21. Claire
CHAPTER 21
Claire
Y es!
My inner voice fist pumped and eagerly kissed him back.
It won’t last , my rational side countered.
I opened the soundproof vault in my mind and shoved Ms. Rationality inside, slamming the door. I didn’t care if this lasted or not. It was happening now.
Ozzie backed up, pressing me against the doorframe. He slid one knee between my thighs, letting me rest on it so his hands were free to glide up my neck and into my hair. The press of his long fingers to my scalp sent a wave of tingles racing over my skin. I clutched at the lapels of his jacket and held on.
For long moments, we devoured each other, lost in the sensations overwhelming everything else. I didn’t feel the snow flurries that had started to fall, melting on my face, nor the icy wind whipping around us.
But Ms. Rationality battled her way out of her box. Curling her fingers over the edge of the door and poking her head through, she screamed at me. You’re on the side of a road in the bush, waiting on a tow truck to come get a potential murderer’s car! Have you lost your mind?
Indeed, I had.
I wanted to say I didn’t care. That the feel of our bodies pressed together, the glide of his lips over mine was all that mattered.
Except, how did this end? In the backseat of my car?
We weren’t teenagers.
My rational mind made it a little further through the door, one leg on the other side now. End this now. Before he does. He’ll just come up with more excuses not to see you.
Ugh, she was right.
I wrenched my mouth away and laid my head on Ozzie’s shoulder, breathing hard. His fingers clenched, then unclenched in my hair.
“I—” My voice cracked, so I swallowed and tried again, lifting my head. “I should probably go.” It was then I noticed the snow drifting down around us. “Before this gets any worse.” I pointed at the sky, thankful for the innocent excuse. I didn’t want to draw attention to the case and remind him of his reasons for resisting a relationship in the first place.
He cleared his throat. “Yeah. Probably.” Taking a step back, he let me slowly slide down his thigh to the ground.
Oh my…
The hot zing that went through me from the friction almost made me say screw it and pull his head back down for another kiss. But my rational side screamed, “Resist!” and finally clawed her way all the way through the door to stand front and center with her hands on her hips.
I scowled and tried to weakly push her back to the vault, but she didn’t budge. My inner hussy had lost this particular battle.
Pushing away from the car, I took a step, but my knees were still jelly, and I stumbled.
“Careful.” Ozzie grabbed my arm, supporting me under my elbow. “Here. Let me help you back to your car.” He shuffled me away from the truck far enough to get my crutch from the back seat, then helped me across the uneven ground toward my SUV.
I wanted to protest. To argue that I was fine. But face-planting on the cold, wet ground wasn’t on the list today, so I gritted my teeth and let him help me to my driver’s door. This time, I let my rational side take control. Having his help meant I got out of here more quickly.
Away from temptation.
I couldn’t leave without knowing I’d see him again, though. So, I slapped a hand over Ms. Rationality’s mouth as I asked, “Can you meet me for coffee Saturday morning? Around nine.”
Indecision lit in his dark eyes.
Not about to let him think about it long enough to say no, I took my crutch from him and opened my door, sliding it in between the front seats to the second row.
“Claire…”
“The Cozy Cup,” I said over my shoulder. “Coffee’s on me.” I turned and sat, swinging my legs inside, then reached for the door handle as I aimed a sunny smile his way. Before he could protest again, I pulled the door shut and started the engine. Buckling up, I tossed him a quick wave and put the car in gear. He stepped back, and I performed a quick three-point turn.
A quick glance in the rearview mirror as I drove away showed him standing on the berm. His headlights silhouetted his tall frame as he watched me leave.
That funny, heated, giddy feeling sprang to life in my belly again. The side of me that wanted to act like a teenager and jump his bones in my backseat begged me to turn around.
But I let the adult in me win this time and kept driving.
It would happen. But when, where, and what it would mean I didn’t know.
Maybe I’d get a better idea about it Saturday.
If he showed up.
I rolled my eyes. Getting stood up was a distinct possibility. He’d wanted to say no. I could see it in his eyes. His mind was already telling him it was a bad idea because I was part of his case.
His body had other ideas, though.
I shifted in my seat as the heated feeling spread south.
So did mine.