She sucked in a breath, audible over the chirping of crickets and the rustle of leaves that blew in the gentle breeze, which filtered in with her window still cracked.
“You have another point to make?” she asked, her brow lifting.
“Yeah. I’m not looking for romantic complications any more than you are. We both have our issues to work through. But…” He shook his head. “Sometimes you have to step off a cliff. Otherwise you stay stagnant. And potentially miss out on something worthwhile.”
“Meaning?”
His chest pulled tight. He had plenty of dilemmas to wade through, but something drove him to say, “I’m going to kiss you again. If you decide you want
me to do more than that, just nod your head.”
She did before he even leaned in. “I already know. Not sure how it’s gonna go, but… I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want one night with you. I swear I thought I’d never be attracted to anyone ever again. I don’t want to ignore it.”
His eyes narrowed on her. “One night?”
With another nod, she said, “You were right. Neither one of us is interested in emotional entanglements.”
Rubbing his thumb against his jaw helped to loosen it. “I’m not into that, Reese. If this spark between us is real, I’m not going to pretend it isn’t. And I’m sure as hell not going to use you to scratch an itch.”
She frowned. “But you said we both have issues to work through and—”
“I also said sometimes you have to jump off a cliff. It’s entirely possible there’s a reason we responded so quickly and easily to each other.”
Shaking her head, she said, “I can’t travel that path with you, Caleb. I know what it’s like to be emotionally devastated and I can’t take that chance again.”
Clearly, she had no idea that she’d already started down the path with him. She’d shared the humiliation of her divorce and he’d told her of his dream. He’d been introduced to her friends. They’d danced together, holding each other intimately. And their kisses… They hadn’t just been filled with passion. He’d read plenty into her wants and desires and he knew he’d conveyed his own needs.
But he understood her trepidation. She had valid concerns. So did he—because he was damn certain one night with her would not be enough. And juggling a new romance and a new business venture at the same time would not be a walk in the park.
Yet every grand plan had its hiccups. This was a very enticing one. He was up for the challenge both undertakings presented.
Finally he told her, “I’m not going to deny I want you. From about the moment I laid eyes on you. Maybe it was the flour on your face or how forthcoming you were from the start. Maybe it was the pie.” He winked at her and she laughed softly. “I don’t know. I’m not supposed to know. Chemistry is mystical and should stay that way. Whatever the catalyst, when I saw you at Pietro’s I kinda thought it was fate lending a hand. Would it really be so bad if there’s more between us than physical attraction?”
* * * * *
Reese’s teeth clamped down on her lower lip to keep it from trembling.
What woman on the planet wouldn’t want to hear words as magical as Caleb’s, especially when delivered by such a gorgeous, dynamic and sensitive man? One who had more finesse, ambition and emotional depth in his pinky than Tommy had in his entire body. She’d spent eleven years with a husband who’d merely regarded her as a meal ticket because she’d had insurance money from her parents’ deaths. Had being the operative word, since he’d wasted little time spending the remainder of the settlement after she’d put a down payment on the B&B.
Caleb clearly wasn’t looking to take advantage of her in any way. In fact, she’d never experienced the sort of common ground she felt with him. As though they were both on the same page, both struggling with their own conflicts, yet still somehow open to new possibilities.
At least, she wanted to be open to new possibilities. Who had she become that she no longer believed in a genuine connection with a man? Or that she didn’t deserve a second chance at love?
Not that she wanted to get ahead of herself in the scenario. Yes, they had established an earnest bond from the get-go. Yet it was still wise to tread lightly.
At the same time… To simply close the door because he’d hinted at wanting to keep it open in case they really and truly did have potential beyond a one-night stand…? What kind of fool would that make her?
Ten kinds of one, she decided.
Despite her lingering reservations over the age difference, she stepped off the cliff with him.
“Get me out of this seatbelt,” she said, “and we’ll see what’s what.”
He worked the latch until it released. Then he came around to her side and opened her door. Reese’s stomach tightened at the prospect of following through on their unexpected interlude. But then he took her by the hand and it caused her pussy to pick up that insistent throbbing again, telling her it was time to let go of her devastation and experience passion once again.
She suspected Caleb would blow her mind in the bedroom. He’d already done it outside of those four walls, so how could he not rock her world between the sheets?
A wicked thrill chased down her spine, making her shiver.