Chapter 2 #2
"That will soon pass." He was making her uncomfortable, but not in a bad way.
He was movie star handsome and that was the problem.
The pale blue cotton shirt he had on was stretched across broad shoulders.
He was also wearing a lightweight black leather jacket that gave him a rakish look and was stunning against his blonde hair and tanned complexion. And his smile was melting her heart.
"I told myself that too." He held her hands when she tried to pull them away. "Come for a drive with me, Catherine. I give you my word as a gentleman that I will not do anything you do not approve of."
Her tapered brows lifted. "Gentleman?"
He grinned at her, white teeth flashing. "As a man, then." Lifting her hands to his mouth, he brushed his lips over her knuckles. "Just a ride along the country road. I really want to show you something."
She should tell him to leave and take his expensive gift with him. It was the prudent thing to do. But standing here with him inside her tiny living room, the magnetism she had felt when he stood next to her at the gallery was already pulling at her.
"All right," she murmured. "Let me grab my jacket and put my shoes on."
*****
"Want the window up?" he called out as he made the turn that would take them to the private road.
"No. The breeze is wonderful," she said with a laugh as she wound the coil of hair around her wrist to keep them from flying all over her face.
"I love spring," she confessed as she peered out the window.
"The scent of rain in the air, the flowers blooming and the way everything looks so green and promising.
" She slanted him a look. "What's your favorite season? "
He had to think about it for a minute, as he had never considered it before. "I think fall. All the different colors."
She nodded as if she approved of his answer.
They lapsed into silence for a few minutes before he made the turn. "Here we are."
"Where is-- Oh!" One hand flew to her throat as she stared at the scenery spread out before her.
He had taken them around a winding path that led to a slight incline.
And below them, the blanket of land with its profusion of flowers made for a breathtaking view.
Towering trees -- she could identify sturdy oaks and redwoods as well as some willows -- stood majestically as if on guard duty.
An ancient-looking bridge arched over a stream, the clear water meandering gently over smooth stones.
"What do you think?" Releasing his seatbelt, he unhooked hers. Shoving the door open, he came around to open her door. Taking her hand, he led them closer to the edge.
"I think this must be what paradise looks like." She was so enraptured by the view, she did not object to the fact that he was still holding her hand, fingers twined through hers. "What is this place?"
"The site for a rustic cabin or picnic area.
" He felt the calm weaving its way through his body and was amazed at the ambivalence.
He felt contented with her and at the same time, he wanted her in his arms and his mouth on hers.
"Collier Trust entertains on a wide scale, and we often have people coming from all over the world.
More than that, we sponsor a lot of sporting events.
This place is best known for its fishing and unsurpassed beauty.
" He pointed out a clearing in the middle.
"Soon the construction will be starting to build the log cabin.
Something rustic, nothing fancy, so as not to take away from the natural beauty of the place. "
She nodded, eyes scanning the surroundings. "Is that an antler? It is! Oh, I wish I had brought my phone with me."
"I have mine." Fishing into his jacket, he located it and pressed his thumbprint to unlock it before handing it to her.
The thought occurred to him that when she shook his hand free, he felt bereft. That was ridiculous, he thought angrily.
He waited while she took several pictures, her voice dropping to a whisper when several more deer joined the stag.
"If you punch your number in, I can send them to your phone."
She sent him an arched look and, after a slight hesitation, did just that. "Why do I get the feeling that was something you engineered?"
He laughed softly. "Should I feel flattered that you think I have the power to call on animals to charm you enough to borrow my phone?"
Tilting her head, she studied him. "I think you have a way about you that allows you to get what you want."
"Usually I do." He turned her to face him, his hands on her shoulders. "Look, the bottom line is that I'm attracted to you."
"That's--"
"I know what you're going to say," he cut in swiftly, one hand moving upward to the side of her neck.
"It's too fast."
"That's not what I was going to say at all. I'm not looking for a relationship at this time and even if I were--" She took a deep breath. "You would be the last person I would even think about entering into one with. And you should know why."
"Because I'm so much taller than you?" he asked teasingly.
"Please don't joke about this," she said soberly.
"I've worked too hard to build my reputation of being an upstanding citizen to have it demolished by--" She shrugged helplessly, unwilling to be rude.
He had bought her a very expensive gift, a sculpture she could never afford in a thousand years, and she actually liked him.
No, she corrected. He did something to her insides that she was going to have to explore when she was alone.
But she would be a fool to even consider a relationship.
"My questionable reputation." The tinge of bitterness in his tone touched something deep inside her. "You don't want to have anything to do with me." His expression was bleak. "I keep telling myself that I don't deserve to be with someone like you." His hand cupped the back of her neck.
"But nothing is working." His voice deepened. "I tried like hell to stay away from you, but I can't. God help us both."
She knew what was coming and was powerless to stop it.
It was as if she was frozen in time. Against her own volition, her body drew closer to his.
She barely came to his chest. The hand holding hers lifted to his chest where he imprisoned it against the steady beat of his heart.
Blue eyes darkened to almost black, stared into hers, holding her gaze immobile.
Catherine felt it then, the thickness of passion that had suddenly sprung up around them.
Her fingers curled into his shirt, the breath escaping her parted lips as anticipation stirred like a wild thing inside her.
She had been kissed several times before, of course, but there had never been this kind of excited dizziness that was drawing her in.
His head bent towards hers. As if in slow motion, he bridged the distance, until his breath was mingling with hers.
"Catherine." He did not recognize the husky timbre of his voice, or the way his body was behaving.
His chest felt tight and his entire body was aroused.
"Catherine." Her name was like a mantra, as if he was trying to reassure himself that she was really here with him.
He brushed his lips over hers, light and whisper soft, as if testing the waters.
When she stood still in his arms, he drew her against his chest.
"Catherine." Using his tongue, he traced the full outline of her bottom lip and felt her tremble.
He would take his time. And he would use his considerable experience to draw a response from her.
His mind went foggy and he felt the desire sweeping through him like an inferno.
Forcing himself to be gentle, he parted the seams of her lips and, using just the tip of his tongue, he entered her mouth and was almost staggered by the sweetness he found there.
She tasted like his favorite scotch, combined with honey.
Against his will, he wrapped his arm around her slender body, crushing it against his.
When she lifted her hands to put them around his neck, he deepened the kiss, the groan sounding deep in his throat as she opened up for him.
Lust, strong and intense, flooded his entire being and made him yearn for more.
He had to have her. This was never going to be enough.
He wanted to devour her. Without thinking, he was nudging her towards the vehicle with the intention of taking her right there on the back seat.
And he would have done it too, if she hadn't surfaced from the thick fog of desire clouding her senses. Somewhere, the warning bell clanged.
Wedging her hands between them, she pushed at his chest.
It took a few more minutes for Dean to realize that she was resisting him and for him to be aware of what he was doing.
Lifting his head, he gripped her hips, fingers digging through the material of her dress as he fought for the control that was now in tatters.
Never in his thirty years had he lost all sense of time and place.
Releasing her abruptly, he turned and walked to the edge, his body still shaking.
Shoving his hands into his pockets, he stared fiercely at the clump of trees and willed his erection to go down.
"We should go."
Her cultured voice had his shoulders stiffening, but he did not turn around.
This was crazy. If she had not stopped him, he would have taken her in the back seat of his car like a randy teenager. He had never been that person. He preferred to consider himself a sophisticated man of the world.
Turning around, he strode to the driver's side and wrenched the door open. "Buckle up," he said tersely as soon as she got in. Without another word, he gunned the engine and left.