her hand from his. “Let’s go conquer that elevator before the urge to kiss you again overwhelms my good sense.”
“You bet.” This was quickly turning into one of the best days of his life.
* * *
As Valerie stood beside Adam in front of the bank of elevators, he took her hand, threading his fingers through hers. His grip was warm and firm. Even better, touching him reminded her of the way he’d kissed her. She couldn’t think about that sizzling kiss and worry about the elevator at the same time.
His solution had been a brilliant one, but she didn’t know if he’d done it mostly to calm her nerves, or if that kiss was the beginning of . . . what? That kiss created more questions than answers.
Yes, they had chemistry. She thought he’d be more than willing to take her to bed if the opportunity presented itself. But her hiatus from dating had taught her something. Before the fire she’d been focused on enjoying Mr. Right Now instead of searching for Mr. Right.
That was how she’d ended up with Justin, who’d never demanded any kind of deep connection. Neither had she, so maybe it shouldn’t surprise her that he hadn’t been willing to risk his life to save her. Before Justin had been Brent, and before him, Eric. Those superficial relationships had run their course and ended without much fanfare.
That kind of laissez-faire arrangement wouldn’t work for her anymore. It was, she realized now, a waste of time, and time was a precious commodity. A person couldn’t know how much of it they had left, and she’d already thrown away several years on dead-end love affairs.
But she had no idea how Adam viewed this attraction between them. He might be hoping to use it as a way to get his groove back after having his heart slammed by his divorce. If so, he’d have to find himself another woman to fill that temporary role.
She didn’t know how to have that kind of discussion with him, though, because she’d never felt this way before. One thing was for sure—they wouldn’t talk about it over lunch. She wondered what they would talk about when they didn’t have a horse to focus on. Should be interesting to find out.
The elevator
ding
ed and the doors slid open. Just her luck—it contained three people and a rolling cart piled high with file boxes. There was room for her and Adam, but just barely.
Adam squeezed her hand. “We can catch the next one,” he murmured.
“No.” Taking a quick breath, she stepped into the leftover space. She was through being a baby about this.
Still holding her hand, Adam removed his hat and followed her in. In typical elevator protocol, they all faced the door as it slowly closed. But as the opening narrowed, Valerie’s chest tightened.
Breathe,
she told herself, and she tried, but a steel band had wrapped itself around her lungs. She gripped Adam’s hand and fought her rising panic. When he extricated his hand from hers, she made a little sound of protest.
Then his arm circled her shoulders and he pulled her close. Leaning down, he put his mouth close to her ear. “I’m here, Valerie,” he murmured softly as he massaged her shoulder. “You’re fine. Everything’s okay.” Then he pressed his lips to the tender spot behind her ear.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feel of his mouth against her skin. So warm. Some of the tightness eased, and she took a shallow breath. And another.
He lifted his mouth and spoke into her ear again. “You’re doing great,” he said softly. “We’re almost there.”
The elevator jolted to a stop, and she opened her eyes in relief.
“Second floor,” Adam said.
Two rather large men started into the elevator. “Squeeze in,” one of them said. “We can make it.”
“No, sorry.” Adam stepped in front of Valerie. “We’re full.”
“Look, mister,” one of the guys said. “We’re running late. Just let us in. It’s only one floor.”
“Yeah, let them in,” said someone in the back of the elevator.
“You bet.” This was quickly turning into one of the best days of his life.
* * *
As Valerie stood beside Adam in front of the bank of elevators, he took her hand, threading his fingers through hers. His grip was warm and firm. Even better, touching him reminded her of the way he’d kissed her. She couldn’t think about that sizzling kiss and worry about the elevator at the same time.
His solution had been a brilliant one, but she didn’t know if he’d done it mostly to calm her nerves, or if that kiss was the beginning of . . . what? That kiss created more questions than answers.
Yes, they had chemistry. She thought he’d be more than willing to take her to bed if the opportunity presented itself. But her hiatus from dating had taught her something. Before the fire she’d been focused on enjoying Mr. Right Now instead of searching for Mr. Right.
That was how she’d ended up with Justin, who’d never demanded any kind of deep connection. Neither had she, so maybe it shouldn’t surprise her that he hadn’t been willing to risk his life to save her. Before Justin had been Brent, and before him, Eric. Those superficial relationships had run their course and ended without much fanfare.
That kind of laissez-faire arrangement wouldn’t work for her anymore. It was, she realized now, a waste of time, and time was a precious commodity. A person couldn’t know how much of it they had left, and she’d already thrown away several years on dead-end love affairs.
But she had no idea how Adam viewed this attraction between them. He might be hoping to use it as a way to get his groove back after having his heart slammed by his divorce. If so, he’d have to find himself another woman to fill that temporary role.
She didn’t know how to have that kind of discussion with him, though, because she’d never felt this way before. One thing was for sure—they wouldn’t talk about it over lunch. She wondered what they would talk about when they didn’t have a horse to focus on. Should be interesting to find out.
The elevator
ding
ed and the doors slid open. Just her luck—it contained three people and a rolling cart piled high with file boxes. There was room for her and Adam, but just barely.
Adam squeezed her hand. “We can catch the next one,” he murmured.
“No.” Taking a quick breath, she stepped into the leftover space. She was through being a baby about this.
Still holding her hand, Adam removed his hat and followed her in. In typical elevator protocol, they all faced the door as it slowly closed. But as the opening narrowed, Valerie’s chest tightened.
Breathe,
she told herself, and she tried, but a steel band had wrapped itself around her lungs. She gripped Adam’s hand and fought her rising panic. When he extricated his hand from hers, she made a little sound of protest.
Then his arm circled her shoulders and he pulled her close. Leaning down, he put his mouth close to her ear. “I’m here, Valerie,” he murmured softly as he massaged her shoulder. “You’re fine. Everything’s okay.” Then he pressed his lips to the tender spot behind her ear.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feel of his mouth against her skin. So warm. Some of the tightness eased, and she took a shallow breath. And another.
He lifted his mouth and spoke into her ear again. “You’re doing great,” he said softly. “We’re almost there.”
The elevator jolted to a stop, and she opened her eyes in relief.
“Second floor,” Adam said.
Two rather large men started into the elevator. “Squeeze in,” one of them said. “We can make it.”
“No, sorry.” Adam stepped in front of Valerie. “We’re full.”
“Look, mister,” one of the guys said. “We’re running late. Just let us in. It’s only one floor.”
“Yeah, let them in,” said someone in the back of the elevator.
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