Page 45 of Too Hot to Sleep
"Just came to check out your A/C. But I can come back."
"We were just leaving," Georgia said quickly, gathering her purse and hat. She sidled by the repairman and waited in the hall until Ken emerged, stuffing his wallet into his back pocket and carrying keys. She didn't trust herself to look him in the eye.
"I'm sorry about that," he said in a husky voice.
Oh, that lush accent. "It was as much my fault," she said, still shaken by what could've happened. "We both got carried away."
His mouth quirked. "I meant I'm sorry we wereinterrupted."
She tingled under his gaze but offered no comment. Words really weren't necessary in the universal language of animal lust. Her cheeks burned with shame. Had it been only yesterday that she had rebuked his kiss and told him she was involved with someone? What must he think of her?
"Georgia, say something," he said as they descended the stairs.
"We barely know each other," she murmured. "This isn't right."
He stopped midflight. "Give me a chance. I meant it when I said I want to get to know you."
She shook her head. "This isn't a good time for me."
"Because of your boyfriend?"
Right now her best defense against giving in to her sexual appetite was to keep hot Ken Medlock at arm's length. "Yes, and I'm sorry if I led you to believe anything different." She continued her descent, then waited for him at the bottom of the stairs.
* * *
KEN REMAINEDsilent as he joined her at the bottom of the stairs. He'd promised himself he would go slow, dammit, but the entire time he was showering, he kept thinking that the most erotic woman he'd ever known was wrapped up in a beautiful, long-haired package, and sat mere steps away in his living room By the time he rinsed, he'd had to turn the water to icy cold to get his raging libido under control. He thought he'd succeeded until he walked out and saw her sitting on the floor, petting his dog. She'd been laughing, her cheeks glowing and her eyes sparkling. He couldn't help himself.
"Look, maybe this isn't such a good idea," he said, gesturing vaguely between them.
She stared, her blue eyes luminous. "Maybe."
He sighed. "Why don't I drop you off at the reception? I'll give Mr. and Mrs. Childers my regrets when they come down to file the paperwork on that Haney character."
"Don't be silly," she said. "Stacey and Neil would be disappointed if you didn't come. Besides, after what you did today, you should be there."
"Any cop would have done the same thing."
"But it wasn'tanycop," she said softly. "It was you." She angled her head at him. "You do have the strangest way of showing up when I least expect it. If I didn't know better, I might think that you..."
He swallowed hard. Think that he what? That he knew more about her than she could ever imagine?
She shook her head. "Never mind. Let's go."
Tingling with remorse, he led her to his gray sport utility vehicle. In response to her raised eyebrows, he gave a little laugh. "You didn't think I drove the cruiser all the time, did you?"
"I suppose I did."
"Well, Miss Adams," he drawled, "I'm full of surprises."And there's one you'd rather not know about, I'm sure.
At least he'd managed to coax a smile from her, and the tension eased a bit. He unlocked the door and helped her climb inside, setting his jaw when he touched her silky skin. The skirt of her filmy dress hung down, in danger of being caught in the closed door. He picked up the hem of the blue dress and, at a loss, handed it to her. The awkwardness and intimacy of the moment caught at his heart, and a lump of frustration lodged in his throat. He wanted to be with her, to access her mind and her body and her dreams, but the distance she maintained, combined with her loyalty to Rob Trainer, was compounded by his guilt over the phone calls.
Practically shaking from powerlessness, he climbed into the driver's seat and proceeded to act as if everything were normal. It was for the best that nothing had happened upstairs, he reminded himself. Because Rob Trainer would be back soon to lay claim on her heart, and the very least he owed her was a confession that would circumvent a rupture in Georgia and Rob's relationship.
I'll tell her at the reception,he told himself, after a drink for courage.
Chapter 18
"AND Avery special toast," Stacey said, lifting her glass, "to our friend and hero, Officer Ken Medlock of the Birmingham City Police Department."
