woman. And if you weren’t injured I wouldn’t have stopped with just a kiss.”
Her heart thrilled to his admission. “It was a lovely way to wake up,” she admitted, her voice barely audible.
Gil gave her a sheepish smile and straightened up. “Feel like walking to the kitchen or would you like me to bring dinner to you?”
“No, I’ll get up.” Just the firm grip of his fingers on her arm sent a quiver through her. How could he make her feel both vulnerable and feminine at the same time? How long had it been since she’d felt like a woman in a man’s arms? Too long, a voice whispered. Too long. Gil seated her, bringing over a large bowl of salad.
“That’s enough for a horse!” she protested, laughing.
He grinned boyishly. “Lady, you need some meat on those bones. You’re too damn skinny. Go on, eat all of it,” he instructed.
Leah felt her face growing warm beneath his gaze. “What do you think I am, a rabbit?” she teased, picking up her fork.
Gil sat down opposite her with an even larger salad than the one he had fixed for her. Pouring a liberal dose of creamy Italian dressing on it, he smiled. “You’re hardly a rabbit. A good-looking woman with one hell of a body, but definitely not a rabbit.” A wicked gleam came to his eyes as he caught her startled gaze. “I’d say you were more like a lioness. I liked the way you purred earlier when I was massaging you. We ought to do that again sometime.”
Caught off guard by his easy banter, Leah didn’t know what to say. Instead, she picked at her salad.
Later, over coffee in the living room, Gil chose to sit on a chair opposite the couch, where Leah was sitting. He sensed that she was still shaken by their kiss and he cursed himself for moving too quickly with her. From the moment he’d met her in the office, Leah Stevenson had affected him strongly. Without appearing hurried, he finished off his coffee.
“Well,” he noted, satisfaction in his voice, “you look like you’ll live now. I’ve got to drop in at the volunteer fire department, so I’ll get going.” He rose, giving her a warm smile.
“Thanks for coming over, Gil. No, I mean it. Don’t give me that look.”
His blue eyes sparkled with mirth. “I want you to know I don’t normally go around kissing ladies after knowing them only a day.”
“At least I didn’t turn into a frog,” she teased, getting to her feet.
Gil laughed deeply as he placed his cup and saucer on the draining board. “I may not be a prince, but lady, you sure as hell are a princess. A very brave, courageous one at that.” He walked over, his face revealing his happiness. “How about if I pick you up about ten tomorrow morning and we’ll get you a pair of boots that fit?”
Leah breathed deeply. She could smell his natural body scent and it was like inhaling some long-lost perfume. “Yes,” she murmured, “that would be fine.” Automatically she reached out and put her hand on his arm. “And more important, Gil, thanks for coming over to check up on me. I never expected that—”
He leaned over and placed a kiss on her hair. “Strictly a selfish gesture on my part,” he said. His eyes became more serious as he studied her upturned face. “Now, if you have any problems, I’ve left my phone number on the telephone stand for you. Call if you need me. Okay?”
She dropped her gaze, shaking her head. “Do you know how long it’s been since someone genuinely cared whether I lived or died?” she asked softly. “I don’t mean to sound like I’m complaining or can’t take the pressure of my job.” Her eyes were dark and glistening with unshed tears as she met his concerned gaze. “You’ve earned my respect, Gil.”
He ran his fingers lightly along her cheek. “I intend to earn more than that. Get some sleep,” he urged huskily. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Three
A simmering excitement coursed through Leah as she hesitated in front of the closet. Morning had come
Her heart thrilled to his admission. “It was a lovely way to wake up,” she admitted, her voice barely audible.
Gil gave her a sheepish smile and straightened up. “Feel like walking to the kitchen or would you like me to bring dinner to you?”
“No, I’ll get up.” Just the firm grip of his fingers on her arm sent a quiver through her. How could he make her feel both vulnerable and feminine at the same time? How long had it been since she’d felt like a woman in a man’s arms? Too long, a voice whispered. Too long. Gil seated her, bringing over a large bowl of salad.
“That’s enough for a horse!” she protested, laughing.
He grinned boyishly. “Lady, you need some meat on those bones. You’re too damn skinny. Go on, eat all of it,” he instructed.
Leah felt her face growing warm beneath his gaze. “What do you think I am, a rabbit?” she teased, picking up her fork.
Gil sat down opposite her with an even larger salad than the one he had fixed for her. Pouring a liberal dose of creamy Italian dressing on it, he smiled. “You’re hardly a rabbit. A good-looking woman with one hell of a body, but definitely not a rabbit.” A wicked gleam came to his eyes as he caught her startled gaze. “I’d say you were more like a lioness. I liked the way you purred earlier when I was massaging you. We ought to do that again sometime.”
Caught off guard by his easy banter, Leah didn’t know what to say. Instead, she picked at her salad.
Later, over coffee in the living room, Gil chose to sit on a chair opposite the couch, where Leah was sitting. He sensed that she was still shaken by their kiss and he cursed himself for moving too quickly with her. From the moment he’d met her in the office, Leah Stevenson had affected him strongly. Without appearing hurried, he finished off his coffee.
“Well,” he noted, satisfaction in his voice, “you look like you’ll live now. I’ve got to drop in at the volunteer fire department, so I’ll get going.” He rose, giving her a warm smile.
“Thanks for coming over, Gil. No, I mean it. Don’t give me that look.”
His blue eyes sparkled with mirth. “I want you to know I don’t normally go around kissing ladies after knowing them only a day.”
“At least I didn’t turn into a frog,” she teased, getting to her feet.
Gil laughed deeply as he placed his cup and saucer on the draining board. “I may not be a prince, but lady, you sure as hell are a princess. A very brave, courageous one at that.” He walked over, his face revealing his happiness. “How about if I pick you up about ten tomorrow morning and we’ll get you a pair of boots that fit?”
Leah breathed deeply. She could smell his natural body scent and it was like inhaling some long-lost perfume. “Yes,” she murmured, “that would be fine.” Automatically she reached out and put her hand on his arm. “And more important, Gil, thanks for coming over to check up on me. I never expected that—”
He leaned over and placed a kiss on her hair. “Strictly a selfish gesture on my part,” he said. His eyes became more serious as he studied her upturned face. “Now, if you have any problems, I’ve left my phone number on the telephone stand for you. Call if you need me. Okay?”
She dropped her gaze, shaking her head. “Do you know how long it’s been since someone genuinely cared whether I lived or died?” she asked softly. “I don’t mean to sound like I’m complaining or can’t take the pressure of my job.” Her eyes were dark and glistening with unshed tears as she met his concerned gaze. “You’ve earned my respect, Gil.”
He ran his fingers lightly along her cheek. “I intend to earn more than that. Get some sleep,” he urged huskily. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Three
A simmering excitement coursed through Leah as she hesitated in front of the closet. Morning had come
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