hell—he was only human.
The kiss began tentatively. Warm, hard lips brushed against soft, moist ones. Within seconds it turned into something altogether different. Something wild, demanding. Something dangerous.
Jax twisted his head for better contact, at the same time thrusting against her in a way that was unmistakably carnal. Heart racing, hands trembling, he was torn between the temptation to cover her firm bottom with both hands and grind her groin against his, and the equally strong temptation to fill both his hands with her breasts.
He tasted her tears, thought how fragile she felt in his arms, how incredibly desirable. How much he would like to lay her on the floor, uncover her treasures one by one and bury himself in her feminine depths.
Trouble, Powers. Better back off while you still can. Remember that pair in the elevator?
Nice try, but it wasn’t working. He broke away, muttered an apology, then quickly found her mouth again. She was like a hungry bird, open and waiting for him.
In the end it was Hetty whose good sense prevailed. She turned her head, gasping to catch her breath. “We can’t—I shouldn’t—you don’t—”
Leaning his forehead against hers, he laughed harshly and said, “All of the above.” He might have released her then, but for the embarrassingly obvious bulge in the front of his flannels.
It was Hetty who took the initiative by stepping away. “I don’t know what happened,” she said with all the dignity she could muster, considering she’d been ready a minute before to lie down and take a stranger into her body.
She waited. She had her flaws, every one of which she’d been recently reminded of by her stepson-in-law. But dishonesty wasn’t among them, so she added, “Well, that’s not really true.”
Jax turned his back to her, braced one arm against the wall, then leaned his forehead against it. She stared at his back, wanting to touch him again—needing the warmth and strength he possessed. Feeling awkward, she wondered if he was as embarrassed as she was by what had just happened. For a woman who’d been married as long as she had—a grandmother, for heaven’s sake—she was behaving like a teenager.
Worse. Jeannie had known more about such things at fourteen than Hetty did at thirty-seven.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I could do with a drink of water,” she said brightly.
He made a sound that defied interpretation just as the loudspeaker crackled and a voice came on with an announcement.
Four
E xcitement hummed throughout the giant airport, its terminals flung out like the tentacles of an octopus. Finally things were beginning to move! A fleet of scrapers was fanning out toward the runways. The cold front had moved out over the Atlantic; Norfolk and Atlanta would be up and running within the hour. Further bulletins would be issued as flights were rescheduled.
The announcement could be heard echoing throughout the terminal, accompanied by tired cheers as people began gathering up their possessions.
Not Hetty. She had nothing to gather. She had searched the bathroom for her purse and Jax had checked with security again, as well as lost and found.“Well,” she said decisively. Forcing a smile, she fought back the panic that threatened to overcome her again.
Dear Lord, what was she going to do? Traveler’s aid? She’d seen a sign about halfway down the corridor, but the crowd around it had been so thick, she hadn’t even attempted to get through.
Besides, what could they do? Offer condolences? They certainly weren’t going to offer her money, which was what she needed. If they handed out loans to every fly-by-night stranger who asked, they’d be out of business in no time.
She was going to have to call her friend at the agency. The 800 number had been busy every time she’d tried, but sooner or later she was bound to get through. If not, she would have to reverse the charges and call her stepdaughter.
But what if Jeannie wasn’t
The kiss began tentatively. Warm, hard lips brushed against soft, moist ones. Within seconds it turned into something altogether different. Something wild, demanding. Something dangerous.
Jax twisted his head for better contact, at the same time thrusting against her in a way that was unmistakably carnal. Heart racing, hands trembling, he was torn between the temptation to cover her firm bottom with both hands and grind her groin against his, and the equally strong temptation to fill both his hands with her breasts.
He tasted her tears, thought how fragile she felt in his arms, how incredibly desirable. How much he would like to lay her on the floor, uncover her treasures one by one and bury himself in her feminine depths.
Trouble, Powers. Better back off while you still can. Remember that pair in the elevator?
Nice try, but it wasn’t working. He broke away, muttered an apology, then quickly found her mouth again. She was like a hungry bird, open and waiting for him.
In the end it was Hetty whose good sense prevailed. She turned her head, gasping to catch her breath. “We can’t—I shouldn’t—you don’t—”
Leaning his forehead against hers, he laughed harshly and said, “All of the above.” He might have released her then, but for the embarrassingly obvious bulge in the front of his flannels.
It was Hetty who took the initiative by stepping away. “I don’t know what happened,” she said with all the dignity she could muster, considering she’d been ready a minute before to lie down and take a stranger into her body.
She waited. She had her flaws, every one of which she’d been recently reminded of by her stepson-in-law. But dishonesty wasn’t among them, so she added, “Well, that’s not really true.”
Jax turned his back to her, braced one arm against the wall, then leaned his forehead against it. She stared at his back, wanting to touch him again—needing the warmth and strength he possessed. Feeling awkward, she wondered if he was as embarrassed as she was by what had just happened. For a woman who’d been married as long as she had—a grandmother, for heaven’s sake—she was behaving like a teenager.
Worse. Jeannie had known more about such things at fourteen than Hetty did at thirty-seven.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I could do with a drink of water,” she said brightly.
He made a sound that defied interpretation just as the loudspeaker crackled and a voice came on with an announcement.
Four
E xcitement hummed throughout the giant airport, its terminals flung out like the tentacles of an octopus. Finally things were beginning to move! A fleet of scrapers was fanning out toward the runways. The cold front had moved out over the Atlantic; Norfolk and Atlanta would be up and running within the hour. Further bulletins would be issued as flights were rescheduled.
The announcement could be heard echoing throughout the terminal, accompanied by tired cheers as people began gathering up their possessions.
Not Hetty. She had nothing to gather. She had searched the bathroom for her purse and Jax had checked with security again, as well as lost and found.“Well,” she said decisively. Forcing a smile, she fought back the panic that threatened to overcome her again.
Dear Lord, what was she going to do? Traveler’s aid? She’d seen a sign about halfway down the corridor, but the crowd around it had been so thick, she hadn’t even attempted to get through.
Besides, what could they do? Offer condolences? They certainly weren’t going to offer her money, which was what she needed. If they handed out loans to every fly-by-night stranger who asked, they’d be out of business in no time.
She was going to have to call her friend at the agency. The 800 number had been busy every time she’d tried, but sooner or later she was bound to get through. If not, she would have to reverse the charges and call her stepdaughter.
But what if Jeannie wasn’t
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