He pushed away from the table and picked up the bowls. Turning away from the table, he spoke over his shoulder as he carried the dishes to the sink. “Why don’t you go into the front room and see what we can do for the remainder of the evening.”
Without answering, she left the table and entered the other room. As he stood by the sink, he breathed slowly, trying to keep his mind focused on the right things.
Assuming he had power over his wayward mind, he wandered into the front room. Brooke sat on the sofa closest to the fireplace. The afghan covered the lower half of her body. She turned, looked at him and smiled.
“Did you think of something we could do?” he asked.
She nodded and motioned with her hand for him to sit by her. With every step closer, his heart hammered faster. By the time he was next to her, he thought he would have a heart attack from the sheer torture it took to keep himself restrained.
“I thought we could... talk,” she began.
Inwardly, he groaned. She didn’t want to talk. By the way her passionate green eyes sparked with heat, and her full, pouty lips beckoned him to kiss them, he knew a conversation was not high on her list of things to do.
He took a deep breath. “What would you like to talk about?”
“I’ve realized I don’t know that much about you besides the fact that you went to school with Robin and her fiancé, Monroe.”
Inwardly, he groaned. She knew his last name, yet she hadn’t tied it in with him. That was good. He worried that telling her at this late point in time, she would hate him. He wouldn’t be able to handle it if she loathed him for keeping the truth from her.
Perhaps he should say something. They couldn’t stay in this cabin forever. Eventually, she’d find out, and he didn’t want her hearing it from anyone else but him.
Justin leaned closer, twisting a lock of her blonde hair around his finger. Her lilac scent stirred butterflies inside him, hinting of the passion he’d yet to taste. He wanted to hold and kiss her like never before. He couldn’t remember ever having this urgency to possess a woman heart and soul. He definitely never had those feelings with Robin.
Her silken hair slipped free as he stroked down her cheek with his knuckles. Smooth skin, delicate to the touch. Passion grew within him, fast, spreading through his body like wildfire.
He lifted the corner of his mouth in a half grin. “Brooke, are you sure you want me to talk about when I went to school with Robin and Monroe?”
Her lids lowered and her smile relaxed. “No.”
He wanted to sigh with relief, and yet at the same time, he knew what she wanted without her having to say anything.
He dropped his gaze to her tempting lips. “Tell me what you’re really thinking.”
Closing her eyes, she sighed and cuddled her face against his hand. “I want more of this.”
“More of what?” His voice came out abnormally low. He cupped her face and she looked at him.
“More snuggling, caressing, and kissing...”
Swiftly, he took her in his arms as his mouth swooped down on hers. She kissed him back with as much passion as what rushed through him. It felt like heaven kissing her, but he knew things had to stop. He didn’t want her thinking he took advantage of vulnerable women. He never had, and never would.
He withdrew and gazed into her questionable eyes. “Angel, we need to slow things down. As much as I enjoy how close we’re getting, the truth is, we really don’t know each other very well. And I want to know everything about you.”
She nodded. “You’re right. I do want to get to know you better, too.”
Smiling, he winked. Just as long as she didn’t ask him his last name. Softly, he pressed his lips to hers, brushing them across her mouth. “You know, when I first found you in the Jeep, I was upset about not having some privacy here at the cabin to think about my problems, but now I’m glad I wasn’t here alone.”
“You are?”
“Yes. I’m having a lot more fun with you here, and I’ve been able to actually relax and enjoy myself for the first time since my father died.”
Her smile softened. “When did your father die?”
After kissing her lips briefly, he reached down and pulled an edge of the afghan over his legs. Although telling her about his life wasn’t something he wanted to do, now would be the best time to tell her the truth. She’d been honest with him. Now it was his turn.
He adjusted himself on the couch so she wouldn’t have to strain her neck to look at him. “My father died four years ago of a heart attack. I’d been attending college when he died. After the funeral, Mother informed me that my father turned his company over to me, so not only was I trying to finish school, I was trying to run a big company.”
She reached up and caressed his cheek. “I’m sorry. You must have been extremely overworked and stressed beyond reason.”
