Page 24 of Five Minute Man
Chapter 14
Adam put the last ofthe throw pillows back on the couch with a little more force than necessary. The television was off, the remnants of their indoor picnic had been gathered, and the immediate area tidied.
He was still reeling from that kiss, though it seemed woefully inadequate to describe what they had shared simply as a kiss. He had kissed women before. This had been different.
He could still taste her on his lips, still feel the way she had softened so readily for him. His thirty-two-year-old body felt eighteen again, hot and hard, and pumped up with primal urges. His heart raced, filled with promises, even as his mind warned him to slow the hell down.
From a fuckingkiss.
He didn’t have to turn around to know that Holly had returned; he could sense her. His cock throbbed in welcome as she hovered in the archway separating the living space from the kitchen area, looking every bit as off-balance as he felt. It was that, the hint of vulnerability, that made up his mind for him.
“I should be going,” Adam said huskily. His eyes flicked over her, but he didn’t hold her gaze. If he allowed himself to look into her eyes and see the passion burning just below the surface, he couldn’t be responsible for his actions. He wanted her with a ferocity that shook him to his core.
Disappointment and confusion flashed in her eyes as Holly accepted the empty popcorn bowls he thrust into her hand. “Okay.”
“I had a great time.” The words fell so far short of the mark that he winced. It sounded more like an insincere platitude than the heartfelt sentiment it was. The evening had been perfect, exactly what he needed after a long day of busting his ass.Hollyhad been perfect.
How was it that he felt so comfortable, so at peace around her, when he hardly knew her? At least until he had started kissing her. Then the comfort and peace burned up like dry tinder in the sudden flames consuming him from the inside out.
“Me, too.”
Was that a reflexive response or a genuine one? It was hard to tell. Her voice gave nothing away, and she was looking down at the bowls in her hands instead of at him so he couldn’t see her expressive eyes.
“Thanks for having me.”Shit! That sounded even worse.Forget eighteen. He had regressed to the awkward banter of a twelve-year-old.
“My pleasure.”
She walked him to the door and opened it, keeping her body slightly behind it as if subconsciously putting a barrier between them. Unlike the other night, she made no move to follow him onto the porch.
Adam hesitated. Maybe leaving was a mistake. It wasn’t like him to panic like that. Maybe he just needed to take a breath and follow his instincts. She had been right there with him, he was sure of it.
Holly made the decision for him. “Drive safely.”
Nodding, he turned and walked to his truck. This time when he looked in the rearview mirror on his way out, he didn’t see her watching him go.
Well, shit.
* * *
HOLLY DIDN’T HEAR FROMAdam for the rest of the weekend. She tried not to read too much into that, but it was hard not to, especially after the kiss they had shared.
“Kiss” really didn’t describe it at all. It was like trying to call the Adirondacks a series of consecutive bumps in the landscape.
Maybe that had just been her. He might have not felt the same rush, the same all-encompassing tingles that had raced through her body demandingmore. Hell, he might have felt just the opposite.
She didn’t think so, though. Right afterward, when she had looked into his eyes, she could have sworn she saw the same awe, the same surprise she had felt.
Although, it might be easier to believe that if he hadn’t practically left skid marks on his way out.
The gum-smacking hostess at Applebee’s was one they hadn’t seen before. Holly decided right off the bat she didn’t like the girl, especially when they were told Brandon’s section was full and they were seated on the other side of the restaurant.
“Whatever happened to the customer always being right?” Holly muttered.
Liz looked back, narrowing her eyes at the young, ebullient foursome of college-aged girls sitting at Liz and Holly’s usual table and shamelessly vying for Brandon’s attention. As a matter of fact, nearly all the tables in his section were occupied by young females.
She snorted. “Looks like we’ve been put out to pasture.”
“Whatever,” Holly said, feigning disinterest. She had been hoping maybe Brandon would say something about his uncle, but that wasn’t likely to happen now. “Next week, maybe we should change things up a little. We can hit up Chili’s or Olive Garden instead.”
