CHAPTER 6
TWO HOURS AFTER Caitlyn managed to refrain from tackling Kurt into her bed, they sat at her small table eating a platter of cut fruit. God, the look he’d given her when they discussed sleeping arrangements… She’d been tempted to stick her head in the freezer by the time she left the room.
He’d always been tempting, but she’d somehow managed to keep those feelingsunder lock and key around him. Well, except for that ill-advised kiss that ruined everything. But now, it was as if he’d taken a sledgehammer to the vault where she’d sequestered her desire and everything came pouring out, exciting and messy and unwelcome.
Kurt tapped her hand and she jumped. “Hey,” he said. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Just thinking about Rose.” As she should have been.
He covered herfingers with his warm hand. “We’ll get her.”
Caitlyn nodded and reluctantly slid her hand free.
“You know, if you’re going to be this jumpy around me at the party, no one will believe we’re really a couple.”
“Sorry. I’ll focus.” She couldn’t risk Glenn or Treavor Lambert seeing through their ruse. Rose’s life depended on it. Somehow she needed to relax and enjoy being with Kurt without losingherself to him.
“You shouldn’t have to. Being together needs to be easy. Second nature.”
She nodded.
“Maybe we should practice.” His suggestive grin had her swallowing hard.
“Practice, huh?” She slid her hand up his wrist, the hair on his muscular forearms soft against her fingertips. “Like this?”
His dark eyes gleamed as his smiled faded. “That’s a good start.” Raising his free hand, hestroked his thumb across her cheekbone.
It took all of her willpower to hold his gaze as his fingers slid behind her ear and down the sensitive skin of her neck. A shiver ran through her as he glanced at her lips and cupped the back of her head. Why couldn’t she just give in? For Rose. Maybe even for herself.
Kurt watched her, color rising in his cheeks as he leaned infinitesimally closer. Sheinhaled his subtle masculine scent and closed her eyes, narrowing the gap between them until her mouth unerringly found his, as inevitable and unavoidable as the nearby waves caressing the shore. His hot, soft lips pressed to hers, soothing, seeking, capturing.
He licked the outline of her upper lip and she gasped at the sparks that skated through her stomach. Rather than take advantage, he waited,pressing soft kisses to her mouth, tasting her lips until she finally broke and sought his tongue with her own. First contact sent a jolt through her body, and the room was suddenly sweltering. He tasted like pineapple and sex and something inexplicable and addictive. She wanted to crawl into his lap and—
Kurt broke the kiss, his breath coming fast and his dark eyes sparkling as he smiled. “That’smore like it.” He planted a quick kiss on her nose and straightened, releasing her and pulling free. “Act more like that and we’ll be fine tonight.”
What?
Pulling free of her grip, Kurt excused himself from the tiny cafe table and carried his plate into the kitchen with Rockley on his heels, as if they hadn’t just shared the hottest kiss she’d had since she gave in to her curiosity twelve yearsago.
Caitlyn forced herself to stop staring. How did he go from devouring her one minute to acting like they’d shared nothing but polite conversation the next?
“I should probably change if we’re going to leave soon,” he said, looking good enough to eat in a black T-shirt and tan cargo shorts.
In Caitlyn’s memories, Kurt had muscled thighs and calves covered in dark hair, so the sight of hisartificial legs was momentarily jarring. But women were probably as attracted to him now as they had been when she, Kurt, and Terrell had gone barhopping in OKC. Maybe more. His youthful arrogance had been replaced with a solemn confidence born of hardships and horrors she could only imagine.
“Will this interfere with our flight?” he asked, jerking his chin at the ceiling. Rain beat a steadyrhythm overhead, dripping from the sloped roof and splattering the windows.
Shaking her head to clear the fog in her brain, she said, “I doubt it. Showers rarely last long around here.”
“Mm.” He almost sounded disappointed.
The muscles in his forearms rippled as he dried his plate, and she had to look away. Good grief. She needed to get a grip. She could not get involved with Kurt. On the rareoccasions she got laid, she sought out a man she could guarantee she’d never see or do business with again. One who wouldn’t try to lay claim to her or start a relationship.
She wanted to see Kurt again after this week, and sex would complicate things.Not worth it.Hell, she didn’t even know the extent of his injuries. Maybe he couldn’t…
But damn if he didn’t smell delicious.
She cleared herthroat. “You want the bathroom or the bedroom first?”
