He pulled her close and tipped her chin up. “God, yes.”
    “Then what are we waiting for?”
    “This.” He slid his hand into her hair, his fingers tunneling through to her scalp, setting off reactions in parts of her body she wasn’t aware were even remotely connected. Simon brushed his lips against hers so softly it shocked her.
    Elyse was no virgin when it came to kissing. She’d had her share of dates—first dates, anyway. There were the guys who ground their mouths against hers and proceeded to try to inspect her tonsils. There were the nibblers, the biters, the teeth-clashers. But Simon simply electrified her with the gentlest kiss she’d ever known. His lips were smooth, soft, hot, and hard all at the same time and packed a punch with no more than a touch.
    She sucked in a shocked breath when he drew her closer, wrapping his arm around her waist and then slid his thigh between hers. When she raised her hands to his shoulders, all she encountered was sinewy muscle and heat. The next kiss wasn’t a brush, but was just as gentle. He took full advantage of her parted lips, teasing her with his tongue, as if asking for an invitation to play.
    She heard a groan of exasperation that might very well have been her own. She teetered on her toes, pressed against him, and abandoned any remaining thoughts in her head. He tasted like heaven and felt even better.
    * * *
    Simon stepped away from Fitz to keep from slamming her against the brick wall and taking her right outside his door. He locked his knees to steady himself and waited for her to open her eyes. When she did, they were dark and heavy-lidded. He was glad to see she was as affected as he was by the mind-blowing kiss.
    “You’re sure you don’t want me to take you home?”
    “It’s simple, Simon. I want you. If you’d rather take me home, then that’s fine. But if not, open the door and let’s get out of the wind.”
    Simon looked into her big brown eyes and saw sincerity. He might not remember how he knew her, but the smile she shot him every time he caught her eye was almost as familiar as his own. He knew the tilt of her head when she was unsure of herself, like now. He even knew her nervous laugh and the way she carried herself—straight, shoulders back, with a natural grace and the slight turnout of her feet that told him she’d studied ballet.
    He unlocked the door, pushed it open, and flipped on the lights before stepping aside to let her precede him in. “This is my showroom. The studio is through