Jane Shoup by Desconhecido(a) Read Free Book Online Page B

throat that
first day in her office and the way her hand had felt, enclosed in his larger
hand.
    “Here we are,” she said,
handing him a small glass of deep red wine. “It’s port,” she explained.
    “Thanks.” The port was
strong and sweet.
    “My nephews,” she said,
gesturing to the photograph of the kids. “Ben and Josh. They’re great kids.”
    “Do you w-want k-kids?” he
asked. There was a second of silence in which he felt blundering and foolish.
He hadn’t really thought about how the question would sound.
    “Definitely,” she said
quietly, looking into her glass of port. She sipped. “You?” she asked, trying
to sound casual.
    “Yes,” he replied, not
caring in the least about sounding casual. He watched as she moved to the couch
and sat, curling her legs beside her. She’d kicked off her shoes in the
kitchen. He followed her and sat facing her, although not too closely. She
seemed shy in the privacy of her apartment, and he didn’t want to scare her
into retreating. He felt like a hunter who had his prey in sight. He had to be
sensitive and calm. He needed to watch for skittishness.
    “Do you have a big family?”
she asked.
    “Two sisters.”
    “Older or younger?”
    “I’m the baby.”
    She grinned. “So were you
picked on or spoiled?”
    He thought about it and
shrugged. “A little of b-both, I guess. And you?”
    “Chris is six years older
than me. That seemed like a lot when we were growing up, but we’re pretty close
now. And I love Meg, his wife.”
    Was it his imagination or
was she just making polite conversation. Maybe it was time for him to
retreat. He didn’t want to overstay his welcome. He didn’t want her wishing
he’d leave. “I had a r-really good time tonight,” he said.
    She blinked, surprised he
was already moving toward goodnight. “Me, too.”
    “Things don’t f-feel as
awkward with you as they u-usually do.”
    She nodded slowly, unsure
of how to respond. “Me, too,” she repeated. “I haven’t dated anyone in a while
and...Zoe told you about my last relationship.”
    He shook his head. “Not
about the relationship,” he said tenderly. “About him. How he didn’t
duh-deserve you.”
    She bit on the inside of
her bottom lip to keep from tearing up.
    “I should go,” he said,
scooting forward. “I didn’t realize how l-late it was.”
    She got to her feet a
moment after he did, and led the way to the coat rack by the door, wondering
about the sudden departure.  Should she encourage him to stay, or would that
make him feel pressured? She turned back to him and opened her mouth to speak,
but he’d done the same. They each smiled, embarrassed by the awkward moment. “I
was just going to say you don’t have to go yet,” she said. “It’s not that
late.”
    He took hold of her hand
and caressed it in both of his. “I want to d-do everything r-right with you,”
he admitted.
    The words were so sweet,
and he was such a gentleman, almost a throwback to another time. He’d opened
and held every door for her. He’d assisted her on and off with her coat. She’d
never had that kind of treatment before and was surprised how much she liked
it. His courtliness did instill a kind of shyness about them, or maybe it was
an increased awareness of what was proper.
    “May I kiss you goodnight?”
he asked.
    She nodded and he moved
closer, placing his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him, and felt his
warm breath a second before his lips made contact with hers in a sweet, soft
kiss. If time could have ever been commanded to stop, this is the moment she
would have chosen. His lips felt soft and full on hers. She wrapped her arms
around him and flattened her hands against his back as he drew her close. She
felt the first nudge of his tongue and opened eagerly for it.
    They were in a slow,
sensual dance, with movement as much internal as external and she clung to him,
not wanting it to end.  She became aware of the hard rise in his jeans. Was