She rested her hands on his shoulders, fingers flexing into the muscles there. “I really should go,” she said as much to herself as to him. “I have another two or three hours of work to attend to before I get any rest tonight. And I have to be back early in the morning.”
“All business.”
Though she knew he was teasing, she nodded. “Exactly.”
“I’m not at all sure about that,” he said, leaning even closer. “Maybe just a little test….”
A tiny sound of startled pleasure escaped her when she leaned in and her lips covered his. She made no effort to draw away. Just a taste, she promised herself. Just this one moment of weakness.
The kiss was as spectacular as she would have expected from him. Skilled, thorough, generous, enthusiastic. Despite the cool night air, his lips were warm, and a little extra heat seemed to radiate through his clothing. Pressed against him, she could feel for herself that he was as strong and fit as he’d looked from a distance. It wasn’t hard to imagine how the rest of that warm, solid body might feel against her own… In fact, the pictures swirled rapidly in her head, adding to the slight dizziness she’d been feeling since they’d walked out into the garden together. If she hadn’t known better, she’d have sworn her sister had spiked the lemonade.
Dan groaned softly in protest when she drew back, slowly breaking off the kiss. “Already?”
She drew a deep, slightly ragged breath. Maybe later she would regret uncharacteristically giving in to temptation, but it had definitely been nice while it lasted. “Yes. I have to go.”
He sighed, but released her without further argument. Still, she couldn’t help but be pleased that he looked so very reluctant to do so.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” he said.
She stood, her knees a little shaky but otherwise reliable. Dan rose with her. She sighed, then frowned up at him.
“That had nothing to do with either of our work,” she reminded him. “It was merely an aberration. Blame it on the moonlight.”
“It never would have occurred to me that you’d be anything but professional,” he assured her, his easy smile returning, though his eyes still seemed to glow in the darkness.
She nodded and made herself turn away. For some reason, she avoided looking at any dark-shadowed corners of the garden. Not that she expected to see anything out of the ordinary there, she assured herself. “Feel free to look in on t
he activities in the parlor this evening. Bonnie always sets out tea and light snacks for the games. I have a feeling no one will mind if you snap a few photos for your article.”
“I’ll be sure and ask.”
She was already moving toward the inn. “Don’t forget we serve breakfast from seven until nine. If you have any special requests, please let Bonnie know this evening.”
“So serious again,” he teased from behind her. He reached out to catch her arm just as she reached the bottom of the stairs. “I wonder, Kinley. After I’ve submitted my article, when you don’t have to fret about what I’ll write, is there any chance you and I could maybe have dinner or something? The real you, not the vice president of marketing.”
“That’s not my title,” she protested automatically, perhaps to give herself a chance to process the request. “And don’t you have someplace else to be after you’ve finished your article?”
“I could make a little extra time.”
She glanced up the stairs toward the door to the inn. “You might be disappointed to find out that you’ve already met the real me,” she said. “With the exception of this uncharacteristic episode, you’ve seen me pretty much as I am. All business, all the time, as someone once described me.”
“Someone who hurt you?”
“Someone who knew me,” she corrected evenly.
After a moment, he shook his head. “I’m not sure he did.”
“I didn’t say it was a he.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Uncertain what to say to that, she hesitated. His gaze held hers and for just a moment, she couldn’t seem to make herself move away from him. Dan looked away first, releasing her from the odd spell that she—who did not believe in ghosts or magic or whimsy—seemed to have fallen into for the second time that evening. Maybe she was more tired than she had realized.
“Good night, Kinley. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Swallowing, she nodded, then turned and walked up the steps with Dan close behind her.
Chapter Five