Right Before His Eyes by Wendy Etherington Page B

him inside.
    â€œThis room has a cool feature,” she said, crossing to the desk. “I can plug in my music player and listen to all my songs, just like home.”
    She launched a romantic playlist she’d enjoyed a great deal since Gil had come into her life. Way before she’d accepted his dinner invitation and more frequently this week, when she’d reflected on the turn their relationship had taken.
    As the piano notes echoed through the suite, she turned back and approached him. Strong, elegant and tempting in his white dress shirt and navy pants, she admired both the breadth of his chest and the focused look in his eyes.
    The look that seemed only for her.
    â€œDance with me?” she asked, curling her arms around his neck.
    â€œOh, yeah,” he said, pulling her tight against him.
    The warmth from his body infused her instantly, and she tucked her head between his neck and shoulder, breathing in his spicy cologne and the scent that was Gil alone.
    Naturally, it wasn’t long before his mouth glided across her cheek, then found her lips. She leaned into him, gripping his arms and returning every stroke and caress.
    It’s just a crush, she repeated to herself over and over.
    And over again.
    It wasn’t as if his kiss sent off sparks she’d never experienced before. It wasn’t as if she was on the verge of fainting from the sensation of his touch. It wasn’t as if he meant anything to her.
    But her abstinence from romantic relationships—which she’d embraced wholeheartedly after all she’d been through—suddenly became a problem. Sensations she’d ignored tingled to life, burning with an intensity that had no intention of being extinguished.
    No, they didn’t have long. Her weekend of pure fantasy would soon be over. She’d have to ruin everything with the truth.
    But they had tonight.
    Â 
    T HE ALARM WOKE G IL ABRUPTLY.
    Groaning, he reached across Sheila and turned it off.
    Without opening her eyes, she scooted toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “It can’t be morning already.”
    â€œI know what you mean.”
    Actually, he was still trying to assimilate what hadhappened the night before. She didn’t want to share her past or who had hurt her. But she was fine giving physically. She thought he was moving too fast; she was on pace to set records.
    He was pretty sure he should be worried that she wanted him, but didn’t want to get too close. But with her warmth and satiny skin enveloping him, he wasn’t about to question his windfall.
    He kissed her forehead, temple, cheek, then captured her mouth. “It may be an early morning,” he said when they parted. “But it’s a good one.”
    She traced his lips with her fingers. “Yes, it is.”
    With extreme reluctance, he gave her one last peck, then slid from the bed. “I’m going to my room to take a shower. You’ve got twenty minutes. Is that enough—” He stopped as he glanced over at her and found her staring at him.
    â€œAre you sure you have to wear a shirt at the track?”
    He felt an embarrassing flush crawl its way up his neck. “U-uh, well…yeah.”
    An inviting smile bloomed on her face. “Too bad.”
    He was a grown man, not an inexperienced teenager. Yet she was constantly throwing him off balance. And for the first time in his life, he wanted to toss aside business and responsibility and spend the day just watching her smile.
    â€œTwenty minutes?” she asked, bringing him back to reality.
    â€œYeah.” He crossed to the bed and leaned over her. He spent two minutes of their twenty kissing her andstill not seeing how that could possibly sustain him all day long.
    â€œGo,” she whispered, pushing him away even though the look in her eyes clearly said stay. “The boss can’t be late.”
    Somehow, he made his feet move through the room and out the door. A