Claimed

This was the moment, his cue, and, heart pounding, he took it. “I could give you a ride. My car’s parked in the garage at the end of the block. It’s no trouble.” He held his breath.

“Oh, I couldn’t ask you to do that,” Kelsey said. “But a ride to the bus stop would be great.” Her cheeks were flushed, her emerald green eyes bright. She brought a hand to her face, pushing away the loose strand of hair that had sprung from her French braid.

James realized he’d been staring, and he tore his gaze away from her to focus on the bill the waitress had just placed on the table. “I think I had a few too many,” Kelsey said with a laugh. “How about you? You okay to drive?”

James glanced up from the cash he’d been counting, thrown on the table by the others as they’d left, which totaled about two-thirds of what they’d owed. He didn’t care. He was with Kelsey! He was going to give her a ride to the bus stop, or, if he could convince her, all the way to her apartment.

“Me?” James offered a confident smile. “Sure, I’m fine. Let me just settle up this bill and I’m good to go.”

Kelsey reached for her purse. James stopped her by placing his hand over hers. Oh god, her skin was so soft. “This one’s on me, okay?”

She looked as if she was about to protest, but he caught her gaze in his and smiled gently. She pulled her hand slowly from beneath his and nodded. “Okay. Thanks. That’s really nice of you, James.”

James. He loved when she said his name. It sounded sexy in her mouth, like the promise of something more.

She sidled from the booth and turned to face him with a smile. “I’ll just pop to the ladies’ room, okay? Then we can go.”

“No problem. I’ll be waiting.” James watched her walk away, drinking in the sight of her small but shapely ass as she glided like a geisha through the crowd. He refused to entertain a sudden niggling thought that she might not come back. Clearly she’d stayed late just so they would be the last two at the table. It was up to him, as the man, to make the next move.

He was waiting by the table when she returned. She’d reapplied her lipstick and smoothed back her hair. Her cheeks were still flushed and her eyes were shining. Her suit jacket was flung over her arm, and she’d opened the top two buttons of her blouse. James’ fingers itched with the sudden desire to push her down against the table so he could claim her. He shook away the image, hoping she wouldn’t notice his sudden erection in the dim light of the bar.

He dared to place a hand lightly on her lower back as they pushed their way through the loud, drunken throng. It was a welcome relief to breathe the air outside, in spite of the fumes from a nearby bus. They walked in companionable silence to the car garage and James exercised every ounce of self-control to keep from reaching for her hand, or worse, pulling her into his arms.

Not yet, he warned himself. Not yet.

He felt lightheaded, almost reckless, and realized he, too, had had too much to drink. But so what? It only gave him the added courage he needed to make his move. Because tonight was the night. He was sure of it.

When they got to the garage, he led her to the small elevator that would take them to the top floor where he always parked. At this hour the place would be nearly deserted. As the elevator lurched upward, again he exercised all his self-control to keep from pressing her against the wall and kissing her.

As they walked through the empty garage toward his car, James clicked the button on his key fob to unlock the doors of his car, which flashed its lights in greeting as they approached. “I wish you’d let me take you all the way home. I don’t like the idea of you waiting for a bus at this hour. The crazies come out at night, you know.”

“Well, if you’re sure it’s not too much trouble,” Kelsey said hesitantly.

“It would be my pleasure,” James assured her, already imagining her inviting him up to her apartment. They would share a nightcap. She would smile shyly at him and lift her face for a kiss. When their lips touched, they would both know beyond a doubt that they belonged together as man and wife.

As they approached the car, Kelsey gave him her address and directions to her place, not that he needed them. The garage was empty and silent, save for the clacking of her heels against the concrete. The moon had risen and was shining in through the wide slats in the walls, casting a pearly glow over everything. Kelsey stood by the car like a shimmering angel.