“Like you don’t believe a word I’m saying.”
My eyes widened.Was I that obvious?Holy crap.But hedidn’t get it.He didn’t understand that there was a part of me, no matter howmuch attention or attraction he tossed in my direction or what he said, thatcouldn’t truly believe he really wanted all of this with me.
“That’s okay.”He tapped my hip with his hand, motioning meto get into the truck.I did just that, staring at him as he closed the doorand jogged around the front.When he climbed in, he started the truck, crankingup the air conditioner.Snagging aviator-style sunglasses off the visor, heslipped them on and looked over at me.“Do you know why it’s okay?”
I shook my head.“I’m guessing you’re going to tell me?”
His lips kicked up on one corner.“Nah, sweetheart, I’mgoing to show you.”
I’m going to show you.
Those words lingered in the back of my head throughoutdinner, a tantalizing distraction that resurfaced whenever our gazes collided.Conversation wasn’t lacking though.
While we waited for the food to arrive, along with the wine,we chatted about high school and he asked about college.I talked about what itwas like to live in a city like New York, and he’d admitted that he could neverhandle day in and day out in the city, not even Philadelphia.During thedinner, he led me into a conversation about editing, something that many peopleoutside of the publishing industry would have absolutely no interest in, but heseemed genuinely curious about it.
And when I started to go fan-girl over the authors I workedwith and hoped to work with in the future, he said I was cute.Again.
We didn’t talk about the investigation.I hadn’t brought itup, figuring it would kind of ruin the lovely dinner.
Sometimes I found myself missing what he was saying, justtiny bits, because as terrible as it sounded, I ended up just staring at him.It wasn’t just because he was that attractive.It was more than a physicalthing.A mixture of his charm and kindness, the fact that he was actually here,after all this time, having dinner with me, had a lot to do with it.And yeah,some of it had to do with him simply being so freaking hot.
And I was woman enough to admit that.
I had to wonder what people thought when they saw ustogether.Like when the waitress’s gaze lingered on Colton, what crossed hermind?Did she wonder how the hell I ended up on a date with someone likeColton, who was universally attractive?No one wanted to admit it, but I knewpeople thought things like that.Hell, I had.After all, if they didn’t, therewouldn’t be a thousand articles online showcasing couples that didn’t match onthe attractive scale.
Maybe I wasn’t giving myself enough credit.I didn’t want tothink about things like that right now, because the dinner was sort of perfect,and the steady internal stream of nonsense was ruining it.
Night had fallen when we left the restaurant and brightstars blanketed the onyx sky.He kept his hand on my lower back until wereached his truck.It was such a simple gesture, but I felt like there was somuch meaning to it.
The ride back to my place was quiet as I was lost in my ownthoughts, replaying the dinner over and over.I wasn’t even aware of the factthat we were at my house until he parked the truck.
I glanced at him in the dark interior of the truck, halfhopeful that he would come in and partly terrified that he would.
One hand rested on the steering wheel as his gaze met mineand held.His features were shadowed, so I had no idea what he was thinking.“Walk you to the door?”
“Sure.”Disappointment snapped at my heels.So he didn’twant to come in?Did I want him to come in?Colton dropped his hand from thesteering wheel and reached over, and as he unbuckled my seatbelt, his handbrushed along my stomach.A series of shivers danced over my skin.
Oh yeah, I wanted him to come in.Like that door was wideopen.
We walked to the front door, silent with the exception ofthe humming of crickets.I didn’t know what to say when we reached my door andI dug my keys out, unlocking it.I wished I could be brave and confident,invite him in with a sexy little grin, but it had been so long since I’d donethis.
Actually, I’d never really done this before.Kevin and I haddone the dating thing while in high school.Parents were involved then.Datesended at the door and picked up again with late-night phone calls.This was awhole different ballpark I had no experience in.I looked up at him, drawing ina shallow breath.
He was staring down at me, and even though I couldn’t seehis eyes, I couldfeelhis gaze, it was that intense.“I had a reallygood time tonight.”
“So did I.”I was breathless as I opened the door andstepped inside.When I turned to him and looked up once more, whatever I wasabout to say faded, lost in the space between us.
There was a certain intent to the line of his mouth, and Iknew before he even lowered his head, that he was going to kiss me.The breathI took got stuck in my throat as he cupped my cheek with one hand, tilting myhead back.He brushed his lips over mine like he had done the night before,tentative and questioning.There was something so sweet about the kiss as westood with me just inside the door and him leaning in.
Last night had been the first time I’d been kissed in fouryears.This being the second time, instinct quickly took over.Or maybe it wassimply just arousal.Pleasure darted as I tilted my head to the side, and whenthe tip of his tongue touched the seam of my mouth, sweetness was the furthestthing from my mind.
The kiss deepened as our tongues tangled.My hands ended upon his chest and his delved into my hair as his arm circled my waist, drawingme tight to his front.I felt him then, hard against my belly, and feeling justhow effected he was had my blood simmering.
The fear of things escalating took a backseat, still therebut not consuming my attention.I couldn’t think around his kisses, couldbarely breathe, and somehow, we were moving.I heard the door slam shut behindus and then my back was pressed against the wall and there was no space betweenus.
“I’ve been wanting to do that since I saw you in thisdress,” he admitted, and then kissed me before I could respond.
I clung to his shoulders as his hand slipped down my side,curling around my thigh, just below my hip, leaving behind a wake of shivers.
