The corners of her mouth curved. He really was very, very sweet. “You’re forgiven if I’m forgiven.”
Dillon didn’t understand what she was saying. “For what?”
“For making you uncomfortable,” she explained.
But that didn’t really clarify anything for him. “I’m not uncomfortable,” he protested. Then, because he felt as if the woman who had gone out with him tonight could see through him, he added, “Now.”
She looked up at him, feeling so very moved that she could hardly stand it.
“Good,” she whispered as she stood there, willing him to kiss her.
The next moment, she found that she had the gift of mental telepathy because he did.
Dillon kissed her.
And this time, it was even better than it had been the first time. There were no outside sounds to block, no extraneous noises to filter out. No milling people to ignore.
They could have easily been the only two people in the whole world because, at this moment in time, they really were.
The moment his lips touched hers, her head instantly began to spin, raising her body temperature and accelerating her heart rate.
Sinking into the velvety kiss, Hailey leaned into him, twining her arms around Dillon’s neck and wishing with all her heart that she could invite him in.
But for all intents and purposes, this was their first date and she didn’t want him to think that this was the way all of her first dates went.
Because they didn’t.
Damn, Dillon thought, but she was making things really difficult. Without any apparent effort on her part, she had breached all his barriers, leaped over all of his well-placed walls. One second she was on the other side and then, wham, she was right there, nestling in through a crack he hadn’t even been aware existed.
If he weren’t careful, he was in danger of allowing her to get in far closer than he wanted her to be.
Even as he reasoned with himself, he had to fight the very real desire to lead her inside and take this date to its natural conclusion.
But just as he felt that he was about to capitulate and lose the battle with himself, Dillon felt his cell phone suddenly begin to vibrate, demanding his exclusive attention.
Without looking at the screen, he knew who was calling.
It had to be her.
Dillon forced himself to return back to earth. Taking a deep breath, he drew his lips away from Hailey’s.
“I’d better get going before it’s tomorrow,” he told her.
But even as he said this, Dillon could feel himself being trapped between a reluctance to leave and the need to go.
Hailey nodded, drawing back.
“Can’t have that,” she agreed, although she didn’t sound all that convinced.
But maybe he was just reading into her reaction, Dillon thought, branding her actions with his own reluctance. He took a deep breath. He needed to stop vacillating and just go before he did something that they were both going to regret for very different reasons.
He began to walk away from her, then turned back and caught her up in his arms for one last deep quick kiss. When she looked at him, stunned because she thought he’d changed his mind about leaving again, Dillon told her, “One more for the road.”
And then he was gone.
Forcing herself to move, Hailey slipped inside her house, then closed the door. Once she flipped the lock, she leaned her back against the door and slid down to the floor.
“You are definitely not what I’m used to, Dillon Fortune,” she murmured into the darkness.
He definitely wasn’t what she was used to. But she was really looking forward to finding out what he was like.
The rest of the week spread out before her like an obstacle course to be maneuvered through and conquered with the prize being the man on the other side of that week. Dillon Fortune and his ranch.
She couldn’t wait to go riding with him. Couldn’t wait to see Dillon looking all masculine and incredibly sexy on top of a horse.
Couldn’t wait to see him.
Suddenly, every minute was precious to her as it went by because it was one less minute she had to live through before she could finally get to go horseback riding with Dillon.
Telling herself that she was behaving like some smitten teenager didn’t make her change her behavior, other than force her to bury it—but only while she was at work.
And even then, some of her clients, the ones who knew her before the wellness spa had ever opened its doors, detected a difference in her behavior, a certain lightness about her manner.
“Someone new in your life?” Maryanne Edwards asked her.
Maryanne had known Hailey since they were both in their senior year in high school. Although not anywhere as close to her as Janelle had been, Maryanne had still witnessed Hailey going through several relationships over the years. She had also seen them all crash and burn for one reason or another.
“Lots of new someones lately, Maryanne,” Hailey had answered.
“Let me be more specific,” the other woman said, trying again. “Are you juggling two guys at once?” Maryanne asked enviously.
“No, it’s more like juggling forty or fifty at the same time,” Hailey answered.
When her friend could only stare at her, speechless, Hailey had to laugh.
Taking pity on the woman, Hailey said, “Clients, Maryanne. I’m talking about clients at the spa. I’m juggling forty or fifty clients at a time—and ready to juggle more.”
Maryanne frowned, disappointed. “You know what I mean.”
“Yes, I do,” Hailey replied. “And if you’re asking me if I’m juggling a guy, I can assure you that the answer is no, I’m not. Besides,” she continued with feeling, “when would I possibly have time for a new guy when I’ve got so
