“She’s been waiting for this day since high school. She and Will started dating our junior year.” Even back than, Ruth had suspected that someday Helen and Will would marry. “If it had been up to Helen, they would have married a long time ago. Will wanted to wait until they’d saved enough for a down payment on a house.”
“That’s a long time to date someone.” He slowed the car as they approached a stop sign.
She agreed. The longest relationship she’d ever been in lasted only one year. It had been her sophomore year of college. For a short time, she’d thought maybe he was the one. When he told her he’d decided to join the Navy and they should end things, she’d been sad but oddly not heartbroken. Since then she’d dated other men, but she’d never found the one. At least not until that day on the beach when she realized she loved Warren. Unfortunately, he wasn’t an option. Or was he?
Ever since he stopped by her apartment on Thursday night he’d been sending her strange signals. First with his invitation to dinner on Valentine’s Day, and then by offering to be her date tonight. His behavior tonight only confused her more. In so many ways he’d acted more like a boyfriend tonight than just a friend. Did she dare interpret his actions as true romantic interest? Or had she been listening to Helen for too long?
“Mark and his girlfriend have been together for a while. He plans to propose soon.” He turned the corner and continued down the street.
She’d seen pictures of his brother Mark and Donna Belmont in magazines. They made a stunning couple. If they married their children would be gorgeous. An image of Warren proposing to someone like Mark’s girlfriend took shape and pain shot through Ruth’s chest. That was perhaps the worst part about loving someone like Warren Sherbrooke. The media loved him and printed everything they could about him. That meant when he got married, it would be plastered everywhere for her to see.
Ruth replaced the images of Warren marrying some rich snob with images from the wedding that afternoon. “I hope today wasn’t too awful for you.”
They stopped in front of her apartment. Before he answered, he put the car in neutral. “I had fun.”
“You don’t have to say that, Warren. You ended up on the dance floor half the night, and you hate dancing.” She picked up her purse, ready to exit the car and head inside.
“I’m being honest. I enjoyed myself.” His fingers touched her jaw. “I liked dancing with you.” His voice was tender and compassionate.
Ruth shifted in her seat. Had she really complained about how cold it was a little while ago? It wasn’t cold now. Would it look strange if she used her purse as a fan? Probably.
“Are we still on for tomorrow night?” Warren asked.
Warren never sounded like anything but sure of himself. Right at that moment Ruth thought she heard a hint of insecurity.
“Looking forward to it. Where are we going?” She suspected their dinner was the only thing she’d think about all day tomorrow.
“Some place special to me.”
That helped little when it came to picking out an outfit. “Now you’ve got me curious.”
“I am not saying another word.” Warren moved his hand then turned off the car. “Since you have to work tomorrow and it’s getting late, I’ll walk you inside.”
Ruth didn’t protest. Her shift at the hospital started at six o’clock. But even if she went inside now, she doubted she’d fall asleep anytime soon.
Warren walked her up to her third floor apartment and waited as she unlocked the door. “Thanks again for coming tonight.”
“Anytime.” He moved closer.
Ruth froze in place as he lowered his head. Then he pressed his lips against hers. A wave of heat washed over her, and if not for the snowflakes falling around them, her body would have thought it was the middle of July.
All too soon he lifted his head. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
Even as she watched his lips move, she could still feel them on hers. Warren kissed her. Her brain tried to wrap itself around that fact. While she’d experienced more passionate kisses than the one he’d just given her, none had engulfed her body in flames and chased every logical thought from her head like his did.
Unable to form words, Ruth nodded. It seemed like the appropriate thing to do.
“You better go inside before you freeze.”
She doubted there was any chance of that happening now. “Be careful driving home.” Ruth turned the doorknob and pushed open the door before she did something silly like kiss him again.
After she locked the door behind her, Ruth realized she still wore Warren’s jacket. The poor guy must have been so cold standing outside in nothing but his dress shirt. Or maybe not? Perhaps their kiss heated him up as much as it did her.
Ruth turned on all the lights and took off Warren’s jacket. While she no longer needed the warmth it provided, she was reluctant to part with it. “You’re acting like a ninny. It’s only a stupid jacket.” She hung it in the closet and changed for bed.
Sleep didn’t come right away. Instead of experiencing pleasant dreams, she stared at the ceiling and thought about Warren’s kiss. She could have happily stood outside all night kissing him. As the minutes on the clock ticked away, her thoughts turned to dinner tomorrow. His motive for inviting her out on Valentine’s Day still eluded her.
They’d eaten together plenty of times, but she knew their dinner tomorrow would be nothing like that. To start with it was Valentine’s Day. And he’d kissed her. If those two minor details weren’t enough to keep a girl awake, she didn’t know what would. Ruth flipped her pillow over and turned onto her other side. She had to get some sleep otherwise she’d never make it through her shift tomorrow.