Chapter 10
Curled up with a cup of coffee, Kelly sipped the hot brew, glad to have the apartment to herself. It gave her time to get her thoughts in order. A week ago, she’d been involved with a married man and sworn off men all together. Last night, she’d forgotten all her loathing, and lusted after the hottest man she’d ever met.
Craig’s behavior made sense now. Of course, she hadn’t been at all happy when he accused her of playing a game. She would never two-time a guy, especially after being on the receiving end of Robert’s betrayal.
Once Craig aired his suspicion, they were able to relax, sharing pizza and wine, comfortable with each other, without the previous tension. The distrustful tension, that is. The sexual tension had surrounded them in abundance.
Which brought her back to her misgivings. The guy was sex on a stick. She wanted to lick, taste, bite, gorge herself. But Robert had done a number on her and she just didn’t trust herself. True, Craig was only here for a short time. She’d be going home in a week or so, unless Dennis convinced her to stay. And that looked more appealing than returning to Virginia. So, did she jump back on the horse? Or keep her distance?
Why, she had to ask herself.
Why couldn’t she just have fun? Maybe she could have a fling with Craig. A week of fun and no strings. Things would end soon enough. But he tugged at something deep inside of her, and she wasn’t the one-night-stand or fling type.
Her cell phone vibrated, a number she didn’t recognize. Normally, she hesitated, or let the call go to voicemail. Her instincts were telling her to answer.
“Hello.”
“It’s Craig.”
Kelly’s heart did a somersault. His husky voice had her sitting up straight with her feet planted on the floor. Her hand was shaking, so she set her cup on the table to keep from spilling.
“Hi, Craig.” She hoped she didn’t sound like an eager teenager.
“I wanted to thank you for last night.”
His raspy voice created a hum in her tummy, not to mention what the reminder of last evening’s kiss produced. She doubted the kiss was what he referred to. She decided to keep the tone light.
“Pizza and wine? You’re welcome.”
“And the conversation.”
“I enjoyed our talk as well.”
“I’ve changed my schedule. I’ll be staying here for another week or so.”
She wanted to dance.
Hadn’t she been sitting here, lecturing herself about her previous relationship and swearing off men? How could she do that when she’d just met someone interesting?
“I have another week before I have to go back to work. Dennis is trying to talk me into staying longer. I’m thinking about it.”
“Maybe I can help you make up your mind.” His sexy voice teased.
Yes, he certainly could. She refused to acknowledge how eagerly she looked forward to his attempts.
“Really? How would you do that?”
“What do you say to dinner tonight? Just you and me.”
Yes, yes, yes. She might as well face it. Craig was too irresistible to resist.
“I’d like that. What time?”
“Seven?”
She glanced at her watch. Five hours from now. “I’ll be ready. How shall I dress?”
“Nothing fancy. We’ll have dinner. Maybe a drive. We can finish our conversation.”
“Sounds wonderful. See you at seven.”
She ended the call and held the phone next to her heart. An actual date. Now she’d have an opportunity to wear one of the gorgeous dresses from her shopping excursion with Dennis. She stood in front of the closet and threw open the doors. Several garments, with tags attached, hung in a row. She quickly slipped through each one, trying to decide which to wear.
The Persian blue matched Craig’s eyes. She snatched the hanger and ran her fingers over the silk. She thought Dennis had gone off his rocker when he purchased it for her. Now she was damn glad he had.
~ ~ ~
Hooking an earring into her ear, Kelly didn’t know Dennis was home until she heard a loud whistle. Turning, she found him leaning against the doorjamb, looking like a wolf about to gobble up Little Red.
“Best money I ever spent. You’re a knockout. Where are we going?”
“I am going out.” She ignored him and sat on the bed to slip on her shoes. The black, shiny sling-backs complimented the dress and were the perfect height. After securing the straps, she stood and smoothed the clingy material over her hips.
“Lucky devil. You’re going to knock Craig on his ass in that outfit.” He gave her a long, slow perusal. “Poor guy won’t know what hit him.”
“Poor Craig?”
A laugh slipped from his throat. “No. Poor me. You’re deserting me.”
“You’re a big boy.”
