Her dazed look met his, revealing she had been just as affected by their kiss as he was. “I think you need to go before we forget my brothers are just down the hall.”
Her brothers. He continued to hold her and leaned his forehead against hers for a moment, struggling to get his raging libido under control. Gazing deep into her guileless eyes, he muttered, “I guess you’re right. When I’m around you I forget about everything else. I’m pretty sure we shouldn’t hold an X-rated show at your front door.”
She gave him a sad, understanding smile and stepped back. “I would appreciate that.”
“So, dinner Friday night?” Sean hoped to coax her away from he responsibilities long enough for them to find some uninterrupted time together.
“What about the grant?”
“With your help tonight I think I’m making real progress. I can take one night off. Anyway, I need to clear my head some.” He ran his finger along her chin and whispered, “I think you’ll make a nice distraction.”
“I can’t honestly say I’ve ever been called a distraction before.” Her eyes sparkled.
His gaze didn’t leave hers. “Well, if you haven’t been it’s the guy’s problem, not yours. You’re a distraction for me all the time.” He gave her a quick kiss on the lips, afraid to linger any longer. “So we have a date?”
“I can’t. Rick has games on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.”
“Then how about Wednesday night?”
“I guess I could do that.”
“I’ll be here at five thirty. Wear something comfortable.” Sean picked up his bag. “Thanks for the delicious meal. Good night.”
CHAPTER SIX
CYNTHIA COULDN’T BELIEVE she had a date with Sean. Her life had become surreal. Never in a million years would she have guessed when she heard his sexy voice for the first time that she would be going out with him. A heavenly voice for weeks was now a flesh-and-blood man who wanted to spend time with her. She was going to make the most of it while it lasted. If nothing else she would have some great memories.
Usually all her efforts went toward the boys so she hadn’t gotten a new outfit in ages but she went shopping. Sean had said casual so she had settled on a royal blue shirt and a pair of fitted dark pants that stopped just above her ankles. For shoes, she selected flats. It had been months since she’d had the money to have her hair done but she splurged and had her hair trimmed and shaped. It now bounced and flowed around her face and shoulders. With the addition of a touch of makeup to her eyes and cheeks then some gloss to her lips, she felt better than she had in years about her appearance.
She was ready to go when the doorbell rang on Wednesday evening. Resisting the urge to fling the door open, she calmly walked down the hall. Sean looked more handsome than ever. Dressed casually in a cream shirt under a wool V-necked sweater with jeans, he looked the perfect date right out of the pages of a romance novel. If she didn’t get control of her infatuation she would be in trouble.
“Hey. You look incredible,” he said as he stepped inside.
Warmth washed over her. She loved being complimented by him. Not many of those came from her brothers. “Thank you.”
Sean lifted her chin with one finger. “You know, a blush is a rare thing of beauty. It looks good on you.”
Cynthia didn’t know if his statement was true but she sure enjoyed hearing it. “You don’t look half bad yourself. Very dapper in a casual way.”
He grinned and bowed slightly. “I do try. Are you ready to go?”
“I am. Let me just get my jacket.” She turned and headed down the hall.
When she returned Sean looked over her shoulder. “Are the guys around?”
“Nope. Rick is at some friends’ and Mark is at his new job. Why? Do you need them for something?”
He stepped closer and her pulse rate zipped into high gear. “I just wanted to know if we were alone.” He gathered her into his arms and his lips found hers. The urgency in his kiss had her body humming, racing to join him. Seconds later he released her and stepped back. “I’ve been thinking about that since last Sunday night and couldn’t wait any longer. I think we should go before I decide to stay here and take advantage of the privacy.”
Trying to catch her breath, she said, “I guess we should go.”
Was she ready for their relationship to go to the next level? Did she know him well enough? She certainly wanted him badly enough. Could she survive another broken heart? So caught up in her fantasy and infatuation with Sean, was she thinking straight?
