‘Iona, it feels casual to me.’ Or it would, once he’d made certain she was safe.
‘Are you sure?’
‘Sure I’m sure. Look, why don’t you unpack, get settled, check out the job situation in Monterey and then give me a call in a couple of days when you’re ready?’
The suggestion tasted like ash on his tongue. He didn’t want to leave—or stay away until she was ready to call him. But he needed to get this fling back on track. And this was exactly how he would have played things in the past.
‘I’d like to see you again,’ he continued. ‘And I’ve got the weekend free.’ His first in months, he thought, looking forward to the chance to see her again already. ‘But it’s your call, okay?’
Iona was right; last night had been spectacular—but neither one of them wanted this to be anything other than casual. Which meant he needed to back off, and get over the urge to take her to bed right this second. This had to be her choice. Not his.
; ‘Okay, that would be lovely,’ she said, the smile in her eyes turning the caramel to a rich chocolate. ‘And you’re sure it’s okay with your friend for me to stay?’
He sent her a long-suffering look.
‘All right, great. And thanks.’ She gave a little sigh of relief, the movement making her breasts move under her T-shirt.
The desire to cup the ripe flesh in his palms and tease the nipples into tight buds with his teeth was so acute he could taste her. He forced his gaze back to her face and watched the lids on her sultry golden eyes go heavy with the same longing.
‘Good luck with your job hunt,’ he murmured. ‘But don’t forget to call me this time.’
Three days, Montoya. You can last till Saturday. Then she can call you, and there won’t be any more confusion about just how casual this is.
He picked up her sketch, but left the crumpled bills beside the phone as he crossed to the door.
‘But what about what I owe you?’ she asked as he opened the door.
‘We can settle up once you’ve got a job.’ Or more like when hell froze over, but that was an argument for another day.
‘Okay, if you’re sure.’
‘I am.’ Cradling her cheek, he gave her a light teasing kiss, but forced himself to pull back when her lips parted, inviting him in.
Not yet, but soon.
He brushed his thumb across her chin, enjoying the look of stunned passion. ‘I’ll see you Saturday.’
Her lips curved, the smile quick and spontaneous.
‘I’ll be looking forward to it,’ she said, the burr of her accent smoky with need.
Not as much as I will be, querida.
CHAPTER EIGHT
‘ZANE, YOU’RE HERE.’
Zane’s gut tightened as he lifted Iona’s fingers to his lips and buzzed a kiss across her knuckles. ‘I thought we had a date.’
Colour flared in her cheeks and he grinned.
‘Oh, yes, now I remember,’ she said, the coy words somewhat contradicted by the dancing light in her eyes.
What the heck had possessed him to suggest they go for a drive? After three torturous days of waiting to have her again?
‘I’ll get my coat,’ she said.