It was obvious that she sensed there was more to his sudden withdrawal than hunger pangs, but maybe she was having a belated attack of common sense, herself. She didn’t try to stop him this time when he slid off the bed and walked rather gingerly toward the table.
With a sense of regret, Molly watched Kyle put distance between them. It wasn’t a sudden return to sanity that gave her the strength to let him go, but the memory of what she had seen in his pretty brown eyes just before he’d drawn away. It had looked suspiciously like fear.
Who was he really protecting from the emotions that flared between them whenever they kissed—her or himself?
He had picked up a container of fried chicken, so the food tasted fine even though it had cooled during the twenty minutes that had passed since he’d returned. Coleslaw and biscuits were the side dishes, both of which Molly consumed with a surprisingly healthy appetite, considering the emotional roller coaster she had been on that day.
Kyle, she noticed, ate sparingly, his expression distant and distracted. “Have another piece of chicken,” she urged, nudging the container toward him. “If we’re able to get on the road this afternoon, you’ll need your strength for the long drive.”
He reached almost automatically for another piece. Watching him bite into it, Molly decided he had no idea what it tasted like. For all he knew, he could be eating a carrot. “You seem very far away.”
He shrugged. “Just wondering if the car’s ready.”
“Bill said he’d call, didn’t he?”
“Yeah.” He glanced at his watch, causing Molly to check the time, herself. It was almost 2:00 p.m. If they left the garage any time before five, they’d still make it to the ranch before too very late.
She had mixed emotions about reaching their destination. While it would be nice to be home, comfortable again in her own surroundings and with her own things around her, it would mean the end of this time with Kyle. They wouldn’t have the chance to be completely alone like this again once they were among her family and the other ranch residents.
And then he would leave. She would be surprised if she could even convince him to stay for the party.
But she wouldn’t worry about that now. There would be time enough for what-might-have-beens after it was over.
After wiping his hands on a paper napkin, Kyle made a call to the garage. She could tell by his expression that he wasn’t completely satisfied with the results. “It’s going to be another hour—maybe an hour and a half before the car’s ready to go.”
She glanced toward the window. They’d drawn the curtains, but she could still hear the rain falling lightly outside. “Whatever will we do to pass the time?”
Her tone made him look at her warily. “I suppose we could play cards again.”
She stood and moved toward him, keeping as much weight as possible off her injured ankle, and ignoring the twinges of discomfort as she walked. “We could do that,” she agreed equably.
“There could be something good on TV. An old movie, maybe…”
“That’s a definite possibility.” She walked her fingers up the front of his shirt. “Or…?”
He cleared his throat. “Charades?”
She giggled and leaned against him. “Okay. See if you can guess what I’m trying to say.”
She tugged his head down to hers and pressed her lips to his.
His hands gripped her hips, as if he’d intended to set her aside. Instead, he returned the kiss almost angrily.
They took their time, one kiss leading into another, each one longer, slower, deeper. Kyle frowned down at her when he finally lifted his head. “You are…”
“Spoiled rotten,” she supplied when he fumbled for a word. “Remember? I tend to get what I want.”
“And what you want right now is…?”
She smiled. “Do I really need to spell it out for you?
I want you, Kyle Reeves.”
Something flared in his eyes, but he still looked nervous. “For, uh—for how long?”
“For as long as I can have you,” she replied simply. “If that’s only an hour and a half—well, I can live with that.”
“You scare me, Molly Walker,” he muttered, but he didn’t release her.