of her curls. The sun glinted through the trees, leaving a pattern of dappled light on her head. “Do you realize,” he began huskily, “that in this light your hair is red, gold and copper?”
His intimate comment made her heart pound unexpectedly. All day she had wanted to rest against his stalwart body and be held. Sam seemed to sense that her grief made her more vulnerable. More in need of someone. But not just anyone. Him. Kelly gazed up, meeting, holding Sam’s gaze. Her heart soared, her body responded as he drew his hand down her cheek, cupped her chin, and tilted her head up to meet his descending mouth.
His breath was moist against her cheek as she closed her eyes, waiting…waiting. A tingle spread through her as his mouth brushed her lips. Touching, testing. He smelled wonderful. His arms slid around her body, drawing her against him. His hands moved down her torso to her hips. A soft moan of surrender sounded in her throat as his mouth moved masterfully across her lips, taking her, making her his in that fiery, breathless moment. Her heart raced wildly as his tongue outlined her lips momentarily, then lightly touched the corners of her mouth.
He gently disengaged his arms. His large hands cradled her face and he deepened the kiss, his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth. She sagged against the hard oak of his body, craving further contact with him.
Slowly, Sam broke the spell of the kiss. His breathing was irregular, his eyes narrowed and dark with desire as he stared down at her in silence. His callused fingers gently caressed her skin.
He frowned, feeling her tremble. He knew that what they had shared had been mutual. Placing his arms comfortably around her back, he allowed Kelly to reorient herself. “I’ve been wanting to do that ever since that night I held you,” he admitted quietly.
“I have to go, Sam,” she said faintly, pushing away from his solid body. Kelly felt him release her and she felt bereft. She tried to keep the hurt out of her voice. “It’s been a lovely day—”
“With more to come,” he promised.
Her lashes swept upward. Lord, he made her tremble from just his kiss! “Thanks for the day, Sam. I needed it.”
He smiled and opened the door for her. “My pleasure. Mind if I give you a call sometime next week so we can share another day together?”
Kelly shakily touched her temple, confused by the myriad of feelings exploding within her. “I won’t play games with you, Sam. I do enjoy your company, but right now…” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes momentarily. “Right now I’m scared to death. Of you. Of myself.”
Sam nodded. “I understand. You want some breathing room.”
“Yes.”
He leaned down to place a kiss on her hair. “Okay, you’ve got it, my redheaded witch. You call me when you’d like some company.”
Five
K elly glanced at her watch. It was four-thirty p.m. Thank God, the day was almost over. The sight of her watch reminded her of the gold Rolex Sam wore. A sign of good taste. Of class. Had a week and a half gone by since she’d last seen him? She stared sightlessly, wanting nothing more than a hot bath and bed. Filling in for her father had been tougher than she had anticipated. Each day was one scheduled meeting after another with management, supervisors and Blanchard sales personnel to establish new company policy.
She gathered together another sheaf of papers that still needed her signature. Even with the demands of the job, she still found her thoughts returning to Sam Tyler.
Since their luncheon, she had had no word from him. What had she expected? She had been the one to set the rules for their relationship. She knew he was divorced, but she wondered if he was seeing someone else. Probably a redhead, she thought ruefully, scratching her illegible signature on the last letter. Still, in the emptiness of her Dad’s elegant, hollow home, she had wished for his presence. He was easy to talk with and listen to. How
His intimate comment made her heart pound unexpectedly. All day she had wanted to rest against his stalwart body and be held. Sam seemed to sense that her grief made her more vulnerable. More in need of someone. But not just anyone. Him. Kelly gazed up, meeting, holding Sam’s gaze. Her heart soared, her body responded as he drew his hand down her cheek, cupped her chin, and tilted her head up to meet his descending mouth.
His breath was moist against her cheek as she closed her eyes, waiting…waiting. A tingle spread through her as his mouth brushed her lips. Touching, testing. He smelled wonderful. His arms slid around her body, drawing her against him. His hands moved down her torso to her hips. A soft moan of surrender sounded in her throat as his mouth moved masterfully across her lips, taking her, making her his in that fiery, breathless moment. Her heart raced wildly as his tongue outlined her lips momentarily, then lightly touched the corners of her mouth.
He gently disengaged his arms. His large hands cradled her face and he deepened the kiss, his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth. She sagged against the hard oak of his body, craving further contact with him.
Slowly, Sam broke the spell of the kiss. His breathing was irregular, his eyes narrowed and dark with desire as he stared down at her in silence. His callused fingers gently caressed her skin.
He frowned, feeling her tremble. He knew that what they had shared had been mutual. Placing his arms comfortably around her back, he allowed Kelly to reorient herself. “I’ve been wanting to do that ever since that night I held you,” he admitted quietly.
“I have to go, Sam,” she said faintly, pushing away from his solid body. Kelly felt him release her and she felt bereft. She tried to keep the hurt out of her voice. “It’s been a lovely day—”
“With more to come,” he promised.
Her lashes swept upward. Lord, he made her tremble from just his kiss! “Thanks for the day, Sam. I needed it.”
He smiled and opened the door for her. “My pleasure. Mind if I give you a call sometime next week so we can share another day together?”
Kelly shakily touched her temple, confused by the myriad of feelings exploding within her. “I won’t play games with you, Sam. I do enjoy your company, but right now…” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes momentarily. “Right now I’m scared to death. Of you. Of myself.”
Sam nodded. “I understand. You want some breathing room.”
“Yes.”
He leaned down to place a kiss on her hair. “Okay, you’ve got it, my redheaded witch. You call me when you’d like some company.”
Five
K elly glanced at her watch. It was four-thirty p.m. Thank God, the day was almost over. The sight of her watch reminded her of the gold Rolex Sam wore. A sign of good taste. Of class. Had a week and a half gone by since she’d last seen him? She stared sightlessly, wanting nothing more than a hot bath and bed. Filling in for her father had been tougher than she had anticipated. Each day was one scheduled meeting after another with management, supervisors and Blanchard sales personnel to establish new company policy.
She gathered together another sheaf of papers that still needed her signature. Even with the demands of the job, she still found her thoughts returning to Sam Tyler.
Since their luncheon, she had had no word from him. What had she expected? She had been the one to set the rules for their relationship. She knew he was divorced, but she wondered if he was seeing someone else. Probably a redhead, she thought ruefully, scratching her illegible signature on the last letter. Still, in the emptiness of her Dad’s elegant, hollow home, she had wished for his presence. He was easy to talk with and listen to. How
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