Allie stopped at the far wall. Considering her options, she released his arm and ran her hand over the green shades of soft fabric. “Something that
would make Leticia smile.”
“She used to smile all the time.” Mark paused. “I think this baby is stressing her out. But she smiled this morning. You’re good for her.” “Thanks.” Allie shrugged modestly.
Mark tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, his hand lingering. “You have that effect on people.”
“I’m just me.”
“You’re pretty.” He was going to say pretty great, but his voice died off when she leaned slightly into his palm.
They maintained eye contact, the air buzzing between them, until Allie turned her attention back to the fabric. She ran her hand down a dark green. “Why do you touch them like that?”
“How else are you going to know how the fabric feels against the skin?” she asked.
Mark hadn’t run his hand down her cheek and he was pretty sure her skin would be the softest thing he’d ever touched. While he was busy imagining what would happen after that, Allie took his hand and placed it on a cream-colored bolt. He looked down at her, their bodies close enough he could smell those magnolias.
“This is a cheap cotton.” Her voice took on an instructional tone. “It will do a fine job during construction, but will wear out quickly and is a little rough to touch.”
He nodded, not wanting to interrupt the familiarity she’d taken with his personal space. She picked up his hand and moved them two bolts over. “This is a high-quality cotton. Can you feel the difference?” “I feel something,” he whispered.
“Good,” she whispered back. Her hand shook as she moved him down the row. Had he caused that? “This is flannel—great for snuggling with baby.”
“Snuggling’s good.” His voice had this husky quality he hadn’t intended.
Allie trembled all over. She left his hand there and pulled a fuzzy fabric off the shelf. She looked over her shoulder in that way that he’d come to adore. Her hair sliding across her shoulders as she turned, all long and silky, and her eyes demure. She was too much for him. He tightened his grip on the fabric.
“But if you want the softest, you use minkie.” She reached up and brushed the fabric across his cheek, just above his three-day growth. “See?” she breathed.
He placed his hand over hers. “I like this.”
“Fabric shopping is the best.” She didn’t move, just stared into his eyes, searching. He so badly wanted to be what she was searching for. She leaned in and her lids half closed, her lips parting slightly. Mark had been so caught up in realizing how much he wanted Allie that he was a half-second behind her. Leaning down, he transferred the fabric to one hand and used the other to pull her body flush against his. She fit nicely againsthim. Small as she was, he could throw her over his shoulder and run for miles. He was tempted to do just that. Instead, he breathed in her scent, the flowers tickling his senses.
Their lips came together, hesitantly at first. Her fingertips skimming his neck and cheek until she gave herself over to the kiss.
Mark had never experienced a kiss so true, so … pure. She left no doubt in his mind that she’d wanted to kisshim. Not Slade McCoy or any of the other parts he’d played, but him. The intensity of the moment had him gasping for air.
Allie’s hand slid down to his shoulder and her forehead rested on his chin. Mark’s head spun with crazy thoughts. He couldn’t let this woman go —couldn’t let her leave his side, because she belonged there. Or rather, he belonged with her.
“So that’s the basics about fabric for baby blankets.” She cleared her throat.
She pushed the bolt of minkie between them and he grabbed hold out of reflex.
“You’ll need coordinating fabric for the back and of course some silk binding.” She dropped items into his arms as she spoke.
“Allie?” Mark followed behind her like a confused puppy. “Allie, I … we …”
She whirled on him, her eyes glossy. “Don’t.”
“But …” He groped for the words to express what surged inside. She held up her palm. “Please, don’t. I should have known better than to let that happen.”
“Known better? That was—amazing.”
She huffed out a breath. “This doesn’t happen for me.” She wagged her finger back and forth between them. “I’m not this lucky. Somehow, someway, it’s all going to end—don’t make it worse for me. Just let me have this and hold on to it without clogging it up with words.”
Mark clenched his teeth together. Here he was, ready to pour his heart out, and she’d stopped up the flow. Grabbing her hand, he pressed her palm to his chest. A soft gasp escaped her slightly swollen lips. Something intense flared between them. What was happening, the attraction and need to be close, was happening crazy fast. He didn’t mean to frighten her off. With a little time, she’d realize he wasn’t some fly-by-night playboy. She was right about one thing: words could clog this up. Thankfully, he was a man of action.
“Allie—we have a problem,” he said with as straight of a face as he could muster.Besides the fact that I screwed up my chance to whisk you away.