He smiled. “Unfeeling witch.”
“You love every minute,” she said as she patted his cheek, squeezing by him on her way to the bathroom. She dug in her makeup case for lipstick.
“Why do women wear that gunk?”
“Men like us to look nice.”
“Then we kiss it right off. Why don’t makeup retailers make products that taste good?”
She met his gaze in the mirror. “You don’t like the taste of lipstick?”
“Now if you had some chocolate—”
“If you want chocolate, eat candy. A woman’s lips are not food.” His lips curved up in a mocking grin.
“If a man doesn’t nibble on your lips, he’s not kissing you right.”
The thought of Craig nibbling on her lips sent a tingle to her belly. She stepped around Dennis and went back to the guest room for her purse. He followed.
“Have you decided when you’re heading back to Virginia?”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“No. You can thank me, though.” He folded his arms and leaned against the wall, crossing his feet. The smirk on his face set off her alarm bells. He had a secret that he was bursting to tell.
“Oh? Why would I do that?” She raised one eyebrow in suspicion.
“I paid Craig a visit.”
Now he had her attention. “And?”
“I wanted to pay him back for his prank. Especially since he planned to throw ice on me.”
She narrowed her eyes and asked, “What did you do?”
“Invited him to the boxing gym.”
Invited . . .
“You fought?” she squealed.
“Sort of.” Dennis gave a wink, then turned, striding to the kitchen with a confident swagger, knowing she’d be hot on his heels.
“Come back here and tell me what happened.”
Dennis snatched a beer from the fridge, twisted the top on the bottle and took a long pull. “I didn’t hurt him. Got a few punches in though.”
“You hit him? Because he threw a bucket of ice water on me that was meant for you?”
Dennis burst out laughing. “You should have seen his face. I had him going for a while there.”
“At my expense.” She crossed her arms and glared. A well-known mischief-maker, Dennis was hopeless. He’d staged a lot of pranks. Evidently, so had Craig. But fighting? With Craig’s physique, she thought he could hold his own. She wasn’t too worried.
Dennis pulled out a chair and sat. Impulsively, she did the same. “And?”
“I let him think I was furious for what he did to you. He thought you were my girl, so. . .”
She tensed. She thought she’d straightened that out last night.
“You played along,” she reasoned.
“Yep, I did.” He sat there with an egotistical smirk.
“You did eventually set him straight, right?”
“We threw a few punches, then he saw the joke for what it was.” Dennis shrugged and took a swig of his beer.
“One of these days I’m going to take a giant, sharp pin and let the air out of that big head of yours.” Leaning on her hands, she rose from the chair and pushed away from the table. “And I’m supposed to thank you? It’s a wonder he bothered to call.”
“I convinced him to stick around.”
“Hmmm. I’m sure there’s more to it, but thank you.” She turned to walk away, but not before delivering a parting shot. “Craig better not be sporting a black eye.”
“Don’t be late,” Dennis called as she walked off.
“Don’t wait up.” She kissed her fingertips and blew in his direction.
Dennis and his shenanigans. As long as he hadn’t scared Craig off.
The anticipation of spending an evening with Craig made her jumpy. Nerves? It wasn’t nerves about going on a date. More like restless anticipation. Now that Craig knew she didn’t have a boyfriend, he had no reason to hold back.
She couldn’t wait to see him.
~ ~ ~
Craig thought Kelly was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. A blue silky creation slithered over her breasts and hips, making her look entirely too inviting. Long golden waves surrounded her shoulders, emphasizing the opening V of her dress and an admirable amount of cleavage. The skirt hit at her knees, hiding the long length of thigh he’d seen at the pool. Still, the clinging outfit hid nothing and accented her splendid body. As he took her arm, he fingered the elegant silk, wondering how in the world he was going to keep his hands off her.
He ushered her to the truck, thinking it would be safer to keep moving. Now that he knew he had a chance with her, it wouldn’t do to attack her the first moment they were alone.
The tie around his neck might as well have been a noose by the way it choked him. He knew the reason he had difficulty breathing was the woman sitting beside him, and had nothing to do with clothing. The interior of the vehicle suddenly seemed too small. Damn, he’d been in difficult situations where worry had made him sweat. But seeing Kelly in her sexy attire, smelling like a delicious confection he desired to eat, was pure torture.
