He was close enough to kiss her.
Chapter Fourteen
HOLDING RUTHANN WASeverything Nate had dreamed it would be. She was soft and warm in his arms, her body leaning against his from where he’d broken her fall, his strength holding her up, and her sweet, flushed face tilted toward him.
She blinked, those gorgeous blue eyes finally seeming to take in what had happened. Her cheeks went scarlet, and all he wanted to do was press his lips against hers. It would be easy. In just a fraction of a second he could dip his head and taste her sweet kiss again, the way he had all those years ago.
The thought was like a roaring fire in his mind, blocking out all other sound and presence around him. It was only Ruthann and himself. Nothing else mattered.
Her eyes fluttered shut, almost as if she expected him to kiss her. The fire grew, and his mind spun.
Theyweremarried, weren’t they?
Stuart would never need to know. It would be only one kiss. Didn’t he deserve some sliver of happiness after all he’d experienced?
Stifling a groan, Nate closed his eyes. He couldn’t do this, could he?
Hecould.
He opened his eyes again. She was still there, an angel in his arms. She didn’t push him away. What was it she’d said last night? That no other man had ever measured up to him. Tohim.
How he’d dreamed of hearing her say such a thing. It had caught him entirely by surprise, and the guilt—oh, the guilt was all-consuming.
He’d been the reason she had never married.
And the way she stayed so still in his arms now, the trusting way she leaned against him, it was as if she wanted him to kiss her.
Ruthann, his wife.Hiswife.
And suddenly, he didn’t care about anything but her and how right it felt to hold her in his arms. He moved closer to her lips and—
The front door opened, and with it came Stuart’s voice. “Nate! Are you here?”
Nate jumped away from Ruthann as if she were made of the very fire that had been consuming his mind. She appeared dazed as he let go, and she grabbed on to the arm of the settee as if to steady herself. Nate whirled around, just as Stuart stepped through the doorway.
“I’m sorry, am I interrupting? Do you have customers?” Stuart’s eyes searched the room, and, upon finding no one else present, his gaze returned to Nate and Ruthann.
