Page 93 of Romance and Peppermint Lattes
“When?”
“Next weekend.”
“I’d like to,” she told him, touched by the invitation, “but I’ll have left for Minnesota by then.”
“That’s all right,” Joe said, grinning at her. “Maybe next time.”
She turned, frowning, to hide her blush.
They remained silent as he concentrated on easing the truck into the heavy late-afternoon traffic.
“I enjoyed the movie,” she said some time later, resisting the urge to rest her head on his shoulder. The impulse to do that arose from her exhaustion, she told herself. Nothing else!
“So did I,” he said softly. “Only next time, I’ll be the one to pay. Understand?”
Next time.There it was again. She suspected Joe was beginning to take their relationship, such as it was, far too seriously. Already he was suggesting they’d be seeing each other soon, matter-of-factly discussing dates and plans as if they were longtime companions. Almost as if they were married...
She was mulling over this realization when Joe pulled into the parking area in front of her building. He climbed out and began to gather her packages, bundling them in his arms. She managed to scramble down by herself, not giving him a chance to help her, then she led the way into the building and unlocked her door.
Cait stood just inside the doorway and turned slightly to take a couple of the larger packages from Joe’s arms.
“I had a great time,” she told him briskly.
“Me, too.” He nudged her, forcing her to enter the living room. He followed close behind and unloaded her remaining things onto the sofa. His presence seemed to reach out and fill every corner of the room.
Neither of them spoke for several minutes, but Cait sensed Joe wanted her to invite him to stay for coffee. The idea was tempting but dangerous. She mustn’t let him think there might ever be anything romantic between them. Not when she was in love with Paul. For the first time in nearly a year, Paul was actually beginning to notice her. She refused to ruin everything now by becoming involved with Joe.
“Thank you for... today,” she said, returning to the door,intending to open it for him. Instead, Joe caught her by the wrist and pulled her against him. She was in his arms before she could voice a protest.
“I’m going to kiss you,” he told her, his voice rough yet strangely tender.
“You are?” She’d never been more aware of a man, of his hard, muscular body against hers, his clean, masculine scent. Her own body reacted in a chaotic scramble of mixed sensations. Above all, though, it feltgoodto be in his arms. She wasn’t sure why and dared not examine the feeling.
Slowly, leisurely, he lowered his head. She made a soft weak sound as his mouth touched hers.
Cait sighed, forgetting for a moment that she meant to free herself before his kiss deepened. Before things went any further...
Joe must have sensed her resolve because his hands slid down her spine in a gentle caress, drawing her even closer. His mouth began a sensuous journey along her jaw, and down her throat—
“Joe!” She moaned his name, uncertain of what she wanted to say.
“Hmm?”
“Are you hungry again?” She wondered desperately if there were any more bread sticks in the bottom of her purse. Maybe that would convince him to stop.
“Very hungry,” he told her, his voice low and solemn. “I’ve never been hungrier.”
“But you had lunch and then you ate nearly all the popcorn.”
He slowly raised his head. “Cait, are we talking about the same things here? Oh, hell, what does it matter? The only thing that matters is this.” He covered her parted lips with his.
Cait felt her knees go weak and sagged against him, her fingers gripping his jacket as though she expected to collapseany moment. Which was becoming a distinct possibility as he continued to kiss her....
“Joe, no more, please.” But she was the one clinging to him. She had to do something, and fast, before her ability to reason was lost entirely.
He drew an unsteady breath and muttered something she couldn’t decipher as his lips grazed the delicate line of her jaw.
“We... need to talk,” she announced, keeping her eyes tightly closed. If she didn’t look at Joe, then she could concentrate on what she had to do.