When they arrived at the restaurant, he noticed the appreciative stares from other men. He smiled, pleased she was with him, yet jealousy flared, enough to punch any man who looked at her longer than necessary. He’d never had such a reaction while in the company of a beautiful woman. His home being in San Francisco, plenty of opportunities arose to escort gorgeous females to various functions. Attractive women constantly strived for his attention. None could hold a candle to Kelly.
True, she was beautiful. Underneath, he knew an exceptional woman existed. Kelly was easy to talk to. More than comfortable in her presence, he felt like he’d known her forever. His buddy had provided many details, but being near her, he found he wanted more. More time, more touches, and after that exhilarating kiss, more of her delicious taste.
He pressed his hand gently in the middle of her back, guiding her through the restaurant, conscious of the heat generated by a simple touch. They reached their table, he held the chair for her, then brought his seat beside her, rather than sitting directly across. He didn’t like the idea of being so far away. Her fragrance, just light enough to entice, tantalized his senses, engaging his awareness, luring him close.
He ordered a bottle of champagne.
“Champagne?”
“I thought the occasion called for it.”
“What’s the occasion?”
He leaned closer, yet resisted touching her hand with his own. Now that he knew the truth, he could wait. Anticipation would drive them both to madness.
“We’ve been circling each other like a couple of apprehensive adolescents. Fools, actually. Speaking just of myself, of course. Too busy fighting this astounding attraction, I couldn’t get out of my own way.”
“I will admit the signals were confusing. So, we’re celebrating?”
“We’ve come to our senses. Our first date.”
“You have the assumption there will be another.” A corner of her mouth lifted in a flirtatious gesture. Before he could respond, the waiter returned with a silver bucket and two champagne flutes. He wrapped a white linen napkin around the bottle and poured. The gold liquid rose, fizzing in the glasses. The waiter left, and Craig caught her gaze.
“You may be assured that there will be another.” He lifted his glass. “To the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
Her eyes sparkled, and her lips curled into a megawatt smile. God, the woman stirred his blood.
“Cheers.” She lightly clinked her glass to his, then placed her plush lips on the edge of the crystal, causing a rush of heat in his groin.
“You look stunning in that dress.”
“Thank you,” she said as she placed her glass on the table. “You look quite handsome yourself.”
“I’ve been looking forward to this evening.” He watched her delicate fingers play with the stem of her crystal. Every move she made added fuel to his lust and chipped away at his control.
“I was a little surprised.”
“That I asked you out?”
“That you called me after Dennis assaulted you.”
“Assaul— It was nothing so serious. And nothing could have kept me from calling. Dennis pretended to be angry. I met him at the boxing ring. With my mind trying to figure out why he was so mad, I didn’t detect his hoax. We traded a few punches before he fessed up.”
“I don’t see any ill effects.”
“I can handle my own.” Craig shrugged, then took a sip of his champagne while peering over the rim, holding her gaze. He could stare at her for hours.
“I can only imagine the pranks you two pulled in college.”
“I hope not.” He made a sound like a cough.
“Some unlawful ones?”
“None I care to share. I’d rather talk about you, not my youthful escapades. Tell me about yourself.”
“I told you so much last night.”
“I want to know everything,” he said in a lazy drawl, the deep resonance sending a delicious hum through Kelly’s blood. His intense blue eyes captivated her. She wanted to drown in their mystical depths and lose every one of her inhibitions.
Once Craig learned Dennis had no claim on her, the change in him was dramatic. He made his desires clear. Awareness sizzled in the air. Sexual tension enveloped them. She wondered if they’d make it through dinner before giving in to their desires, rushing somewhere more private.
Mentally shaking herself, she said the first thing that popped in her head.
“Mom said I was a cute baby. Although, how she knew was beyond me.” Immediately, Kelly realized what she’d said. What she’d almost revealed. Divulging family secrets was not on the menu tonight. Before Craig could question her comment, she hurried on.
