you. And I’m glad. I won’t have to bend so far to kiss you.” The words were so softly spoken they barely reached her ears. Strange sensations went zigzag along her nerve endings. She wanted to say something flip and clever, but his hands were on her back—almost the only place on her body spared the laceration of the flying glass—and the sensuous dance of his fingertips made rational thought impossible.
“You’re a fraud, my Guinevere. On the surface you appear to be a typical example of an extremely liberated woman, but underneath you’re soft, vulnerable, and would like very much to have someone to lean on, to share life’s joys and sorrows with. I intend to be that man and you might as well accept it.” He smiled, the firm lips flattened against even white teeth. The smile was wicked, teasing, and jarred her to her senses.
“Why do you always have to say something that makes me angry!” She hoped desperately that he didn’t know how nervous and excited she was.
He chuckled softly, his face alive with amusement.
“Somehow I can’t resist. You respond to teasing so beautifully.” His hand was beneath the hair at the back of her neck and he applied a small amount of pressure. “Lay your head on my shoulderfor just a moment and see how comforting it is. I won’t hold you tightly, though I want to.” His soft voice droned on with those unreal words and she found herself obeying. “Is this your injured breast?” Gentle fingertips on her bandaged breast accompanied the question.
“Yes,” she murmured quietly.
They stood for a long moment, her smooth cheek resting against his shoulder, his large hands moving gently over her back. Casey closed her eyes and let her other senses take over. She felt the soft texture of his shirt, heard the thump of his heartbeat, smelled the now familiar mint smell of his breath. It was pleasant, comforting to be embraced by strong arms, sheltered … cherished.
Her eyes flew open. What was the matter with her? What was she doing? She couldn’t let herself depend on this man, or any man!
“No. No …” he said softly as he felt her withdrawal. “Stay here and kiss me good-bye. You’re like a bird fluttering its wings. C’mon, kiss me. You’ll have ten days to think about whether you liked it or not.”
Without thinking, she closed her eyes, lifted her face, and offered her lips. His lips pressed upon hers gently, tenderly, and Casey’s gave quick answer, returning warm, fleeting kisses. A warm tide of contentment came over her as she realized there was no urgency in his kiss. Her mouth trembled under his.
“No maid of my dreams could taste so sweet, my Guinevere,” he breathed against her lips.
The eyes that looked into hers grew radiant, sending her senses reeling, and then there was again the soft union of lips and tongues as their mouths parted. They clung to each other with a leisurely sweetness unaware of the passing time. Then he moved away from her.
“Take care of yourself while I’m gone.”
“You, too,” she murmured shyly.
He smiled and placed a whisper of a kiss on her lips before he turned sharply and left the room.
Casey looked at the closed door and wondered what strange madness possessed her when she was with Dan. More than likely, she thought, that was the last she’d ever see of Mr. Dan Murdock. Kissing him had been a delightful interlude, but now it was over. She could set her mind to more important matters.
She took off her robe and climbed into bed, but somehow her mind refused to take up the more important matters, and continued to dwell on a tall, dark-haired man.
Four
“Y ou’re sure you’ll be all right?”
Casey grinned at her friend Judy. “No. I’m going to pop all my stitches and you’ll have to call the paramedics.”
“My wiseacre friend’s back.” Judy sighed and handed Casey a frosty glass wrapped in a paper napkin. “Drink this daiquiri and tell me why you got the wild notion to come home.”
“I
“You’re a fraud, my Guinevere. On the surface you appear to be a typical example of an extremely liberated woman, but underneath you’re soft, vulnerable, and would like very much to have someone to lean on, to share life’s joys and sorrows with. I intend to be that man and you might as well accept it.” He smiled, the firm lips flattened against even white teeth. The smile was wicked, teasing, and jarred her to her senses.
“Why do you always have to say something that makes me angry!” She hoped desperately that he didn’t know how nervous and excited she was.
He chuckled softly, his face alive with amusement.
“Somehow I can’t resist. You respond to teasing so beautifully.” His hand was beneath the hair at the back of her neck and he applied a small amount of pressure. “Lay your head on my shoulderfor just a moment and see how comforting it is. I won’t hold you tightly, though I want to.” His soft voice droned on with those unreal words and she found herself obeying. “Is this your injured breast?” Gentle fingertips on her bandaged breast accompanied the question.
“Yes,” she murmured quietly.
They stood for a long moment, her smooth cheek resting against his shoulder, his large hands moving gently over her back. Casey closed her eyes and let her other senses take over. She felt the soft texture of his shirt, heard the thump of his heartbeat, smelled the now familiar mint smell of his breath. It was pleasant, comforting to be embraced by strong arms, sheltered … cherished.
Her eyes flew open. What was the matter with her? What was she doing? She couldn’t let herself depend on this man, or any man!
“No. No …” he said softly as he felt her withdrawal. “Stay here and kiss me good-bye. You’re like a bird fluttering its wings. C’mon, kiss me. You’ll have ten days to think about whether you liked it or not.”
Without thinking, she closed her eyes, lifted her face, and offered her lips. His lips pressed upon hers gently, tenderly, and Casey’s gave quick answer, returning warm, fleeting kisses. A warm tide of contentment came over her as she realized there was no urgency in his kiss. Her mouth trembled under his.
“No maid of my dreams could taste so sweet, my Guinevere,” he breathed against her lips.
The eyes that looked into hers grew radiant, sending her senses reeling, and then there was again the soft union of lips and tongues as their mouths parted. They clung to each other with a leisurely sweetness unaware of the passing time. Then he moved away from her.
“Take care of yourself while I’m gone.”
“You, too,” she murmured shyly.
He smiled and placed a whisper of a kiss on her lips before he turned sharply and left the room.
Casey looked at the closed door and wondered what strange madness possessed her when she was with Dan. More than likely, she thought, that was the last she’d ever see of Mr. Dan Murdock. Kissing him had been a delightful interlude, but now it was over. She could set her mind to more important matters.
She took off her robe and climbed into bed, but somehow her mind refused to take up the more important matters, and continued to dwell on a tall, dark-haired man.
Four
“Y ou’re sure you’ll be all right?”
Casey grinned at her friend Judy. “No. I’m going to pop all my stitches and you’ll have to call the paramedics.”
“My wiseacre friend’s back.” Judy sighed and handed Casey a frosty glass wrapped in a paper napkin. “Drink this daiquiri and tell me why you got the wild notion to come home.”
“I
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