“I’d say so.” He stared down at her, his chest heavy and his heart full. “You have something you need to do? Rehearsal?” She’d sat through practice; he’d do the same.
“Nope.” Her voice was soft. “I’m all yours.”
He squeezed her hand and headed to the parking lot. The closer they got to his truck, the tighter her hand became. When he held the truck door open, she stood there, looking at him, then his truck. She bounced up on the balls of her feet and tilted her head back for a kiss.
He kissed her—barely.
She made that adorable sound of want and frustration that set the hair on the back of his neck straight up.
“I’d like to get out of the parking lot.” He smiled. Preferably far enough removed from the rest of the world that nothing and no one would interfere.
She took his hand and climbed up into the cab of his truck.
“Where are we going?” she asked when they’d pulled onto the highway.
“Wherever you want.” He glanced her way.
She turned to look at him, her eyes zeroing in on his mouth. “I have an idea.” Her bright-green gaze met his. “I was thinking we could go to your hotel room and finish what we started. We’ve waited long enough, don’t you think?” She nibbled her lip—damn but he wanted to nibble it, too. “Unless you’re too tired?”
“If you’re asking, I’m not too tired.” He reached across the seat and took her hand into his. After all this time, the last thing he’d expected to feel was nervous. But he did. By the time he handed off his keys to the hotel valet, he was having second thoughts.
Emmy was all shy smiles and flushed cheeks as they made their way to the elevator, her purse held close. When the elevator doors to his floor op
ened, she grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hall.
Once they were in his hotel suite and the door was shut, Emmy Lou’s smile wavered.
“Em, what’s this about?” he asked, running his fingers along her cheek. “There’s no rush here—”
“Maybe not for you.” She cleared her throat, staring up at him. “You have no idea.” Her eyes were green fire.
“You could tell me?” He wanted her. Hell, he’d always wanted her.
“I’d rather show you.” She turned and headed across the living room area, past the wet bar, into his room.
Her words blotted out all his second thoughts and reservations. He dropped his duffel bag on the floor and his keys on the counter and followed, on fire for her. He hadn’t expected her to be so direct—but it was a hell of a turn-on.
Emmy Lou was standing next to his bed, staring around her, unbuttoning her pink-and-white polka-dot shirt with a bow at the neck. “Should I tackle you again?” She was breathing hard, shaking with the force of it.
“Whatever you want, Emmy Lou.” Always.
She reached up, tugging the band from her hair. “You like—liked—my hair down.”
He nodded, the tightness in his chest rivaling the throb of hunger in his blood. She had no idea how beautiful she was to him. Or how many times he’d imagined this. No span of time had eased the ache he had for this woman.
Her fingers were fumbling with the buttons of her blouse, but her eyes never left his. “I’m not doing a very good job at this.”
He was having a hell of a hard time breathing. “What?”
“Seducing you.” She glanced down at her button and tugged it free. The button popped off and rolled across the floor. “There should be candles and a bubble bath and strawberries. Aren’t there always strawberries?”
He frowned. “In movies, I guess.”
“Oh.” She untied the bow at her collar. “Movies. So I guess you don’t want to sit in a chair and watch? And I don’t need to do some sexy dance?”
The more she talked, the more confused he was getting. Not that he wasn’t enjoying the view. “Is that what you want?”
Shirt unbuttoned, she paused. “I’m not sure.” He could hear her breathing, see the tremor in her hands.