above other women any day. Not Darcy. Loyalty and friendship were more than nice words to her. But where did that leave him? Them?
"Let me get this straight. You're going to put your friendship with Marsha ahead of your personal life."
She nodded.
He had to respect her sense of commitment. Commitment.
He almost cringed at the word.
"I don't like your decision but I commend it." He caressed her cheek. "You've got a strong sense of loyalty. That's rare." She trembled and he could see the pulse at her throat beating faster. Darcy responded to him every time he touched her. He wanted to touch her more. Kiss her. The thought became an action.
When he bent his head and slid his arms around her, she went perfectly still. At the least sign of resistance, he would have backed off. But she didn't resist and he realized the stillness wasn't reluctance, it was anticipation. He could see it in the depths of her eyes, feel it in the tension in her shoulders, hear it in the soft sigh that escaped her lips. She was as curious as he was.
She smelled like a garden and when his lips set firmly on hers, she tasted sweeter than any fruit he'd ever eaten. No way was he going to rush the pleasure of tasting her. He nibbled the corner of her lip and her low moan drove him to lift her to his height so he'd have better access to her mouth. Her arms circled his neck and he felt stronger than Hercules. He nibbled the other corner of her mouth and her fingers pressed into his hair. Gently, he took her upper lip between his teeth and she softly moaned. Seth's blood raced and pulsed until he shifted one hand to cup her bottom. The tight contact created friction that made him ache.
He slanted his lips first to the right, then to the left, then opened them. She tentatively opened hers. He invaded her mouth with furious intensity, darting, probing, stroking. Her desire matched his and building tension sought release. He moved against her, taunting them both.
She massaged his scalp and he could feel the current from her touch fork to his toes. He'd never been fully aroused this fast, this easily, with only a kiss igniting the bonfire. Only a kiss. Good Lord, what would lying naked with her do?
He stopped the kiss to suck in air. When he did, he sucked in reality too. She'd just told him she wouldn't see him again. He kept the string of curses in his head so he wouldn't shock her. One glance at the dazed look on her face told him she was as far gone as he was.
Slowly lowering Darcy to the floor, Seth watched her literally come down to earth. She was even more adorable with her cheeks rosy, her lips pink, her eyes still bright with the passion he'd aroused.
She pulled herself together and he saw the determination to do the right thing chase away remnants of desire. "I'm going to miss you."
As crazy as it seemed, he knew what she meant. "I'll call if I decide not to represent Brad."
"I'd like that," she said softly.
He wanted to kiss her again, needed to kiss her again, but if he did, he might not leave. He respected Darcy too much to take advantage of her.
He turned and headed for the door before he could change his mind.
***
Eight days later, Darcy was inspecting overdue accounts when the phone summoned her. "Kearn's Garage. May I help you?"
"I hope so," a recognizable baritone replied.
Her heart whacked against her chest as she remembered the touch of Seth's lips, the feel of his hands, the taste of his tongue. She'd never realized what a kiss could be until his kiss. Over and over she'd told herself her decision was best for everyone, but that didn't keep her from feeling as if she'd missed out on something she would never find again.
Keep cool. "Hi, Seth. How are you?"
"Better since I'm talking to you."
Her heart felt like it swung upside down. "Is there...a particular reason you called?"
"Brad had scheduled an appointment with me yesterday
"Let me get this straight. You're going to put your friendship with Marsha ahead of your personal life."
She nodded.
He had to respect her sense of commitment. Commitment.
He almost cringed at the word.
"I don't like your decision but I commend it." He caressed her cheek. "You've got a strong sense of loyalty. That's rare." She trembled and he could see the pulse at her throat beating faster. Darcy responded to him every time he touched her. He wanted to touch her more. Kiss her. The thought became an action.
When he bent his head and slid his arms around her, she went perfectly still. At the least sign of resistance, he would have backed off. But she didn't resist and he realized the stillness wasn't reluctance, it was anticipation. He could see it in the depths of her eyes, feel it in the tension in her shoulders, hear it in the soft sigh that escaped her lips. She was as curious as he was.
She smelled like a garden and when his lips set firmly on hers, she tasted sweeter than any fruit he'd ever eaten. No way was he going to rush the pleasure of tasting her. He nibbled the corner of her lip and her low moan drove him to lift her to his height so he'd have better access to her mouth. Her arms circled his neck and he felt stronger than Hercules. He nibbled the other corner of her mouth and her fingers pressed into his hair. Gently, he took her upper lip between his teeth and she softly moaned. Seth's blood raced and pulsed until he shifted one hand to cup her bottom. The tight contact created friction that made him ache.
He slanted his lips first to the right, then to the left, then opened them. She tentatively opened hers. He invaded her mouth with furious intensity, darting, probing, stroking. Her desire matched his and building tension sought release. He moved against her, taunting them both.
She massaged his scalp and he could feel the current from her touch fork to his toes. He'd never been fully aroused this fast, this easily, with only a kiss igniting the bonfire. Only a kiss. Good Lord, what would lying naked with her do?
He stopped the kiss to suck in air. When he did, he sucked in reality too. She'd just told him she wouldn't see him again. He kept the string of curses in his head so he wouldn't shock her. One glance at the dazed look on her face told him she was as far gone as he was.
Slowly lowering Darcy to the floor, Seth watched her literally come down to earth. She was even more adorable with her cheeks rosy, her lips pink, her eyes still bright with the passion he'd aroused.
She pulled herself together and he saw the determination to do the right thing chase away remnants of desire. "I'm going to miss you."
As crazy as it seemed, he knew what she meant. "I'll call if I decide not to represent Brad."
"I'd like that," she said softly.
He wanted to kiss her again, needed to kiss her again, but if he did, he might not leave. He respected Darcy too much to take advantage of her.
He turned and headed for the door before he could change his mind.
***
Eight days later, Darcy was inspecting overdue accounts when the phone summoned her. "Kearn's Garage. May I help you?"
"I hope so," a recognizable baritone replied.
Her heart whacked against her chest as she remembered the touch of Seth's lips, the feel of his hands, the taste of his tongue. She'd never realized what a kiss could be until his kiss. Over and over she'd told herself her decision was best for everyone, but that didn't keep her from feeling as if she'd missed out on something she would never find again.
Keep cool. "Hi, Seth. How are you?"
"Better since I'm talking to you."
Her heart felt like it swung upside down. "Is there...a particular reason you called?"
"Brad had scheduled an appointment with me yesterday
Similar Books
