“So what!”she spat angrily.“That isn’t the worst thing that could happen to me.I might have blocked Christ out of mylife.I might never have known God’s love.”Or yours,she added silently.“But...but you’re right about one thing, Jordan Kiley,” she said, her voice wobbling.“Maybe it is time I woke up.”Angrily she jerked open the car door.
“Skye.”The grim authority in his voice stopped her.“I wouldn’t, if I were you.”
“May I remind you this is the real world.I’ll do darn well as I please.”With a quickness born of anger, she jerked herself upright, ready to slam the car door.
“Skye, please.”His voice was an odd mixture of fury and pleading.
Unsure, she paused, taking several breaths to release the tension.
Both were silent for several minutes.
Finally Jordan opened his car door and stood.“Invite me in for coffee.”
Numbly she nodded.
Neither of them was interested in coffee, although Skye made the pretense of putting water on to boil.“All I have is instant.”
“Fine,” he muttered.
She stood with her back to him in the kitchen waiting for the kettle to whistle.With her thoughts a jumbled mess, she didn’t want to face Jordan, not yet.
Suddenly he was there, behind her.Skye could feel his breath stirring her hair; then his hand cupped her shoulder, pulling her against him.Weakly she submitted to the potency of his unspoken command.Silently she turned, her arms sliding around him, his chest a cushion where she could hear the ragged pounding of his heart.His fingers tunneled through her hair, molding her head against him.
“I didn’t mean that,” he said at last, his voice raspy.
She lifted her face, her eyes meeting his.She understood his message.
His finger lightly touched her lips before lifting her chin to meet his descending mouth.The kiss began gently and fleetingly but deepened until Jordan shuddered and firmly closed his mouth over hers.When his tongue outlined her lips, Skye groaned and moved away slightly.They were tampering with temptations beyond their strength.
“Skye,” he groaned into her hair.“I think you better make us that coffee.”
Still dazed, she blinked her round eyes.
“Would you like me to do it?”He brought down two mugs from the cupboard, more in command of his senses than she.
“I’ll...I’ll pour, thanks.”She was composed by the time she brought their coffee into the living room.“Before I forget, Janey needs your address.She wants to write you a thank-you note.It was thoughtful of you to buy her such a nice gift.”
“My pleasure.”He took the pen and pad from the coffee table and scribbled a few lines in bold, even strokes.
“How much time do we have tomorrow before your date?”Jordan demanded, and frowned.
“All day, really.”She wasn’t looking forward to this blind date.“Sally said I should be ready around seven thirty.”
He nodded, his brows knitting together in an expression of disapproval.
“Can we go sailing tomorrow?”She didn’t want to end the evening with another argument and hoped to steer their conversation away from any unpleasantness.“Brad and I share ownership in a small twenty-one-foot sloop.I think you’ll like it.”
Jordan grinned and gave an approving nod.“As long as it’s understood I’m the captain and you’re the crew.”
“Yes, sir.”She saluted him enthusiastically.
“I’ll tolerate no insubordination,” he said crisply.
“None, sir.”
A grin twitched at the corners of his mouth.“I could get to like this.All right, your first command is to walk me to the door and kiss me good night.”
“Right away, sir.”She did as he requested, and by the time Jordan left the only thing cool was their coffee.
