“Sure was. But we make a damn good team.”
“We really do.” Finished, she had no reason to linger in the hallway. But some inexplicable force held her to him. If she were bolder, if she were the type of woman who could handle casual sex, she’d lift that T-shirt up and run her hands all over his abs and across his pecs. She’d press against him to feel his hardness everywhere. But she wasn’t that woman. “Well, goodnight.” She put the hammer in the toolbox, and he dumped in the nails.
Before she could go, he grasped her wrist. “This afternoon, you said you might do something crazy. Just so we’re clear, you can kiss me anytime you like.”
Her blood went hot. The only sound in her body was her heart beating like a drum. She had no words, no witty comeback. Nothing but a need so wild she got up on her toes and set her hands on his chest. “Okay, maybe just one.” And she kissed him.
Soft lips. Warm. Just a hint of hot chocolate. He opened his mouth slightly—enough for her to get that hit of what it would be like to lose herself in this man.
And it was so delicious, so seductive, that she pulled away.
Wrong place. Wrong time.
Wrong man.
If touching her lips to his could send her up in flames, what would it be like to get closer? It would be all-consuming.
And she couldn’t do that.
No. I’m here for the girls.
She started to walk away.
“Hold on.”
At his command, her steps faltered. Desire had her in its painful grip, arousing her nipples to hard peaks and stroking a pulse between her thighs. She wanted him so much.
“Let me just say one thing. What’s happening between us is not because of our situation. It’s not because we’re stuck in a house together.”
Finally, she relented. It was time to stop lying to herself. “Yeah, I know. I’m just not sure what to do about it. Because no matter what’s going on here”—she waved a finger between them—“our focus has to be on getting the girls through this awful time.”
“No.” His features hardened. “I don’t agree.” He came up to her, caging her against the wall. “That night—”
“Oh, no, you don’t.” She tried to dart out from under him. “We’re not talking about a date from ten years ago.”
But he didn’t budge. “We sure as hell are.” And his firm tone brooked no argument.
It was obviously important to him, so she gave him her full attention.
“I wanted to impress you.” He let out a frustrated breath. “No, I wanted you to like me. When Mrs. DeMarco asked where you’d moved from, you said, ‘I’ve lived everywhere.’ And then you said, ‘Well, except Washington State. I’ve never been there.’”
“Wait,that’swhy you took me there?”
“Yeah, and I knew you wouldn’t want some snooty dinner in Seattle, so I thought Snoqualmie Falls would be good and…” Bright pink blossomed on his cheeks. “Romantic.”
“Itwasgood. It was amazing.” They’d sat at a window overlooking a waterfall. “I can’t think of anything more romantic.” His body heat warmed her, and the energy between them crackled. Her gaze traced the bow of his plump upper lip, and she wanted a deeper taste of him.
“But I took it too far. I should’ve brought you home after dinner.”
That’s for sure.“Why didn’t you? If it had just been dinner, everything would’ve turned out differently.”
His gaze cut away sharply. Whatever she’d said had hit him hard. It took him a moment to recover.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “What did I say?”
“Nothing. It’s just… I know that, and I regret it. I regret a lot of things I’ve taken too far.”
“I don’t understand, though. Why did you bring me to that party? Why did we have to see your hockey friends?”