Alex Kava Bundle - Alex Kava [208]
“I’m a complete idiot, aren’t I?”
“No, not at all.” She smiled again, and his obvious discomfort relaxed her. She sat up, keeping the sheet carefully pressed against her as she drew her knees up to her chest and placed her arms on top to rest her chin.
“It’s just that I don’t do this sort of thing,” she tried to explain. “At least, not anymore.”
“I don’t usually do this sort of thing at all.” He noticed her bra in his hands, folded it and set it on the nearby bookcase. “So you really don’t remember any of last night?”
“I remember you watching me. I remember being very attracted to you.” Her revelation surprised her almost as much as it surprised him.
“That’s it?” He looked wounded.
“Sorry.”
Finally, he grinned and shrugged. She couldn’t believe how comfortable she felt with him. There was no more panic, no more alarm. The only tension seemed to be the obvious sexual attraction, which she tried to ignore. He didn’t look as if he was even thirty. And he was a stranger, for heaven’s sake. She wanted to kick herself. Dear God! How could she have been so reckless? Had she not changed at all after all this time?
“If I ever find my shirt, could I maybe take you to lunch?”
Then she remembered Daniel. How would she explain any of this to Daniel? She felt the sapphire ring he had given her stabbing into the soft underside of her chin, like some painful reminder. What was wrong with her? Daniel was a mature, respectable businessman. Sure, he was arrogant and self-absorbed sometimes, but at least he wasn’t some kid she had picked up in a bar.
Still, she watched the handsome young stranger put on socks and shoes while he waited for her answer. He glanced around the room in search of the missing shirt. Her toes felt a wad at the end of the bed. She reached beneath the covers, unearthing a pale blue, wrinkled oxford shirt. She held it up to him and instantly remembered having worn the shirt. The memory of him taking it off her made her cheeks flush.
“Is it salvageable?” he asked, stretching to take it from her while keeping a safe distance.
He was being a gentleman, pretending he hadn’t had access to every inch of her body only hours ago. The thought should have repulsed or terrified her. It didn’t. Instead, she continued to watch him, enjoying his nervous but fluid motions, yet at the same time annoyed with herself. She should not be noticing that the color in his shirt brought out the blue flecks in his otherwise green eyes. How had she been so certain he wouldn’t hurt her? One of these days a stranger’s eyes might not be a safe way to judge his character.
“So what about lunch?” he asked, looking as though he was steeling himself for further rejection. He had trouble buttoning the shirt, had it almost finished when he realized he was off a button and started all over again.
“I don’t even remember your name,” Tess finally admitted.
“It’s Will. William Finley.” There was a glance and a hesitant smile. “I’m twenty-six, never been married. I’m a lawyer. Just moved to Boston, but I’m visiting a friend here in Newburgh Heights. His name’s Bennet Cartland. His father has a law practice here. Pretty high-profile one, actually. You can check it out if you want.” He hesitated. “Probably more than you wanted to know, right?” When she rewarded him with a smile, he continued. “What else? I have no diseases, except I did have the mumps when I was, like, eleven, but then so did my buddy, Billy Watts, and he has three kids. Oh, but don’t worry, I used protection last night.”
“Um…there’s a damp spot,” she said quietly.
When he met her eyes, the embarrassment seemed to be replaced by a flicker of desire that his memory must have triggered.
“I had only two condoms, but the third time I…well, I pulled out before, well, you know.”
Suddenly she remembered the intensity, could feel it fill her body. The unfamiliar rush surprised her, frightened her. She couldn’t allow herself to slip back into her old habits. She wouldn’t. Not now when she