Page 7 of All I Need (Hearts of the South)
Surprise flashed over her pretty face, then she smiled. “Really?”
“Yeah. I mean, why not? We both watch football and action movies and like concerts. Neither of us wants a messy emotional involvement.” When he said it aloud, the idea made a crazy kind of sense. “Getting physical can’t hurt, right?”
“Right.” Her smile widened.
He couldn’t resist a grin. “So I get to kiss you good night.”
“Definitely.” On a light laugh, she put the car into gear and backed into the sparse evening traffic. Comfortable quiet hovered around them on the way back to the apartment complex. Anticipation coiled in him. More months than he cared to admit had passed since he’d held a woman, and he wanted to press those curves of hers against him, wanted to experience what her mouth would feel like under his. Wanting tingled in his balls, and he dropped a hand over his lap. Hell, he was half-hard from thinking about kissing her.
This might turn out to be a very good idea.
She zipped into her parking space, and he carefully unfolded himself from the seat. Getting in and out of her low-slung car was damned harder than his truck. She waited for him on the walkway before their respective apartments. In the dim light, he couldn’t tell if her eyes held desire or not. He stopped a couple of footsteps away. In the moment, he couldn’t make himself pull her close, couldn’t make himself kiss her. What the hell?
He glanced away on a chuckle. “It’s weird.”
“I know.” Her husky laugh tickled his ears, and she stepped closer. “Maybe we can work up to it. Start with hugging instead of kissing.”
“Hugging?” He lifted a brow at her, askance. “I can’t remember who I hugged last. Probably my mama. Maybe my sister.”
“My sister. Sometimes my brother-in-law.” She lifted a shoulder in a careless shrug. “Let’s at least give it a try.”
She took another step closer and wrapped her arms about his waist. He draped his arms around her shoulders in an awkward embrace. After a moment, she leaned in, their chests aligned, her chin at his shoulder. He soaked in the sensation of warmth and soft curves pressed into him, and he pulled in a deep inhale. Damn, she smelled good—a blend of florals and clean skin.
He splayed his hand across her spine. “This is not too bad.”
“No.” Her nose bumped against his neck. “Georgia or Auburn?”
He rested his mouth against the smooth silk of her hair. “Georgia.”
“Good.” A gentle exhale shivered across his clavicle. “My sister and her husband have a house divided and throw a pretty good at-home tailgate party every year. Interested?”
“Sounds great.” He flexed his hand and pressed her a little closer. “How about a movie tomorrow night?”
“It’snota date.” Her mouth moved against him in a smile, and she toyed with the edges of his hair. “I can pick up a pizza on my way in from the hospital.”
“Nick’s has the best pizza in town and delivers. I’ll order us one.” He pulled back and skimmed his finger along her jaw. “Definitely not a date.”
She dropped her arms from his waist. “Good night.”
“Night.” He stood there, even after her door closed behind her with a quiet snick. He didn’t want to go back to his own apartment. Damn it, he was tired of being lonely, and the hell of it was, he hadn’t even realized he was. Hands jammed in his pockets, he relived the feel of her against him.
Maybe this was averygood idea.
Panic tried to push its way into Savannah’s throat. Her heart thudded a hard rhythm in her chest. She could still feel Emmett’s warm hand on her back, his lean strength enfolding her. The physical closeness had been more real than she’d thought it would be. The sensation had been odd and unfamiliar, but her body responded to the feel of his. That felt like a betrayal and left her breathless. Maybe she couldn’t do this after all.
“Stop it,” she whispered. She set her bag on the bench by the door and sank down on the cushioned seat. She also couldn’t be alone forever, either. That wasn’t healthy. She blew out a long breath, kneading at the tense muscles above her knees. “It’s just new, and it’s justphysicalwhen you’ve been disconnected so long.”
She wanted this, and she was safe with him. He didn’t want more either. They’d be friends and enjoy one another, and since they were going in with eyes wide open, no one would get hurt.
Even her plan-crazy sister would have to admit it was the perfect arrangement.
Why, then, did she feel so precariously out of control?
She inhaled slowly, then exhaled as carefully. Shewasn’tout of control, and the situation was perfectlyundercontrol. The edges of the panic attack receded, and she closed her eyes, a rueful smile pulling at her lips.
She was going to be okay. She was going to step back into life, into friendship and physical contact, and she was going to be okay.
All she had to do was breathe through it.
