“Is something wrong?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“You will think about the pact?” he asked.
Teddy nodded. “I promised.” Then surprised herself by adding, “We could talk more about it sometime.” She hesitated and that was unlike her. “After the markets close, maybe.”
“We need to know more about each other,” he agreed.
She nodded.
“While you’re thinking, here’s something to help you along.”
Before Teddy knew what he was going to do, he leaned toward her and she couldn’t help but lean into him. Her head tipped up and her heels came off the floor at the same time. His mouth hovered over hers. He took her face in his hands, first one hand, then the other, cradling her. She took in his scent. Images swam before her eyes. She closed them as emotions burned within her. Intense heat flashed through her until she was sure she was glowing yellow. His mouth settled on hers. Easy. He didn’t rush or plunge. His fingers threaded through her hair, combing it with ease as if he savored the texture and feel of the dark strands. Palms slid across her shoulders and with slow, caressing movements skimmed over her arms and sides before wrapping around her waist. He pulled her against him, possessively, his mouth mirroring the actions of his body. She felt the fire of his hands searing her suit fabric.
Teddy had been kissed before, but never like this, never with this tenderness, this softness that was as unnerving as if he were devouring her. Her arms reached upward, sliding over arms that were rock hard. On tiptoe she circled his neck and pressed herself into him. Just as her mouth began to mate with his, he lifted his head.
She said nothing. Her eyes closed and opened in answer. His finger on her lips made her incapable of speech. The emotions rifling through her were new, untried, outside her realm of experience. But they were there—prickling electrical points that dotted her body, vibrated over her skin like a formfitting acupuncture machine that dealt only in pleasure. The sensation was new.
Adam moved his hand and the moment snapped, a tenuous thread broken.
“Now we know what it’s like to kiss each other.”
Reaching around her, he opened the door. She was already close enough to him that the smell of his heady cologne clouded her senses. Brushing against his hard body as she made room for him had her responding to the pure sexual drive of him.
The door clicked shut and she let out a long breath. She was incapable of speech. When had a man ever caused her to react like this?
And one her mother handpicked!
* * *
Teddy understood that if she agreed to Adam’s suggestion, the two should keep it secret, but she told Diana everything. In this she needed a second opinion.
“So, what do you think?” Teddy asked as she finished explaining Adam showing up at the wedding, the painting and his suggestion. She omitted the devastating kiss at her front door.
Diana stared at her with openmouthed amazement. “He suggested you pretend to be in love?”
Hearing it put like that and in a tone that said it was incredible, Teddy was sorry she’d brought up the subject.
“Do you think it will work?” Diana asked.
“I’m not sure. I’d rather just tell my mother to back off, but we both know that won’t work.”
Diana leaned forward, her arms folded on her desk. “Let me ask a different question. Are you considering this because you’re attracted to Adam?” Teddy hesitated. It was apparently too long for Diana. “I guess that’s my answer.”
“I told you he was good-looking.” Actually he was gorgeous. He had the most amazing eyes, light brown with a fringe of lashes that any female would be jealous of. His hands were soft when he had them on her face, but she could feel the strength in them. His body was solid and that bedroom voice could possibly undo her.
“At the time you didn’t say you wanted to spend time with him. What is this, your third date?” Diana asked.
“We haven’t been on a date yet.”
“What was dinner last week and the wedding on Friday?”
“Those were chance meetings.”
Diana frowned at her, but her face showed the opposite. “Sure they were,” she said sarcastically. “But as far as your question goes, you’ll have to decide. If you’re doing it to ward off your mom, that’s one thing. But if you just want to spend time with the guy and he with you, I’m sure neither one of you needs a guise.”