Page 44 of Too Hot to Sleep
She wet her lips as they pulled out of the church parking lot. "Neil and Stacy asked me to invite you to the reception, said they'd save you a bottle of champagne as a token of their gratitude."
"That's not necessary."
"Ken, someone could've been killed," she murmured, not even attempting to hide her admiration for his quick thinking. "You always seem to know exactly what to do."
His profile seemed more serious than the conversation warranted. "Believe me, I don't. But I'm glad in this instance that no one was seriously injured." Then he gestured to his clothing. "Unfortunately, I can't enjoy that champagne while in uniform." He stopped for a red light.
"Do you live in the vicinity of the Arrowood Country Club?"
"About five minutes from there."
"Then why not stop and change first? I don't mind waiting."
His smile of anticipation sent her pulse skyrocketing. He flipped a switch and his blue lights began flashing. "But I do."
Chapter 17
"COME ONup," Ken said as he shifted the squad car into Park. "I'll just be a few minutes, and you can say hello to Crash."
Georgia hesitated, then realized she was being silly. Ken Medlock, superhero, was completely trustworthy. Besides, she was curious to see his living space. The apartment building was retro-cool and tidy. She followed him up two flights of stairs, then stopped at a nondescript door. She toyed with her hat, unable to completely ignore the intimate implications of entering his apartment. He, on the other hand, seemed fully at ease as he swung open the door. Georgia wondered briefly if he entertained female guests on a regular basis, then walked inside.
She hadn't expected a tasteful, comfortably decorated, clean apartment with live plants and pictures of his family studding the built-in bookshelves. "Nice," she said.
"Something to drink?"
She shook her head, suddenly nervous, then fanned herself. "Gee, and I thoughtmyapartment was the warmest place in Birmingham."
"Sorry," he said with a shrug. "The A/C is old and can't keep up in this heatwave. I've called the super twice, but I guess he's busy. By evening in here it's almost too hot to sleep."
His words sent an erotic thrill bolting through her. Her thighs quickened. During his bouts of insomnia, did he ever lie awake thinking about her? She couldn't drag her gaze from his thick arms, imagining them around her. She used the tip of her tongue to remove the film of perspiration on her upper lip. The tension hung heavy in the thick air.
"Well," he said, clapping his hands together once. "Why don't you have a seat, and I'll be back in a few." He smiled, then disappeared down a hallway, his shoulders practically spanning its width.
Georgia hugged herself as she wandered around the perimeter of the room, gazing at photos of people who bore such a strong resemblance to Ken, they had to be related. Funny, but now that she thought about it, she couldn't recall ever seeing photos in Rob's house. She hated comparing the two men, but at the moment, it was inevitable.
In the distance a shower kicked on, alerting her to the fact that Ken's muscular body was positioned under running soapy water. Dark skin, dark hair, smooth muscle, long limbs. She pushed away the carnal thoughts and continued her perusal of his apartment.
Instead of leather and glass and chrome, Ken's living room furniture consisted of two big dark-blue denim couches, a blue-and-tan checked recliner, and a low maple coffee table, flanked by a wide-screen TV. She lowered herself to the middle of the nearest couch, her body sighing in appreciation as she sank into cradling cushions. Nowthiswas a couch. She closed her eyes and imagined curling up with a bowl of popcorn to watch a movie on the screen, leaning on the shoulder of a large man.
Georgia halted her train of thought, once again aware of the shower going in the background. She was attracted to the man, but attraction was a long way from sharing a remote control. Ken Medlock had made it clear he wasn't interested in a serious relationship. And she needed to get this bizarre sexual situation with Rob out of her system, this hormonal high that left her feeling so disoriented.
The shower shut off.
She pushed to her feet, suddenly wishing she hadn't come up. Her physical attraction to Ken was simply too intense inher current condition. In fact, maybe Rob would show up at the reception and they could talk, leaving Ken to his own devices. Georgia paced the room, tempted to walk out, having horribly provocative visions of Ken emerging in a towel.
At a noise behind her, she practically jumped out of her skin. She turned to find Crash hobbling toward her on a cast, his head dipping with every arduous step. Touched, she crossed the room and sank to the floor to pet him, remembering the day she'd met Ken. Had it been less than a week? In an amazingly short amount of time he'd wormed his way into her schedule and into her mind. If she were the suspicious type, she'd be inclined to think he had planned their meetings, but she knew that notion was absurd. How would Ken have known she would be at the mall, the blood drive, or even the wedding today? Even superheroes didn't have ESP.
She scratched the dog's ears, laughing at her farfetched attempt to find some reason to distrust Ken.
"I think he remembers you from the park," Ken said from the doorway.
She looked up and swallowed hard. He was breathtakingly handsome in dark slacks and a cream-colored shirt. His hair was combed back and lay close to his head. From where she sat, she could detect the woodsy aromas of his cologne and soap. Her senses leapt, her body straining toward his. He walked over and extended his hand to her. His fingers were long and blunt-tipped, sensuous on their own, even if they weren't attached to this man's powerful body.
As if in slow motion, she watched her hand meet his in an intimate clasp, and she allowed him to pull her to her feet. The kiss was inevitable, and perhaps more potent for that reason. Their lips came together with the momentum of two cymbals. She hungrily met his intensity, their bodies molding together. His hands skimmed over her back and she sensed his restraint.He lifted his mouth from hers long enough to rain kisses over her ear, down her neck, whispering her name against her skin. He slid his hands to her rib cage and thumbed the undersides of her breasts through the thin dress. She undulated against him, eliciting a groan.
Crash's sudden bark parted them, and she gasped at the sight of a repairman standing in the door. "Sorry," the guy said sheepishly. "I knocked three times."
Ken put his hands on his hips, his face dark. "Mr. Franks, what can I do for you?"