What she did affected her brothers as well. They seemed to like him. Did they mind her having a boyfriend? Would they be hurt if she and Sean were to break up? Her brothers had already lost so much. What if they became attached to Sean? If she had the power she wouldn’t let anyone hurt Mark and Rick again. She had to be careful for all their sakes who came into their lives.
Sean held the car door open while she got in before he went around and slipped gracefully into the driver’s seat.
“So what do you have planned for tonight? I hope I’m dressed properly.”
He looked her over as if he were feasting on the most wonderful meal of his life. “You know you look beautiful.”
Cynthia warmed under his appreciation.
Backing out of the drive, he added, “I thought we would see if we could find a good view of the city. Maybe watch the lights go on. Then have a little dinner.”
“That sounds wonderful.” Anything she did with Sean appealed to her. She enjoyed his humor, appreciated his devotion to his patients and his profession, but most of all she liked that he made her feel as if she were the center of his world. She’d not had that since her parents had died. As a sister or a stand-in parent, or just as the person who had to make sure everything was done, she had had little me-time in years. She’d never thought it a burden but on occasions the need to let go had nagged at her. Tonight, she planned to do just that, and with an amazing man by her side.
She found Sean’s inability to organize and his rather economical way of living endearing. The smart, sexy, intelligent man had a foible. It was nice to know the perfect man she’d assembled in her mind was human. She could relate to that person.
As Sean made his way through traffic and up the mountain highway Cynthia watched as the statue of Vulcan grew larger. The huge iron man stood on the highest point in the city. She had always been fascinated by him. He was a major landmark in Birmingham and had been for all her life. It was a central mark by which people distinguished where they lived. North or south of Vulcan.
Sean continued winding around the mountain until he turned off the main highway and drove up Red Mountain to where Vulcan stood.
“This is a great place for a view of the city, but isn’t it closed?” she asked.
“It is. But I have a patient who’s a security guard here. I called in a favor. He’s going to let us go up and have a look.” Sean pulled into a parking spot in the almost deserted lot. The only vehicle there was a small older-model pickup truck.
“That sounds great.” Cynthia should have known that Sean wouldn’t plan a typical night out. “Once again you have surprised me.”
“How’s that?” Sean helped her out of the car. He lingered over letting her hand go, giving her a fuzzy feeling of pleasure.
“I thought you were the kind of guy who would take a date to a fancy restaurant. Show her how suave you are.”
“Are you disappointed?” He sounded as if her answer really mattered.
Cynthia smiled. She liked the element of the unexpected he offered. “Not in the least.”
An older man with tufts of white hair on his head, wearing a gray uniform, walked toward them.
Sean shook hands with him. “Cynthia, I’d like you to meet Luther Murphy. Luther, this is Cynthia Marcum.”
The man nodded to her. “Nice to meet you, young lady. Any friend of Dr. Donavon’s is a friend of mine. Dr. Donavon did me a great service a few years back. I was getting where I couldn’t hear my wife. Most people would like that, but me, I missed hearing her complain. Dr. Donavon got me all set up so now I hear every single word she says.”
Cynthia couldn’t contain her laughter. “How long have you been happily married?”
“It’ll be forty-five years next month,” he said with a toothy grin.
“Wow, that’s impressive.” What would it be like to find a man she could love for so many years? She glanced at Sean. Could he be that one? He made her feel things she’d never experienced before. Wasn’t sure she was prepared to feel again.
They walked over to a small door in the tall red-brick foundation that Vulcan stood on. Mr. Murphy opened it to reveal metal stairs that spiraled upward. He left them there.
“If we want the view we must work for it,” Sean said from behind her. “Do you want me to go first?”
“No, I will.” She took the lead.
Sean chuckled. “I figured as much.”
She looked back at him. He was almost at eye level with her. “That’s kind of like the pot calling the kettle black. You like to be in control.”
“So we’re going to get personal here?” He held her gaze.
“I think what I’ll do is keep walking.” Cynthia headed up the steps again. “Did you know that Vulcan was built for the 1904 St. Louis World Fair?”