Excerpt...
He studied her as he slid his phone from his jacket
pocket. “Why am I getting the feeling that you’ve thought this through?”
She shrugged. “Maybe I have.”
He found his playlist, the one filled with slow,
romantic songs, then held out his hand to her. He didn’t remind her that she
was supposed to be pragmatic, not a dreamer. He liked this side of her, sensed
that he was with the real Sabrina, the one who would have bought and worn the
happy, artistic, sexy red dress.
Music filled the room. He led her to the dance
floor and pulled her close. She melted into him and the sense of rightness he’d
had at the beginning of the night drifted through him like the simple, easy
notes of the song floating around them, creating a little world all their own.
He let himself soak up the feeling. He had lots of
friends and girlfriends and employees who were friends. But he’d never had this
closeness, this intimacy, with another person. He’d never wanted it. Never
missed it. But holding her now, he knew that when they went back to their
separate worlds this dance would haunt him. Make him wish he’d found the
courage to let this relationship evolve to its natural conclusion.
“Do you ever think that some people aren’t meant
for forever?”
He leaned back, looked into her eyes. “What do you
mean?”
“My parents soured me on marriage. Pretty soon I’m
going to have a child to raise. That’s going to limit everything I do.” She
shrugged. “I don’t know what I’m saying.”
He thought he did. At least a little. She might be
a romantic, but she didn’t think she’d get the happily-ever-after.
But why mention it now?
Unless…
“Are you saying you think we aren’t made for
forever?”
She held his gaze. “You wondered why fate had
thrown us together. Well, there’s a part of me that knows. I’ve loved
everything about tonight, but more than that, I really like you.”
“I like you, too.” Her simple declaration sent
need rippling through him, and this time he didn’t fight it. He dipped his
head, kissed her slowly and thoroughly. “And?”
Her breath stuttered. “And aren’t you just the
tiniest bit curious about how this night should end?”
“I actually had a plan.”
“You did?”
He spun them around once, then kissed her again.
He hadn’t taken his plan this far, but now that they were here, on the
threshold of something amazing, the plan morphed, taking a wonderful turn. “I’ve
decided to seduce you.”
“Oh.”
He kissed the lips forming the perfect, “Oh.”
Drew the kiss out languidly.
Slowed their dance steps to almost none so he
could enjoy her taste, the softening of her body against his, the yearning of
his own body for hers.
When he pulled away she looked sleepy-eyed and
happy. “Maybe we should share that room after all.”
“Maybe we should.”