“I was a smart kid in school. Not many friends. Would you believe I was shy?”
“Not for a minute.”
His deep voice, so calm and gentle, lulled her, but his hot scrutiny made her edgy. Delightful shivers danced down her spine, forcing her to remember their kiss, which set the blood in her veins humming with expectation. She struggled to concentrate on anything but the attraction rebounding in waves between them.
“Uh, yes. I was. Very shy. Then I met Dennis.”
“And you were never shy again.” His smile assured her he was teasing, but the crook of his lips aroused her. His eyes promised so much more.
She shifted in her seat, hoping to relieve some of the frustration that was quickly building “Sorry. I know you don’t want to talk about him.”
Craig shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t want you to talk about him. I’m more interested in you.” He traced along her fingers while her hand rested on the table. She felt his sensual caress to her very core.
Dennis was a safer topic than the emotions Craig created while stroking her fingers. Thoughts of heavy breathing and sweaty bodies suddenly ran rampant in her mind. She clutched her flute, hoping the champagne would get her mind off the sexy man seated across from her. She took a sip of her bubbly and gulped it down, desperately trying to evade the sexual pull smoldering between them.
What had they been discussing? Oh yeah.
“I was horribly shy until I met Dennis. I told you a bunch of boys bumped into me and knocked my books out of my arms? Dennis made the jerks pick them up. He was the first boy ever to talk to me.”
“I can’t imagine that. You’re too beautiful to overlook.” Her bones liquefied. She was in way over her head.
“Well, he was. He gave me confidence. Now he’d probably tell you there wasn’t a shy bone in my body.” Why was she talking about Dennis? She had to set this straight once and for all.
“Craig.” She placed both hands in her lap and stared at him with purpose. “Dennis and I really are just friends. In a quirky kind of way. And I want you to know. We’ve never—”
“There’s no need to say any more.” He straightened in his chair.
“I want you to know. I like you. A lot. Dennis and I have never been lovers.” There. She’d said it. Taken the bull by the horns and laid it out there for him.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Well, just in case.” She lifted her glass, needing something to hold in her hands. She held his gaze. “We haven’t. Ever. I wanted to clear the air.”
“You feel the need to clear the air? I thought we had things settled last night.”
“That was before Dennis punched you.”
“I deserved it. For treating you badly.” He reached for her hand just as the waiter appeared, killing the moment. The young man delivered their food, refilled their glasses, and after seeing they needed nothing else, dashed away.
“This looks good,” he said.
“Smells delicious.” She glanced up, only to become lost, once again, in a sea of blue. The man had the most resplendent eyes.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
“No,” She lifted her fork. “I’m fine.”
“Do I make you nervous?”
She set it back down. “Yes. And I don’t know why. This isn’t the first time we’ve been alone.”
“But it is the first time we’ve been together without barriers.”
“Barriers?”
“I’ve never had to watch my words so closely. Maybe I should use the term awareness. I’m attracted to you, Kelly. I’m sure you know that. Before tonight, I fought my attraction because I thought you were with Dennis and I wouldn’t cross that line. You set me straight. Dennis was the barrier. Our friendship was the barrier. Now it’s gone.”
Kelly could hardly breathe.
“You have no idea how tempted I was, plenty of times.” His voice shook with emotion.
“Really? When?”
“Every moment you were in my sight.”
Kelly giggled, thinking of how she had deliberately tantalized him, wondering at the time why he had not acted on his attraction.
“Your actions make sense to me now. I practically threw myself at you to get your attention. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong.”
“There was nothing wrong, and you had my attention from the first moment I saw you.”
Remembering the shower scene, she blushed. When his eyes darkened to lust, she knew he was remembering too.
“Barriers, huh?”
“No more,” he murmured, his gaze dropping to her mouth. Suddenly, he sat back as if they had not nearly undressed each other with their eyes. “Enough of that. I’m starving.”
She was too, and it wasn’t for food.
She picked up her fork and took a bite of her chicken alfredo. The delicious tang of cheese and garlic on her tongue incited her taste buds.
“Mmm. Heaven.”
