Togethersounded good to him. And speaking of lunch, Sarah looked good enough to eat, dressed in jeans and a thin red sweater that hugged her upper body like a second skin. He’d held those breasts last night, had tasted the peaks of her nipples as he’d sucked them to life.
“Yeah, sure.” Cullen took a deep breath and tried to subtly shift the erection straining his jeans as he walked toward her. He exhaled slowly and studied her, feeling a hint of threat from the slender woman that made little sense. His eagle told him to be wary, but he could read nothing in her body language that hinted at danger, unless coming in his jeans would kill him.
Sarah didn’t look angry or sad, so his earlier avoidance hadn’t upset her. If anything, she looked happy. Damn, maybe he should disappear again tomorrow. “You okay?” he asked.
“Never better.”
Then she shocked the hell out of him. She closed the distance between them. Reaching up, she grabbed his neck and pulled him down for a helluva kiss, one he didn’t want to end. “Now come sit down next to me and enjoy this snack. Tell me more about your work. I’m interested in what you do, Cullen.”
Not sure what to make of any of it, Cullen sat next to her.
“Scotch or wine?”
“Ah, Scotch.”
He took the glass she poured him and sipped, wondering if he was still sleeping. For a minute, it felt as if he’d come home from a hard day’s work, his mate waiting for him with welcome and affection.
“Tell me all about woodworking,” she said, taking a square of cheese between her lips.
He answered absently, watching her chew and swallow. She drank wine, and the soft smell of alcohol enhanced the sweetness of her scent. His ears still ringing from the pleasure of her kiss, he tried to will away his arousal and make conversation.
It was some time later, when he was beating his foot in time with the music, that he realized he hadn’t stumbled once when talking to her. She seemed genuinely interested in his work, almost more excited from his new acceptance at several folk art galleries than he’d been.
“That’s terrific! So they’re going to sell select pieces as far away as New York?”
“Yeah.” He flushed with pride, not used to being praised so openly. His mother loved him, and his brothers took great pleasure in teasing him. He knew they liked his work, but they were family.
“Wow. I mean, I love the chairs and carvings you’ve done at the town center, but I’ve never seen your more intricate work.”
He cleared his throat. “Would you like to see the crib?”
“After lunch, sure.”
A sudden lull in the conversation unnerved him, because he could almost feel a spike in her energy. She looked nervous as well, further alarming him. He wondered what Sarah really had planned, and if he should heed that warning for caution in his mind. A female predator was always one to be wary of, even his beautiful Sarah.
