by two. And once they get a really good firm hold on him,
he’ll forget that he even has a shadow.
“Can
we go tell Nicole, Momma? She’s outside waiting for us.”
“Well,”
Michael said after they ran out. “I have a plane to catch.”
She
stood and followed him to the door. “You’re sure about this, Michael.” She felt
she had to offer him yet another chance to back out before he finds himself
sitting on the plane later, and one of Victoria’s Secret Angels walks pass him;
Too late for second thoughts, then.
He
turned to face her once they reached the door. “Are you having second thoughts,
Taryn?”
“No.
Of course, not.”
“Neither,
am I. Bye. I’ll call you.”
“Have
a safe trip,” she extended her hand as was their custom whenever they parted.
One
brow lifted as he just looked at it, his mouth crooked to a grin. “I don’t
think handshakes are appropriate, anymore. Do you?”
“What
do you mean?” she dropped it back to her side.
“Well,
now that we’re to be wedded soon, I don’t think it would be too forward of me
to kiss you when the need arises. That’s going to be necessary for appearances
sake.”
“Oh.”
“Is
it okay if I kissed you—Taryn?”
The
question knocked her senseless, suffocating her ability to answer. He took it
as a yes, reached out and gently drew her against him. He leaned forward,
causing her eyes to close in heady expectation. The warmth of his mouth
lingered on hers before skillfully coaxing them to yield. His tongue touched
and caressed the tip of hers only for a few seconds. But, it was enough to send
a volt of ecstasy to every hungry part within. Her fingers strangled the
sleeves of his shirt to keep them from inching up his strong arms, and clasping
him tighter to her. After all, this is part of their deal; An act to
fool the world, namely, his clients, her in-laws, and anyone else they needed
to convince. An act that has awakened an appetite she’s been ignoring since the
day they met. One last caress to her lips, then he released her and stepped
back.
“Good-bye,
Taryn,” his tone was soft—entrancing.
She
kept her head lowered, not daring to look up. A shy, mumbled good-bye was all
she could offer. She heard a soft chuckle, then the screen door creaking shut.
Only then, could she look up
and watch as he walked down the porch steps to his car. The force of that kiss
was still thumping through her, having long melted her iceberg vow of celibacy.
Michael just took her beyond anything she’s ever imagined—and with a kiss. Think
of what it’ll be like when—.
She
marched over to the couch and sat with her head in her hands. He expects them
to be man and wife all the way. Is that wise after what she just experienced? She
shook her head with a resounding NO. Her sanity is at stake. Moments of
touching and kissing will have to be few and far between.
That
night she sat on her bed, explaining over the phone to Nora what had happened.
To say that she was flabbergasted is an understatement. After she recovered
from the shock, questions upon questions flowed from the other end. Without
revealing the hard core of the truth, Taryn simply mentioned that Michael had
flown into town to see them. And, it was then they realized their feelings for
one another. There was no sense in telling her the real reason for her sudden
engagement, she would only fall apart. (She still hasn’t been the same since
the death of their parents)
In
the middle of the night, she lied in bed, eyes staring through darkness. When
she finally managed to force the kiss from her mind, she reflected on all she
had to accomplish in just a few days. And, when she drifted off to sleep near
dawn, it was at a tail-end vision of being in his arms.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
“I
still can’t believe it,” Nora tuned from taking the glasses out of the cabinet
early the next morning to gawk directly at her sister. “I mean, this is not
like you,
he’ll forget that he even has a shadow.
“Can
we go tell Nicole, Momma? She’s outside waiting for us.”
“Well,”
Michael said after they ran out. “I have a plane to catch.”
She
stood and followed him to the door. “You’re sure about this, Michael.” She felt
she had to offer him yet another chance to back out before he finds himself
sitting on the plane later, and one of Victoria’s Secret Angels walks pass him;
Too late for second thoughts, then.
He
turned to face her once they reached the door. “Are you having second thoughts,
Taryn?”
“No.
Of course, not.”
“Neither,
am I. Bye. I’ll call you.”
“Have
a safe trip,” she extended her hand as was their custom whenever they parted.
One
brow lifted as he just looked at it, his mouth crooked to a grin. “I don’t
think handshakes are appropriate, anymore. Do you?”
“What
do you mean?” she dropped it back to her side.
“Well,
now that we’re to be wedded soon, I don’t think it would be too forward of me
to kiss you when the need arises. That’s going to be necessary for appearances
sake.”
“Oh.”
“Is
it okay if I kissed you—Taryn?”
The
question knocked her senseless, suffocating her ability to answer. He took it
as a yes, reached out and gently drew her against him. He leaned forward,
causing her eyes to close in heady expectation. The warmth of his mouth
lingered on hers before skillfully coaxing them to yield. His tongue touched
and caressed the tip of hers only for a few seconds. But, it was enough to send
a volt of ecstasy to every hungry part within. Her fingers strangled the
sleeves of his shirt to keep them from inching up his strong arms, and clasping
him tighter to her. After all, this is part of their deal; An act to
fool the world, namely, his clients, her in-laws, and anyone else they needed
to convince. An act that has awakened an appetite she’s been ignoring since the
day they met. One last caress to her lips, then he released her and stepped
back.
“Good-bye,
Taryn,” his tone was soft—entrancing.
She
kept her head lowered, not daring to look up. A shy, mumbled good-bye was all
she could offer. She heard a soft chuckle, then the screen door creaking shut.
Only then, could she look up
and watch as he walked down the porch steps to his car. The force of that kiss
was still thumping through her, having long melted her iceberg vow of celibacy.
Michael just took her beyond anything she’s ever imagined—and with a kiss. Think
of what it’ll be like when—.
She
marched over to the couch and sat with her head in her hands. He expects them
to be man and wife all the way. Is that wise after what she just experienced? She
shook her head with a resounding NO. Her sanity is at stake. Moments of
touching and kissing will have to be few and far between.
That
night she sat on her bed, explaining over the phone to Nora what had happened.
To say that she was flabbergasted is an understatement. After she recovered
from the shock, questions upon questions flowed from the other end. Without
revealing the hard core of the truth, Taryn simply mentioned that Michael had
flown into town to see them. And, it was then they realized their feelings for
one another. There was no sense in telling her the real reason for her sudden
engagement, she would only fall apart. (She still hasn’t been the same since
the death of their parents)
In
the middle of the night, she lied in bed, eyes staring through darkness. When
she finally managed to force the kiss from her mind, she reflected on all she
had to accomplish in just a few days. And, when she drifted off to sleep near
dawn, it was at a tail-end vision of being in his arms.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
“I
still can’t believe it,” Nora tuned from taking the glasses out of the cabinet
early the next morning to gawk directly at her sister. “I mean, this is not
like you,
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