Chapter 19
When he pulled over by her house, she remained seated.
They both turned to look at each other in the orange glow of dusk.
“Thank you,” she said, when what she actually wanted to ask was, “Do you want to come in?” and what she really wanted was to continue being warmed by that gaze of his that was a mix of soft and scalding, caressing and penetrating. She wanted to know more about him and liked that she could admit things about herself.
Maybe they could be friends, a little voice in her whispered. But it was drowned by the roar of laughter of the rest of her. Because what her body desired was to feel this mouth of his everywhere on her. Everywhere. Just the thought made her pulsate. And that gap between his shirt and skin would be her undoing.
But her logic said that, while he denied it, she thought he was exactly the type to swallow the world whole, and she was the type that would anchor someone like him behind. She had been led to feel like she had done that before. She wouldn’t let it happen again. So, she unbuckled, instead.
“Thanks for today,” she repeated.
“It was my pleasure,” Jordan said. “Not to find you crying, but … the rest. Are you okay now?”
Damn him. Why did he have to make it so hard?
She smiled. “Yeah. Thanks.” After another beat, she bit her lip, stopping the words that now threatened to come out, then opened the door. “Have a good trip back to D.C.”
“Thanks, Hope.” His eyes grew darker brown.
She wasn’t sure what she could see there, but it was like standing close to a volcano—feeling the heat and sensing an approaching eruption. She noticed the flexing muscle in his jaw.
When he drove away, she went in, thoroughly regretting that she wasn’t more brazen, but comforting herself that her logic was impeccable.