Howard was tempted to drag Elsa deep into the woods and pounce on her, but he restrained himself. Even though this latest strategy was working well, she could still be easily frightened.
So he gently cradled her face and pressed his lips against hers. She wrapped her hands around his neck and leaned into him. An encouraging sign.
“Elsa,” he breathed against her luscious mouth. He nibbled on her chocolate-flavored lips, then sucked the bottom one into his mouth.
She moaned, tightening her grip around his neck. Her mouth opened in invitation.
To hell with being gentle. He grasped her head tighter and plundered her mouth. It was hot and sweet. His groin swelled, and he fought the urge to push her down and strip her naked.
He ravished her neck instead, nuzzling and nibbling, reveling in the moans and shivers he incited. She was so responsive, so delicious. Her scent drove him wild. Fresh as a dew-covered meadow at dawn, it was laced with the added scent of her arousal.
No doubt it would shock her that he could smell the moisture whenever it seeped from her core. It made him hard. It made him want to taste her and lick her till she screamed.
With a low growl, he returned to her mouth and gave her a ravishingly thorough kiss. Her body trembled, but she didn’t retreat. His brave Elsa kissed him back and suckled on his invading tongue.
He cupped one of her breasts and squeezed. As she moaned, the nipple pebbled beneath his palm. He circled it with his thumb till it tightened into a bead. He pinched it lightly and groaned when he caught the scent of more moisture pooling between her legs.
He broke the kiss and sat back, still straddling her legs. Damn, he wanted her, but he couldn’t take her here, so close to the house.
He eased back into a sitting position on the blanket, wincing at the tightness of his pants. “Are you all right?”
She nodded, breathing heavily. “I . . . I underestimated my attraction to you.”
He squeezed her hand. “Don’t regret it. Please. I want to bring you joy, not regret.”
She gave him a sad smile. “That was your wish in the park.”
“And you wished you could trust me. In your heart, you want to.”
She sighed. “I—I’ve never felt quite like this before. I mean, I’ve been attracted to men before, but not . . . like this.”
He nodded. “It’s intense. Like we’re driven.” He touched a strand of her hair that had escaped her ponytail. “We’re going to be wild together.”
Her eyes widened. “I should be going.” She scrambled to her feet.
Damn, did he say something to upset her? He rose to his feet. “Can we meet again? Another picnic like this?”
She glanced toward the house. “Maybe. I suppose a few minutes would be all right.”
“Good.”
She motioned toward the blanket and food. “Thank you. I enjoyed it.”
“I thought you did.” He recalled all her shivers and moans.
“I meant the food.” Her gaze flitted to the swelling in his pants, and her cheeks turned pink. “I—I’ll see you tomorrow.” She darted toward the house and let herself in.
Howard smiled. His overall strategy was working. Her desire was becoming stronger than her fear.
The following afternoon, she halted her work once again to glance out the kitchen window. Four o’clock and he wasn’t there yet. She clicked the electric sander back on and stepped over the long extension cord that connected to an electric generator in the foyer. Between the noise of the generator and the sander, she was afraid she would miss his call or text.
Her phone was on vibrate and nestled in a chest pocket of her denim work shirt. It was another hot day, and she’d rolled up her sleeves and opted for cut-off shorts instead of pants. Unfortunately, now her legs were coated with sanding dust.
The bad dream hadn’t haunted her sleep last night. That had to be a good sign. Maybe her subconscious was accepting the idea that Howard wasn’t a threat. Or maybe it was a sign that she was being totally fooled.
She winced. Why couldn’t she be a normal person and fall for a normal guy? But after meeting Howard, who would want a normal guy?
At least her aunts seemed to be relaxing a bit. Today they had announced they would take turns guarding her at the house. They ate lunch with her every day at the diner in town, and that’s where they planned to switch shifts, one taking the morning, and the other, the afternoon.
The phone vibrated against her chest, and she turned off the sander. It was him! A text:
She stood and glanced out the window. Sure enough, there he was, in jeans and a navy T-shirt, stretching the checkered blanket on the ground.
She smiled, her heart racing.
She used bottled water to wash her hands and face, then brushed out her hair and refastened the ponytail. She dashed to the back door. Voices filtered from the dining room. Alastair and Oskar were arguing over whether to keep the old-fashioned, candle-lit chandelier as it was or wire it for electricity. The B Boys were carrying in stacks of wood for framing the new lower ceiling.
She slipped out the back door, skipped down the stairs, then forced herself to walk calmly toward Howard.
He turned and smiled.
Her stride froze for a few seconds as her heart flipped over before settling back into place. She smiled back. If she acted nonchalant, he might not notice the effect he had on her.
His cheek dimpled. “Are you all right?”
Damn. The man noticed everything. “So what’s on today’s menu?”
“Bear food.” He knelt to remove some plastic containers from the basket.
“You mean nuts and berries?” She sat on the blanket, kicked off her work boots, and peeled off her socks. With her feet bare, she instantly felt much cooler.
“This is a favorite among were-bears—smoked salmon from Alaska.” He sliced off a small piece, placed it on a cracker, and handed it to her.
The smoky taste filled her mouth. “Ooh, that’s so good.”
He smiled. “I’m glad you like it.” He filled a wineglass for her. “Lemonade.”
She took a sip. Tart, and not too sweet. “You like eating, don’t you?”
He nodded as he poured himself a glass. “I have heightened senses, not just sight and hearing, but also smell and taste. So I really enjoy food.” His gaze drifted over her long, bare legs. “Or whatever I happen to be nibbling on.”
She scoffed. “Beast.”
“Goldilocks.” He tugged on one of her toes. “You’re torturing me.” His hand slid up to her ankle. “I think this is called bear-baiting. It’s against the law, you know.”
“Stop that.” She swatted his hand away. “I’m all dusty from work.”
He gave her a wide-eyed innocent look. “We could wash up in the pool at the stream.”
“I’m not skinny-dipping with you.”
“Would you do it alone then?” His mouth twitched. “I could watch over you to protect you. I’m a professional security guard, you know.”
She snorted. “I have a feeling your protection would be up close and personal.”
“That’s the best kind.”
She shook her head, smiling. “We should use this opportunity to learn more about each other. Important things.”
