She was killing him. Wannaskip dinner? He swallowed hard. “You look, uh, amazing.”
“Thank you. It’s fun to get dressed up for a change.”
“Yeah. Right.” Fan-fucking-tastic! He couldn’t even string a simplesentence together. “And no dog slobber,” he added, thenmentally slapped himself.
She gave him an impish grin. “Are you still sick?”
“No. I’m, ah …” Just missing my brain. His eyesflicked over her again. He couldn’t stop himself. Christ, she was so fuckinggorgeous! “A little tired maybe.”
She smirked. “Well, we won’t keep you up too late, then.”
Oh, please keep me up.
Dinner was a blur of white linen in a dark booth, candles,and conversation. His body finally uncoiled—except one part—but he still feltas though he skated on one blade, trying to hold his balance and remainupright.
He remembered little of their exchange except when she askedabout his interest in Roman history.
“I listen to make myself smart,” he’d replied.
She’d eyed him over the rim of her wineglass. “You don’tthink you’re smart?”
When he’d shaken his head, she’d added, “Could’ve fooledme,” making bubbles dance in his blood.
On the ride home, his mind whirred through possiblescenarios. Watch John Wick and go for that cozy-on-the-couch thing? Kissher as soon as they got inside the door? Yeah, but what if she didn’t want togo there? Before his mind could amble farther down its current path, her phonerang.
“Hey, Mom.” Natalie side-eyed him. “Just heading home afterdinner out with Tyler, um, T.J.” A pause. “I’ll let you know, okay? Yeah, loveyou too.”
His gut constricted. “You told her?”
Natalie stared straight out the windshield. “Mm-hmm.”
He dragged a hand across his jaw, muttering, “She’ll neverspeak to me again.” The thought inexplicably saddened him. Good-bye,Rockwell.
“Oh, I doubt that. She wants you to join us for Sundaypotluck.”
His eyebrows leapt to his hairline. “Seriously?” A grin quirked his lips.
“Seriously. You even get a pass on bringing a dish. Shethinks what you did … the Ford thing … is romantic.”
His pulse sped up. “What does her daughter think?”
Natalie twisted in her seat, partially facing him. “She’sstill pondering.”
A laugh burst from his chest. “You probably havespreadsheets you’re analyzing the hell out of, am I right?”
When he glanced over at her, she faced front again, busilysmoothing her dress. He reached out and took one of her hands. She nestled itinto his like it belonged there.
“Let me know how I can up my plus-minus rating on your statssheet.” He sent her a wink.
It was dark in the car, but he could’ve sworn she blushed.He’d take it.
Inside her house, she tossed her purse on a chair, beelined for the sunroom, and let Ford in. The dog hurtledat T.J., slapping his legs with his tail while Natalie opened a cabinet andstretched her hand toward the top shelf, leaning over the bucket of flowers inthe sink. The lights were still off. “I need to put these into vases.”
One graceful leg extended behind her, turning her into ahuman fulcrum.
Stepping toward her, he shot his hand up beside hers. “I gotit.”
Ford chose that moment to knock himself into T.J.’s legs. Armsbraced against the counter on either side of Natalie, T.J. barely avertedfalling against her back. The warmth rising from her body and hervanilla-and-flowers fragrance mingled, invading his senses, intoxicating him asthey wrapped around him. His dancing cock burgeoned into a full hard-on. Theair was thick with restrained desire. His mind blanked.
There in the kitchen shadows, he dropped his hand to herneck and brushed her hair aside. It felt like silk against his fingers. Shemade a noise that sounded distinctly like a sigh. Arm braced on one side ofher, he ran his fingertips along her neck, to her throat, holding her stillwhile he pressed his lips to the bare skin at the slope of her neck. Anothersigh escaped her.
Heart thumping like a bass drum, hetrailed languid kisses up her neck, nuzzling the skin behind her ear. Her headtilted to the side, giving him more surface toexplore. He flicked his tongue out, and that little taste spurred him to nipand suck softly, the tip of his tongue dancing over her sweet skin. She leanedagainst him on a whispered moan.
Arms bracketing her body, he continued his onslaught,nibbling and tasting, feeding the raging hard-on pressed against her ass. Shelifted her hands and tunneled her fingers in his hair. Exuberant ripples racedfrom his scalp to every margin of his body. He swept his hands up her sides,then cupped and caressed her breasts through silk and lace. She arched into histouch, fingers twisting in his hair, undulating the length of her back against himin a sensual rhythm. The tingling in his body exploded in microbursts until hewas no longer sure where he started or ended. His hands glided down her sides,along her thighs, over her hip bones, back up herstomach to her breasts. She felt wonderful. More moans rose in her throat.Every part of him was on fire. If he died being devoured by the flames, he wasokay with that.
She turned slowly and faced him, sliding her hands to hisshoulders. Her lips curved in a sultry smile, speaking a language that wentstraight to his cock straining against his fly. Another sizzle shot throughhim. While one hand held her to him, anchoring her hips to his, he stroked thelength of her silky cheek with the back of his other hand.
“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
She scanned him from chin to scalp and cradled his face inher slender hands. Helpless to stop her even if he wanted to, he let her pullhis mouth to hers, landing on her oh-so-soft lips. The kiss was gentle, twopeople finding just the right fit. And when that fit was found—that perfect,seamless joining of lips—instinct kicked in, and his arms cinched her close ashis mouth took hers. Her hands wrapped around his head. With a hand graspingher waist, he tangled the other into her thick waves. His tongue glided alongher lips, eager to explore. She let him in, and he tilted her head to drive thekiss deeper. He plundered her mouth to his heart’s content while he tightenedhis hold on her. Little
