Chapter Nine
Underneath the Tree
“All right, Savage family, what’s on the agenda?” Nora entered the kitchen looking like a sun-kissed goddess. She might have been born here in Climax, but she looked pure California girl. Her soft golden tan and long dark blond hair with streaks of sunshine glimmering through were an eye-catching combination.
It sure had his attention. She even smelled like sunshine, which, how did that happen? There was just a bright freshness with a hint of flowers. And that alone told him there was still something about her that called to him. Was it purely sexual? Lord knew his sex life in the last four years had a landscape like a desert: mostly barren and empty with a few random cactuses.
There’s nothing wrong with good sex with someone you like and trust either.
Did he want to go there with Nora? Hell yes, he did. But could he? And did she? Well, he had about twenty-four hours to figure it out.
“Slight change of plans. I forgot my sister was taking the kids for the day.”
“Oh, that’s fine.”
“And the night.”
“Oh. Oh! You know, I can clear out of here. Is the Honeybee Hotel still around? I’ll just go there for the night and—”
“Why?”
“Because you’ve got a rare night to yourself. I’m sure you want to…to…” Her cheeks flushed and her eyes avoided his. “…do single guy things.”
“Well, I’ll be honest, I do like single guy things, but I was really hoping to talk you into doing them with me.”
Nora’s gaze whipped to his and her mouth fell open. “Do you mean like golf?”
He shook his head slowly and enjoyed watching her eyes go wide.
“Um… Are you talking about sex?”
“I was actually thinking a nice dinner and an R-rated movie, but if you’re putting sex on the table, I could be up for that.” Could be? He damn well already was. Even before the word “sex” had rolled off her luscious lips. There was no denying the physical attraction he’d had for her before was still there and stronger than ever.
“Is this because I mentioned the missing orgasm last time? Because I didn’t mean that as a put down. We were both young and clueless. It was very nice.”
“This is because I find you smart, funny, thoughtful, and amazingly sexy.”
“Oh.”
He shrugged. “But maybe a little bit because I want to replace the words ‘clueless’ and ‘nice’ when you think of us. I guarantee you my technique has improved. I think we can aim for carnal and passionate. Hot and erotic. Maybe even phenomenal.”
“Wow. I don’t doubt you can. I mean, look at you.” Her gaze did exactly that, roamed up and down his body, pausing a few times just enough to have him ready to carry her off to bed that very second.
Hawk sensed there was a “but” coming so he attempted to head it off. “Nora, what I’m trying to say is, I’d like to spend the day and evening with you, no matter how we spend it.”
“I’d like that too.” Nora smiled across the kitchen at him. “I’d love to drive over to Greensboro and stop in at the science museum and then the mall. After that see if there’s a game we could catch at the university, and then eat some great barbeque.”
“Let me just check the weather. I don’t want to chance us getting caught in the ice they’re forecasting.” While the mall wouldn’t have made his list of things to do, the fact that she was one of those highly-prized women who enjoyed sports more than made up for it.
Nora frowned. “Dang it, I forgot about the weather. I was hoping to hit the museum and the mall to get Christmas gifts for HL and Heather.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“I know. But the museum has this cool-looking beginner robotics kit. And when I was doing the kids’ laundry, I noticed Heather could use some new underwear. I happen to have a line of athletic clothes that’s popular with girls her age. You know, sports bras and panties that don’t ride up your butt when you move. I thought she might like them.”
She hit him in his soft spot with that. Because watching her interact with his children, he knew she genuinely liked them. It wasn’t for show, or to buy their love to get to him.
“You’re pretty quiet. Are those terrible ideas? I haven’t known your kids long, so maybe I should just play it safe and go with gift cards.”
“Those are astoundingly insightful ideas.” Seriously, because she’d been here less than a week and already clued into his kids. And a wildly talented, sexy-as-hell woman who “got” his kids was a huge turn-on for him apparently. “I’m quiet because I’m trying to decide if I’ll scare you off if I kiss you like I want to right now.”
“I don’t scare that easy.” She walked around the island until she stood two feet away. Her gaze dropped to his lips before raising to meet his.
“Good to know.” Stepping into the space separating them, his heart kicked up its pace. He slid his hand along her jaw, her skin soft under his fingertips. Standing this close, he could see the yellow and blue flecks of color in her green eyes, like an aqua sea. “You still take my breath away, just like you did in high school.”
