“That was a lousy way to conclude our conversation, wasn’t it?” he asked. “I think I can do much better.”
Before she quite realized his intention, he gathered her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers.
As first kisses went, especially with such little fanfare, this one was impressive. Solid and sturdy, Cole enveloped her, engulfed her. Every feminine nerve ending inside her responded to that potent masculinity with a rush of sensation unlike anything she’d experienced before.
She was kissing Cole! Or he was kissing her. And if ever she had contemplated what it might be like to do so—and she’d imagined it on more than a few occasions, just for curiosity—the reality was more explosive than she could ever have predicted. How could she possibly have suspected that the quiet numbers cruncher next door kissed like a dashing pirate?
His lips were firm, warm, skilled. The hint of his late-day beard was pleasantly rough against her softer skin. He tasted of sexy, spicy, virile male; a potent combination that made her suddenly, unexpectedly hungry for more. She couldn’t quite hold back the tiny murmur of protest when he drew his mouth a couple inches from hers, breaking the contact.
Cole looked almost as dazed as she felt when their gazes locked. And then he swooped in for another taste, and she discovered to her amazement that the first kiss hadn’t been a fluke. She couldn’t have said how long it lasted, or which of them moved closer to deepen the kiss, to press their bodies together. She couldn’t help noticing that Cole was tautly aroused as he thrust his tongue between her parted lips for a more thorough exploration.
How long had this embrace been building? Hours? Days? Months? Was it possible she wasn’t the only one who’d wondered what it would be like, who’d secretly wished to find out?
She didn’t realize she was gripping his shirt in both white-knuckled fists until he finally, firmly set her back a step, carefully untangling her fingers from the now-wrinkled fabric. Wow. Did she say that aloud or was the word just echoing in her otherwise blank mind?
His face a bit flushed, Cole shifted his weight uncomfortably, then cleared his throat before saying, “Well. That was...reassuring.”
She blinked, not entirely sure how to respond to that comment. It wasn’t the adjective she’d have chosen to describe the embrace. Amazing, maybe. Spectacular. Toe-curlingly stimulating, even. But...reassuring?
After only a moment, Cole chuckled huskily, gave her shoulder a little squeeze, then opened the door. “I’ll call you later. If you need anything in the meantime, you know where to find me.”
The door closed behind him again and this time it stayed shut. Stevie stood without moving for what seemed like a very long time. In a daze, she pushed her hair from her overwarm face.
As she turned slowly back into her living room, she felt as if she should pinch herself to make sure she was really awake. Either this was one truly bizarre dream, or she’d just agreed to marry her next-door neighbor. Tomorrow!
* * *
Stevie could usually pack for a week in a carry-on bag, and rarely spent more than a few minutes deciding what to take. Yet it took her more than an hour to choose and pack the next day. And all for a
two-night trip, she thought with a shake of her head as she stood in the middle of her bedroom, dithering over shoe choices.
It wasn’t as if she needed anything different from her usual informal, somewhat bohemian wardrobe, not in Branson. With its live theaters, shopping malls, themed restaurants, golf courses and arcades, the town nestled in the Ozarks on the banks of sprawling Lake Taneycomo was a cheerfully cheesy tourist magnet.
There hadn’t been a lot of extra money for vacations and travel when she’d been a child, but two or three times each year she and her mother and brother had made the just-over-three-hour road trip to Branson for a relatively inexpensive family weekend. She still had warm memories from those trips, which she’d mentioned to Cole during a couple of their rambling, lengthy chats. Did he remember? Probably. Cole didn’t forget much.
She zipped her suitcase, then frowned at it, wondering if she’d packed enough. No. She wasn’t going to second-guess this. It was only a weekend trip.
It was also her honeymoon, she thought, chewing on her lower lip as she gazed down at her ring. This wasn’t at all what she’d imagined when she’d ever fantasized about a honeymoon.
Was she dressed appropriately for an elopement? Had the weather been warmer, she’d have worn something sleeveless and lacy, perhaps. There was no snow on the ground now, but it was cold enough that she’d have shivered in lace. She’d chosen, instead, a dusky blue sweater dress with black leggings and tall boots. The dress had come from Jenny’s shop, and Jenny had told her the color made her eyes look brighter and bluer. Sometimes she wore a wide belt with it, but she left off the belt this time, accessorizing with a chunky ebony-bead necklace, instead.
Posing in front of the mirror, she looked hard at her midsection. She still doubted anyone could tell her condition just by looking at her. Had she not seen the positive pregnancy test and heard the doctor’s confirmation, she would hardly believe it herself. It still didn’t seem quite real. Nor did the fact that she was going to be a married woman in a few hours.
She opened the silver jewelry box on her dresser to take out the hoop earrings she planned to wear today. As she removed them, a narrow slip of paper caught her attention. She’d saved it from a fortune cookie; she didn’t even remember exactly when, but she’d had it for several years. Something about its message had spoken to her: You will live an unexpected life.
She laughed shortly. “You surely got that right, Confucius.”
* * *
Cole was pleased that they were in the car and on the road exactly on the schedule they’d agreed upon. Though he and Stevie hadn’t confided the reason they’d both be out of town for the next two nights, they’d arranged for Lori to check on Dusty tomorrow, so the long weekend was all cleared for their brief honeymoon. Even the weather was cooperating. It was cold, but the roads were dry and the sky a cloudless pale blue. He took that as a good sign.
He was very much aware of how close they sat in the front seats of his SUV. He could reach easily enough across the narrow console to take her hand or rest his on her knee. Because that thought was all too tempting, he tightened his fingers on the steering wheel and tried not to think about the kisses that had left him tossing and turning in his bed most of the night.
He didn’t have to worry about awkward silences during the drive. Though he’d seen the self-consciousness in her eyes when she’d answered the door, Stevie wasn’t the type to be quiet when she was flustered. Just the opposite, actually; she tended to babble. Cole wasn’t sure she took a breath during the first hour of their drive. She chattered about so many random topics he couldn’t even keep up, her hands fluttering around her like restless little birds.
Though he didn’t say much in return—couldn’t have slipped in more than a word or two if he’d wanted to—he didn’t mind her frenetic monologue. Nor did he try to calm her. She had every reason to be jittery. He was a little nervous, himself—not because he had doubts about the plans they’d made, but because he hoped he was up to the massive responsibilities he was taking on. He had to admit he’d assigned himself a daunting task. Torn between bittersweet memories of the past, concerns for the future and frustrated physical desire, he hadn’t gotten much sleep last night.
“Oh, my gosh.” Stevie covered her cheeks with her hands, laughing ruefully. “I’m talking a thousand miles a minute, aren’t I? I haven’t given you a chance to speak at all. Sorry.”