“Another one?” The waitress pointed to Damian’s glass.
“I’d love to, darlin’, but I’m driving. Just bring me a cola.”
Kerry dove into her lunch, eating with gusto. She chewed and swallowed, running her tongue over her lips.
Damian found it hard to swallow as blood raced to his groin. His stomach clenched as he sat mesmerized by her movement.
What the hell’s the matter with you? You’re behaving like a randy teenager.
It’d been years since a woman affected him this way, this fast.
She dipped a fry into a pool of ketchup. “Any kids?”
Her question jerked him from his musing, and he grinned. Hopefully, she didn’t know where his thoughts were.
“Nope. As far as I know—no kids.”
That was probably a dumb way to answer her question. He tried to be flippant, but it came across sounding like he had no control over his actions. He’d never had sex without a condom, even when the lady in question said she was on birth control. Not that there had been a parade of women through his life. The senseless hopping from bed to bed had never appealed to him.
A quick glance at Kerry assured him she wasn’t staring at him open-mouthed, as if he were a complete jerk. Never had he cared so much what a woman thought of him as he did now. And that seemed to have him acting like the idiot he didn’t want her to believe he was.
Twenty minutes later, Damian wiped his mouth with a paper napkin, wadded it up, and tossed it on his empty plate. “You know, the way you handled Bev yesterday was amazing. I know that’s what you do, but, given the circumstances, you sure pulled it off in a completely professional way.”
“Thank you.” Her cheeks reddened and she smiled.
The innocence of that blush made his lust shift into something else—a protectiveness—and a strong desire to wrap Kerry in his arms, to hold her and keep her close.
****
The clock on the truck’s dashboard read four-ten when they entered the city limits of Albuquerque.
“I’ve only been to Albuquerque once,” Kerry said as she whipped her head around, glancing from the side to the front windows. “And that time, all I did was my interview, and right back home. It was my two days off, and I didn’t have any time to spare.”
“Well, darlin’, you’re in for a treat.”
She settled back and studied him. “You’ve been here before?”
“Many times.” He eased into the heavier traffic as they entered the center of the city. “We’ll get a room—sorry, rooms—and then I’d like to take you to the downtown district. It’s pretty busy at night, even on a Wednesday. Albuquerque has some great restaurants, and after dinner, we can walk around. There are a lot of galleries and small shops you may like.”
They ended up in a Hampton Inn, two rooms side by side. Kerry took a quick shower and finger-combed her wet, curly hair as she ran the blow dryer over her head. After, she pulled on a flowered, knee-length, full skirt, then tucked in a white, off-the-shoulder blouse, which she secured with a wide silver belt. Flirty, low-heeled sandals completed the outfit. She grabbed a shawl and her wallet, opting to leave her purse in the room.
Damian stood in the lobby, his hands tucked in the back pockets of pressed jeans. Tanned skin at his throat contrasted with a long-sleeved, white western shirt. He’d rolled the sleeves, displaying muscles on his forearms sprinkled with blond hairs. His dusty boots had been swapped out for well-polished ones.
Her insides softened and her lower parts wept. It took all her resolve not to wrap her hand around the back of his head and pull his mouth to hers.
What is wrong with you, girl? Get yourself under control.
His eyes lit up when he noticed her heading toward him. “Wow. You look great.” His long legs ate up the distance between them, and he reached for her hand.
Kerry felt the heat rise to her face. Her hand burned where he held it, shooting a message directly to her core.
Don’t get attached. He’s in Amarillo, and you’ll soon be a resident of Albuquerque.
“Where are we headed?”
He shook his head, as if collecting his thoughts. “My favorite restaurant in Albuquerque. It’s not too far from here.” Damian clasped their hands together, her bracelets jingling in rhythm with their steps, and led her out the door into the warm summer evening. “It’s about a six-block walk, or we can take the truck.”
Kerry inhaled the flower scented air from the plants surrounding the hotel. “I’d rather walk. It’s a beautiful night.”