“I know the feeling.”
Slowly, he lowered his lips to hers, and took his time, wanting to get this kiss right. He pressed his lips against her, tentatively. Not because he wasn’t sure, but because he was. So sure that he needed to savor this moment. Savor the woman in his arms. The sweet taste of her went to his head. She opened her lips to him and he jumped on the invitation to take the kiss deeper. He wrapped his arm around her back, pulling her body closer, and she moaned softly against his lips, and melted into his chest.
It was only a kiss, yet everything about it felt so very right. He ended the kiss as slowly as it had started. Pulling his mouth away, leisurely, planting a kiss at the corner of her mouth, on her cheek, along her jaw, and just below her ear before stepping back to normalize his breathing again. Damn that had escalated quickly. From a spark to a bonfire in a heartbeat. Part of him wanted to carry her into his room, lay her tall, gorgeous body across his king bed, and let their passion burn out of control.
The need was intense and all the more reason to take this slow. Because it felt like a beginning. It felt like hope and possibility.
Nora looked at him with heavy-lidded eyes and a beautifully goofy smile on her lips. “You’ve redeemed yourself. That was definitely hot.”
A quick check of the weather told them if the forecasters were correct, the icy precipitation wouldn’t start until around noon the next day. So after a quick call to let Georgie know he’d pick up the kids at the bakery tomorrow morning before it opened, they were backing his pick-up down the driveway.
On the hour drive to Greensboro, they talked about his time in the army and her life as a professional athlete. They agreed that, as crazy as it seemed, there were a lot of similarities between the two. Lots of training, high-level exercise to keep the body in top condition, and a regimented life, much of it in a high-stress environment.
“Except in my world the stress isn’t life-and-death. So, very different.”
“True, but when we got done a mission or clock out on a police shift, we get to live normal lives. As a professional athlete at your level, you don’t really get that. You’ve got the stress of being in the public spotlight even when it’s your private life. Did you know you made the papers this week?” He knew his desire for an explanation had multiplied tenfold since the kiss. Not that she owed him anything; it was just he suddenly felt like her situation mattered quite a bit.
She turned her head to look out her passenger window. “Let me guess…‘Volleyball World’s ‘It’ Couple Calls it Quits’ or did they go with ‘Love Triangle Splits the Dynamic Duo’?”
“A bit of both.” He kept his gaze on the road. He didn’t want the dirty details, but he needed to know if she was single. For him and his kids. If not, he’d need to stop this whole thing on a dime. HL already liked her, and there was no point in letting this go any further only to see HL’s heart broken.
“Is that the reason behind your mental health break and decompressing?”
“Part of it.” Nora sighed.
“Are you single?”
She turned toward him. “Very.”
His gaze met hers for a long second before he turned back to the road. “That’s all I need to know.”
They made it to both the Science Museum and the mall. Presents for the kids were acquired. Nora had looked up the local collegiate teams and found a basketball game between the UNCG Spartans and the NCSU Wolfpack. Sadly, since it was a playoff game, it was sold out. Lucky for them, the athletic director recognized Nora and was happy to let them watch from one of the press boxes.
They ate popcorn and cheered the players on, and every so often Nora was asked for an autograph or to pose for a photo with a fan. She was gracious and real with her fans, warm and patient no matter how many interruptions. He had fun watching her get into the game, even yelling a few times down to the court.
She apologized, but he grinned at her and said, “Are you kidding? You’re pretty much every man’s dream woman.”
For dinner, Hawk suggested they wait until they got back to Climax and eat at the diner. It was possible there was a bit of nostalgia involved.
“The diner? I can’t believe that place is still open. You took me there on our second date.” She smiled at him, her face softly lit in the last light of day. “The company was excellent, but I don’t recall the food being all that good.”
“Well, it wasn’t back then. Thankfully they got a new chef a little ways back, and she is excellent. You’ll love every bite.” He glanced at her, her smile making him feel things he hadn’t in a very long time. And he knew he wanted something more intimate than the diner would provide. “But, if you don’t mind, I’ll call in an order to go. I feel like I’ve shared you enough with your adoring fans. I’d like you to myself.”