Page 25

Retreat! Retreat! my brain screamed.

“The thing is, I’d like to think we’ve become pretty good friends over the last couple of weeks. Am I wrong?”

“No.”

She studied me, clearly trying to figure out where I was going with this. I wish I knew myself.

“Friends aren’t a bother,” I finally settled on. “But the thing is, I’d really like to do more than just sleep with you.”

Katy looked relieved. “If we’re being honest, you’ve had me hot and bothered all week. But you were very clear about your feelings for me and what you want, and I don’t want to lead you on. It wouldn’t be fair to you.”

“You said you were ‘maybe’ starting to have feelings for me,” I reminded her.

She looked embarrassed, like it was something she should be ashamed of. I reached across the table and took her hand in mine.

“There’s no harm in us dating and seeing where things go, is there?” I asked. “I’m not trying to put pressure on you, but I think it’s obvious after the last two weeks that something is happening between us, like it or not, and we’re both feeling it. I’m not asking you for a commitment right now, just that we move things to the next level.”

She stared at me, emotions flitting across her face. I waited, giving her time to respond.

“I don’t know how to do this, Andrew. How to be in a relationship. If I’m being totally honest, the idea of it scares me. But…,” she squeezed my hand. “I’m willing to take a chance. No promises though, okay?”

“Okay, sounds good,” I said mildly.

In my mind I was jumping up and down, pumping my fist and cheering. I’d been pretty sure she was going to shut me down. I couldn’t believe she’d actually agreed. Dating was step one, then we could go from there.

“Now how about you finish your pho so I can take you home and ravish you?”

Katy raised her free hand to flag down a passing server. “Can we take this to go, please?”

After they’d boxed up our food and I’d paid the check, we set off for my house at a fast pace. In Lawson almost everything was less than a mile away, so most of us walked everywhere. People who were raised here in the mountain town were a hardy bunch. We didn’t let things like snow or cold weather keep us from getting our exercise.

When we reached my driveway we simultaneously broke into a run, racing up the porch and through the front door. I dropped our leftovers on the nearest surface, then spun Katy around until her back was against the front door. Then I crowded close and kissed her, long and deep.

While we kissed, I slid her jacket off her shoulders and unbuttoned her shirt. Meanwhile Katy did her best to relieve me of my jacket before tearing my knit hat off my head and unfastening my belt.

I pulled away, breathing heavily and nearly dizzy with my desire to make this woman mine.

“We should probably go into the bedroom,” I said regretfully. “As hot as the idea of fucking you against the door is, neither of us is in our twenties and I have to be honest when I say I do my best work on a soft surface.”

Katy burst out laughing. “Such a sweet talker.”

She grabbed my hand and led me to my bedroom. “Get naked,” she instructed.

“Yes ma’am.”

I unbuttoned my shirt but got distracted when she pulled of her shirt and then removed her bra, freeing her breasts. I’d always been a breast man and hers were magnificent. Large, but not too large, and tear drop shaped with dark pink nipples.

Unable to resist, I stepped closer and leaned down to pull a nipple into my mouth.

“Andrew,” she gasped.

Using my fingers to tease her other nipple, I drew more of her breast into my mouth, adding suction and sliding my tongue back and forth across the nipple.

Katy’s hands slid down to my waistband, then I heard my zipper open. Slipping her hand into my boxers, she wrapped her fingers around my already hard dick. It twitched in her hand, and she chuckled against my lips.

“You’ve been very patient,” she whispered. “I feel like you deserve a treat.”

Then she dropped to her knees.