Fated for Love by Melissa Foster Page A

putty waiting to be touched, molded, taken .
    “Okay?”
    “Okay.”
    He stared down at her, and she wondered if the heat of their embrace sent the same lustful rush through him as it did through her. She was suddenly certain he could feel—or see—how much she wanted him to lower his mouth to hers. Just one kiss. One kiss would calm her nerves, satiate her greedy desire.
    “I shouldn’t have brought you up here.” His eyes darted away.
    And just like that, her hopes deflated. I’m an idiot . How could she respond to that? She’d blown any chance she had with him. Not that she’d had any chance to begin with, but she’d thought— hoped —that his bringing her here was a sign of something more.
    “Why…did you?” She had to ask. She had to know.
    “I’m not really sure. We were talking, and it felt right to share this place with you.”
    “Then you realized I’m afraid of heights and socially moronic around you? I could have saved you lots of time.” She pushed away from him, stumbled backward, then clutched for him again.
    “Sorry. Sorry.” I have to leave. Forget staying a day. I need to call a cab and get the heck out of here tonight. Maybe out of Trusty, too .
    “What? No. Neither of those things.” He lifted her face again, and this time there was no misreading his annoyed and slightly angry dark eyes. “I meant on top of this boulder . Christ, Callie. You’re afraid of heights. Why’d you let me pull you up here?”
    Because you’re hot and I’m stupid . She swallowed her words and dropped her gaze.
    “God, I’m an idiot.” He lowered her to a seated position again. “Don’t move. Don’t stand. In fact, don’t breathe for a second, okay?”
    She managed a nod at his careful command as he climbed down the boulder, stopping midway. He held his hands toward her, and she wondered how the hell he wasn’t falling backward, because she definitely would have.
    “Callie, scoot forward on your butt. Don’t stand up.” Another command.
    She scooted forward, and when her feet were inches from the edge, her heart raced again. Goose bumps chased the hair on her arms upright, and she stopped cold.
    “I…can’t.”
    “Just get your legs off the edge, and I’ll take you down.”
    “How about…you leave me here and come back with a ladder. Or firemen. Yes, firemen would be even better. Three, please.”
    He cracked a smile. “Firemen? To climb down an eight-foot boulder?”
    “Hundred foot. Not eight. There’s no way it’s only eight feet, and I’m not going to look over the edge to find out, but I remember. It’s at least fifty.” She crossed her arms to keep him from seeing her tremble.
    “Look me in the eyes, Callie.”
    She did, feeling embarrassingly silly.
    “Do you trust me?” he asked with a soft, thoughtful gaze.
    She nodded.
    “Can you come a little closer? I promise I won’t let you fall. You can even pretend I’m a fireman.”
    She laughed a little and bit her lip again.
    “You’re incredibly cute when you do that.”
    Cute? Cute! “You find scared women attractive?” She scooted forward, and he grabbed her just above her knees, on the bare skin below her dress, sending another shot of warmth to her naughty parts.
    He let out a soft laugh under his breath. “I find attractive women attractive.” Their eyes met and held for a hot second. “I…” He shook his head and his eyes grew serious again. “I need to get you down from here.”
    “I can stay right here. Really. If I lay back and don’t move, I’ll be okay.”
    He sighed, and she realized that he was probably wishing he’d never run into her.
    She closed her eyes. “Okay, tell me what to do.”
    “If you scoot forward a little more, I can get a good grip on you and carry you down. You’re safe with me, Callie.”
    She scooted forward with her eyes closed, trusting him as he gripped her hips and lowered her against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and in two of his giant steps, they were