~ ~ ~
By the end of the meal, all Craig could think about was his arousal, and how much he’d like to give Kelly a taste of heaven. Her moans of delight as she tasted her food had nearly driven him to the point of abandoning their meal, grabbing Kelly and running off to the closest private corner he could find. He had more control than that.
Craig learned at an early age that if he wanted something badly enough, it was worth the wait, and taking the proper route to get it. Kelly was worth any price he had to pay. He was willing to wait. Willing to go about the right way of winning her. He reached for her hand and rubbed his thumb over the back. “I’m very pleased you came out with me.”
She glanced at his hand holding hers and spoke softly, raising her gaze back to his. “Thank you. I really wanted to be with you.”
He couldn’t keep from staring at her mouth, wishing he could do more than hold her hand. Being in a public place prevented that. He could hardly wait to claim her, but the lingering anticipation made the prize so much sweeter.
He signed for the bill, escorted Kelly outside, and waited for the valet to bring his truck. A gentle breeze carried her elusive perfume to him, stimulating his already attuned senses. He’d had a hard-on all evening. The thought of being alone with her in the comfort of his vehicle intensified his desire.
The Tundra rolled to a halt, and another valet opened the passenger door. Craig waited until Kelly fastened her seatbelt before strolling to the driver’s side.
The cab filled with Kelly’s essence, made it difficult to concentrate on driving. All he’d thought about since picking her up was sex. He’d already made up his mind to abstain tonight. With the amount of electricity sparking between them, there was no doubt the idea had been in both of their minds. That didn’t mean she would willingly jump into bed with him. Whether she would agree or not, he needed to show some restraint. And respect. No matter how much he wanted to devour her.
He thought about a drive to the lake. An hour down the road would be safe. Unless he spotted a turn off leading to a private spot for some necking. The seats in his truck reclined to be almost flat, so there’d be no problem. Damn. He shoved a hand through his hair.
“Craig? Do I make you nervous?”
Her question threw him a curve, then he recognized it to be the same one he’d asked her when he’d noticed her tremble at the restaurant. He released a breath, somewhere between a grunt and a soft laugh.
“I guess, in a way, you do.”
She turned, facing him. “How so?”
He glared at her. “Do you really need to ask?” He held her gaze for a long moment. He saw the same blazing emotion, the same longing in her eyes, before jerking his gaze back to the road. “I really like you. All I can think about is that kiss and how soon I can get my hands on you again.”
Like? He was smart enough to know the allure he felt for Kelly went way beyond mere attraction.
“I see. Well, then. How soon?”
“What?”
“I was wondering if you meant that as a question or if you were warning me in advance. So, I was asking how soon.”
He clutched the steering wheel with both hands. All of his good intentions flew out the window. “I’ve been having a hard time controlling myself. Say the word and I’ll turn this vehicle around and head straight to my hotel.” He glanced over to find her chewing her lip. “No. Never mind. I promised myself I’d take you to dinner and keep my hands to myself. This time.”
The silence was deafening while he waited for her response.
“This time?”
He heard the smile in her voice. “If you say I’m assuming there will be a next time, I’ll give you the same answer I gave you in the restaurant.”
“Don’t. Because it’s my turn. I can assure you,” she teased, throwing his words back at him, “there will be another. I’m looking forward to the next time.”
He felt the aching need throbbing between them. Anticipation. He too looked forward to their next date. But it sure didn’t ease his frustration on this one.
He had her within reach. He knew she’d be willing. The air crackled with desire. In that moment, he realized he wanted more than sex with this woman. He knew an extraordinary gift when he saw one, and he needed to show Kelly how important she was to him. He could satisfy his craving, but he wanted her trust. More significantly, he wanted to prove to her that she needed him in her life. Love at first sight? Some believed. He thought it was too soon for such feelings. But, whatever had assailed him, it had grabbed him by his gut. There would be more nights, more dates with Kelly. But not if he bungled this one.
“Our date’s not over,” he said. “I thought we might drive up to Lake Norman. The water is beautiful with a full moon reflecting over the water.”
“I’d like that.”
As she leaned her head against the high back, Craig longed for a bench seat. Where he could pull Kelly close, his arm draped over her shoulder while she snuggled into his side.