“Because.” On impulse, she planted her butt on the railing and pushed off. Mac’s arms came out of their own volition to catch her as she flew off the end. “It was made for sliding,” she said breathlessly. She was laughing as she tilted her head up to his.
Something clicked inside her when their eyes met. And the fluttering, not so pleasant this time, came again. Disconcerted, she cleared her throat and searched for something to say.
“You keep popping up,” Mac muttered. He had yet to release her, couldn’t seem to make his hands obey his head.
“It’s a small town.”
He only shook his head. His hands were at her waist now, and they seemed determined to slide around and stroke up her back. He thought he felt her tremble—but it might have been him.
“I don’t have time for women,” he told her, trying to convince himself.
“Well.” She tried to swallow, but there was something hard and hot lodged in her throat. “I’m pretty busy myself.” She let out a slow breath. Those hands stroking up and down her back were making her weak. “And I’m not really interested. I had a really bad year, as far as relationships go. I think …”
It was very hard to think. His eyes were such a beautiful shade of blue, and so intensely focused on hers. She wasn’t sure what he saw, or what he was looking for, but she knew her knees were about to give out.
“I think,” she began again, “we’d both be better off if you decide fairly quickly if you’re going to kiss me or not. I can’t handle this much longer.”
Neither could he. Still, he took his time. He was, in all things, a thorough and thoughtful man. His eyes were open and on hers as he lowered his head, as his mouth hovered a breath from hers, as a small, whimpering moan sounded in her throat.
Her vision dimmed as his lips brushed hers. His were soft, firm, terrifyingly patient. The whisper of contact slammed a punch into her stomach. He lingered over her like a gourmet sampling delicacies, deepening the kiss degree by staggering degree until she was clinging to him.
No one had ever kissed her like this. She hadn’t known anyone could. Slow and deep and dreamy. The floor seemed to tilt under her feet as he gently sucked her lower lip into his mouth.
She shuddered, groaned, and let herself drown.
She was very potent. The scent and feel and taste of her was overwhelming. He knew he could lose himself here, for a moment, for a lifetime. Her small, tight body was all but plastered to his. Her hands clutched his hair. In contrast to that aggressive gesture, her head fell limply back in a kind of sighing surrender that had his blood bubbling.
He wanted to touch her. His hands were aching with the need to peel off layer after layer and find the pale, smooth skin beneath. To test himself, and her, he slipped his fingers under her sweater, along the soft, hot flesh of her back, while his mouth continued its long, lazy assault on hers.
He imagined laying her down on the floor, on a tarp, on the grass. He imagined watching her face as he pleasured them both, feeling her arch toward him, open, accepting.
It had been too long, he told himself as his muscles began to coil and his lungs to labor. It had just been too long.
But he didn’t believe it. And it frightened him.
Unsteady, he lifted his head, drew back. Even as he began the retreat, she leaned against him, letting her head fall onto his chest. Unable to resist, he combed his fingers through her hair and cradled her there.
“My head’s spinning,” she murmured. “What was that?”
“It was a kiss, that’s all.” He needed to believe that. It would help to ease the tightness around his heart and his loins.
“I think I saw stars.” Still staggered, she shifted so that she could look up at him. Her lips curved, but her eyes didn’t echo the smile. “That’s a first for me.”
If he didn’t do something fast, he was going to kiss her again. He set her firmly on her feet. “It doesn’t change anything.”
“Was there something to change?”
The light was nearly gone now. It helped that he couldn’t see her clearly in the gloom. “I don’t have time for women. And I’m just not interested in starting anything.”
“Oh.” Where had that pain come from? she wondered, and had to fight to keep from rubbing a hand over her heart. “That was quite a kiss, for a disinterested man.” Reaching down, she scooped up the briefcase she’d dropped before she’d run up the stairs. “I’ll get out of your way. I wouldn’t want to waste any more of your valuable time.”
“You don’t have to get huffy about it.”
“Huffy.” Her teeth snapped together. She jabbed a finger into his chest. “I’m well beyond huffy, pal, and working my way past steamed. You’ve got some ego, Mac. What, do you think I came around here to seduce you?”
“I don’t know why you came around.”
“Well, I won’t be around again.” She settled her briefcase on her shoulder, jerked her chin up. “Nobody twisted your arm.”
