Heated Rush - Leslie Kelly [30]
Nuts.
“I know exactly what I’m wearing,” she whispered as she tugged her bra back into place and donned the robe. Hoping she didn’t still sound as thoroughly aroused as she felt, she forced a smile. “I’ll only be a minute.”
His eyebrows went up. “So the answering-the-door-in-the-robe wasn’t really necessary?”
“Oh, it was necessary,” she said over her shoulder as she strode across the small living room. “I was confused about whether we were going on the date you offered in the program, or to a nice restaurant. I just had to wait and see how you were dressed before I knew for sure.”
“What program?” he asked.
But Annie didn’t turn around to answer. It had taken sheer determination to stride away from him as if she’d gone back to normal just as easily and quickly as he obviously had. She wasn’t up for trying to chat when her legs felt like two bunches of rubber bands, without strength or form. Pushing her bedroom door closed, she leaned back against it, taking the opportunity to suck in a few deep, shattered breaths.
It took about a minute, but her heart rate finally returned to normal. Once it had, Annie moved fast. She grabbed her brush, fixed her hair, then touched up her makeup.
“Elegant,” she told her reflection, going a bit heavier on the eye shadow. For a ball game, the soft beige would have been fine. A shadowy restaurant called for something more dramatic. At least, as dramatic as she could get in sixty seconds.
She finished getting ready quickly, going with the dark, glittery red dress. While she usually stuck with softer, spring colors, tonight she wanted to stand out, to be as vivid as a flame. To look like someone who should be on the arm of a man as good-looking as Sean.
Remembering the confusion in Sean’s voice when he’d asked about the program, Annie grabbed the page she’d torn out. The comment he’d made about baseball a few minutes ago—not the sexual innuendo, but the actual game—made her wonder why he would offer a woman a date to a Cubs game. It just seemed so out of character.
Something wasn’t adding up. Intending to ask him about it over dinner, Annie folded carefully folded the page and tucked it into her purse.
When she walked back into the other room five minutes after she’d left it, her clothes were changed, her pulse was back to normal, and her freshly changed panties were completely dry.
Though, if they stayed that way all evening, she’d be shocked.
“Okay, I’m…” Her words trailed off as she noticed Sean holding something curled up like a baby in his arms.
It was Wally. And he was purring.
Shock made her jaw drop. “You drugged him. Like in that movie Something About Mary. He’s never this friendly.”
“Are you kidding? He’s a big softie.” He scratched the cat under his chin, and Wally rubbed his furry head against the man’s hands. His very talented hands, as she knew well.
Maybe it wasn’t so strange that Wally was being nice to someone else for the first time in his life. Sean’s hands could make a grown woman purr…why not a cat?
Shaking off the memory of those hands on her body, she said, “He also sheds badly. Your jacket will be a mess.”
Shrugging, Sean lowered the cat to the sofa, then began to pick the fur off his previously immaculate suit coat. Pushing his hands away, Annie did it for him, suddenly struck by the cozy intimacy of such an act. Like they were a regular couple, going out on a regular date.
It was…nice.
A little confused and suddenly feeling awkward, she stepped back. “That’s better. I guess we’re both ready.”
He looked her up and down. “I didn’t know women were capable of getting dressed so quickly.”
“I shouldn’t be. It’s not like I wear clothes like this very often. But I’m a pro at yanking on a new shirt to replace one that’s got baby formula or strained peas on it.”
He grinned. “Hazards of the job.”
“Yep. But it’s nice to do something different. Now, at least if my mother asks me if you’ve taken me anywhere special, I can