greetings and goodbyes to be fielded before he could successfully maneuver the two of them to the door. He handled the exchanges with efficient, methodical precision, and only wished he’d handled the rest of the evening as well.
Guilt had hit him during the roast beef course. Irritation with himself had accelerated from there. He’d completely blown it earlier. He’d meant to tell Carroll she looked stunning, not to be preoccupied with the dozen patients he’d seen that day. He’d meant to ask her about her work and really listen, not to be forced to review his damn speech in the car. He’d never intended to ignore her in the crowd; he’d forgotten to mention her dress… Oh, hell, he’d done everything wrong. He’d meant to be completely unlike himself, to surprise her, entice her, romance her…
“Alan?” Carroll, bewildered by the breathless rush through the crowd, could barely catch her breath. Alan whisked her past the coat racks, through an all but deserted hall. “What happened? Is something wrong?”
“Just bear with me, would you? This is important.”
His voice was terse; a quick frown of both concern and surprise marred her brow, but she immediately matched his long stride. As if the devil were after them, he urged her up a flight of stairs.
The faculty rooms were upstairs, all closed up and locked; the hallway lights were on half power, and their footsteps echoed up and down the deserted corridor like lonely ghosts. At the first totally dark doorway, he ducked inside and pulled her with him.
He released the tight grip on her hand, and suddenly smiled, a slow, lazy smile. “Hi,” he murmured.
“Hi?”
She wasn’t expecting Hi. Or that sudden winsome smile of his. Or to be pinned against a wall in a deserted hallway. Still trying to catch her breath, she felt the oddest sudden nervousness, and was vaguely aware that her fingers were trying to fuss with her collar. Only her dress didn’t have a collar, and Alan gave her hands something else to do when he lifted her arms to his neck and dropped his mouth on hers.
He had to start with short, swift kisses because she was still out of breath. The rush of color in her cheeks delighted him. She was flustered, off guard. He’d very rarely caught Carroll flustered, and never off guard until recently.
“Alan, that doctor down there was seriously trying to offer you a job…”
“Mmm-hmm.” He nuzzled the lobe of her ear. So sweet.
“There were people down there, expecting to talk to you…”
“Yes.” Her lashes were golden-tipped, fluttering around her cheeks. Her perfume suddenly surrounded him, faint and alluring, and his palm slipped to her bare throat at the V of her dress. Her heartbeat jumped under his hand.
“Alan, this is crazy. I don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Sure you do,” he murmured. “I’m necking.” He added gently, “With you.”
He soared down for some serious kiss-type ravishment. Leaning back against the wall for balance, he let his hands roam the silky material of her dress. Molding her closer to him, he felt her lips gradually yield under his, as soft and fragile as the petals of a rose. Now, don’t be too methodical, for God’s sake, warned a small voice in his head.
But he just couldn’t change all at once. His tongue methodically, thoroughly explored the inside of her mouth, not wanting to miss any possible cache of sweetness. She was sweet. And her skin reminded him of spring mornings; it was that fresh, that clear and soft. He’d wanted to tell her that for so long, but the words never seemed to leave his lips. With his touch, he tried to communicate what he’d failed to tell her in so many words.
Confusion rocked through Carroll. Earlier, in Alan’s office and at the start of the conference, she’d been at ease, comfortable. Alan was just…Alan. She always knew where she stood with him. Now she wasn’t absolutely certain she was standing at all. Around her was a silent corridor, a
Guilt had hit him during the roast beef course. Irritation with himself had accelerated from there. He’d completely blown it earlier. He’d meant to tell Carroll she looked stunning, not to be preoccupied with the dozen patients he’d seen that day. He’d meant to ask her about her work and really listen, not to be forced to review his damn speech in the car. He’d never intended to ignore her in the crowd; he’d forgotten to mention her dress… Oh, hell, he’d done everything wrong. He’d meant to be completely unlike himself, to surprise her, entice her, romance her…
“Alan?” Carroll, bewildered by the breathless rush through the crowd, could barely catch her breath. Alan whisked her past the coat racks, through an all but deserted hall. “What happened? Is something wrong?”
“Just bear with me, would you? This is important.”
His voice was terse; a quick frown of both concern and surprise marred her brow, but she immediately matched his long stride. As if the devil were after them, he urged her up a flight of stairs.
The faculty rooms were upstairs, all closed up and locked; the hallway lights were on half power, and their footsteps echoed up and down the deserted corridor like lonely ghosts. At the first totally dark doorway, he ducked inside and pulled her with him.
He released the tight grip on her hand, and suddenly smiled, a slow, lazy smile. “Hi,” he murmured.
“Hi?”
She wasn’t expecting Hi. Or that sudden winsome smile of his. Or to be pinned against a wall in a deserted hallway. Still trying to catch her breath, she felt the oddest sudden nervousness, and was vaguely aware that her fingers were trying to fuss with her collar. Only her dress didn’t have a collar, and Alan gave her hands something else to do when he lifted her arms to his neck and dropped his mouth on hers.
He had to start with short, swift kisses because she was still out of breath. The rush of color in her cheeks delighted him. She was flustered, off guard. He’d very rarely caught Carroll flustered, and never off guard until recently.
“Alan, that doctor down there was seriously trying to offer you a job…”
“Mmm-hmm.” He nuzzled the lobe of her ear. So sweet.
“There were people down there, expecting to talk to you…”
“Yes.” Her lashes were golden-tipped, fluttering around her cheeks. Her perfume suddenly surrounded him, faint and alluring, and his palm slipped to her bare throat at the V of her dress. Her heartbeat jumped under his hand.
“Alan, this is crazy. I don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Sure you do,” he murmured. “I’m necking.” He added gently, “With you.”
He soared down for some serious kiss-type ravishment. Leaning back against the wall for balance, he let his hands roam the silky material of her dress. Molding her closer to him, he felt her lips gradually yield under his, as soft and fragile as the petals of a rose. Now, don’t be too methodical, for God’s sake, warned a small voice in his head.
But he just couldn’t change all at once. His tongue methodically, thoroughly explored the inside of her mouth, not wanting to miss any possible cache of sweetness. She was sweet. And her skin reminded him of spring mornings; it was that fresh, that clear and soft. He’d wanted to tell her that for so long, but the words never seemed to leave his lips. With his touch, he tried to communicate what he’d failed to tell her in so many words.
Confusion rocked through Carroll. Earlier, in Alan’s office and at the start of the conference, she’d been at ease, comfortable. Alan was just…Alan. She always knew where she stood with him. Now she wasn’t absolutely certain she was standing at all. Around her was a silent corridor, a
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