“Lesley,” he asked anxiously, “are you all right?”
“I...I think so.”
“What happened?”
“I was trying to find a flashlight and the drawer fell.”
“Why are you sucking your finger?”
“Because it’s bleeding.”
“Let me see.”He maneuvered his way through the mess on the floor and took her hand.
“It’s fine.I think I caught it on the end of an open pocketknife.”
“Serves you right,” he admonished gently.
A tingling warmth was spreading up to her elbow from his gentle but firm touch.He set the flashlight on the counter and turned the palm of her hand over to better examine the small cut.“It doesn’t look too bad.Have any bandages handy?”
“The bathroom,” she supplied.
The flashlight on the counter dimmed and within seconds had faded completely.
“Oh, great.”
“No need to panic,” Cole muttered with an edge of impatience.
“I’m not panicking,” she denied.“I’ll get mine.It should be down here somewhere.”She took a tentative step and her footencountered a spool of thread.“Oh,” she gasped and flung her hands out to catch herself.
Cole wrapped his arms around her waist and caught her just as she started to fall.“It’s dangerous just being around you.”
Lesley’s senses were clamoring at his nearness, and she required a couple of seconds to recover from the impact of being held by Cole.
Cole was just as affected.Lesley could feel the battle that seemed to be going on inside him.He tensed and inhaled deeply; his warm breath fanned the side of her face near her temple.
Lesley didn’t swallow, didn’t move.Instinct demanded that she turn into his arms, but she resisted.Her throat felt dry and scratchy.
“Lesley.”He murmured her name softly.His arms turned so that only a few scant inches separated them.Gently a finger caressed her cheek and wandered to her lips in sweet, burning exploration.
Softly she moaned at the pure pleasure of his touch.“Cole.”His name came in the form of a husky whisper.
His hand curved around the back of her neck, tilting her head up to meet his descending mouth.
Lesley released a slow sigh as she slipped her hands up to rest on the muscular curve of his shoulders.Her lips parted in response as he kissed her.Joyfully her heart burst into a wild, welcoming song.
The contact deepened as Cole pulled her tighter against him.The melody continued as he kissed her again and again in jubilant reprise.Lesley locked her arms around his neck.It felt so right, so good.She’d been kissed before, but not like this.Never had she wanted anything more than to be held by Cole.
Abruptly his hands closed over her wrists and firmly pulled her free.His fingers continued to grip hers.
Lesley’s eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and she noted the harsh twist of Cole’s mouth.
“That shouldn’t have happened.”
Was that regret she heard?“You kissed me,” she whispered, her voice low and slightly shaky.“It’s not that big a deal.”She strove to sound flippant and unaffected.
“You don’t understand.”He raked his fingers through the tousled dark hair.
“No, I don’t.”
