Trust Me on This - Jennifer Crusie [35]
“Hey,” Dennie said, and Alec moved over to sit beside her on the bed, shoving her over with his hip.
“You snooze, you lose.” Alec spooned up some more hot fudge. “You can still have some. Your spoon’s still in the dish.”
It wasn’t the lack of a spoon that was causing Dennie problems, it was Alec’s proximity. The warmth from his kiss at the door last night came back, multiplied by how sweet he’d been kissing her in the lobby before dinner and bolstered by the fact that he was in the middle of a great story she wanted. He leaned next to her, half naked, warm wherever his body touched hers, and she vividly regretted giving up men. Actually, she’d had no trouble giving up other men, but giving up Alec, even though she’d never had him, that was a shame.
“Did I ever tell you my fantasy about whipped cream?” Alec asked her as he ate the last of hers.
Dennie’s pulse kicked up at the thought. “If I had any interest in your fantasies, they wouldn’t be fantasies,” she said as coldly as she could while her entire body heated.
“That’s harsh.”
“Fran Lebowitz said it first.”
“Good for her. Can we get back to my fantasy now?”
“No.” Dennie dipped her spoon in the hot fudge and licked it, which made her think of other things, which was bad. Change of subject. “What is this movie?”
“Island of Terror. Science fiction from the sixties. A classic.”
“You’re kidding.” Something moved on the TV screen, and Dennie gaped. “What is that?”
Alec stretched to put the sundae dish down and on the way back he just happened to put his arm around her. Before she could say anything, he said, “That’s the alien life-form on the island. Haven’t you been watching?”
Dennie leaned forward to see better and to keep herself from jumping him. “It looks like a big turtle.”
“Their special effects budget must have been small,” Alec said charitably.
Dennie looked skeptical. “That’s a special effect?”
“For this movie, that’s a special effect. Now lean back and pay attention.” He tightened his hold on her, and she leaned back into him. This is a mistake, she thought, but if it was, it was at least going to be a mistake that felt great. “This is where the movie gets scary, and the aliens attack,” Alec went on. “You better hold on to me. Girls get scared easier than guys.”
Dozens of turtles moved slowly across the beach, and Dennie began to laugh. The turtles were ridiculous, and Alec’s arm was solid and warm. Life was suddenly getting better.
He held her close. “Hysterical from terror, huh?” He kissed her on the top of her head, and she thought dangerous thoughts.
Remember the job, she told herself, and tilted her head back and smiled at him. “I’m still mad at you, but since I’m quite sure you’re going to set me up for breakfast tomorrow with your aunt, I might forgive you.”
Alec looked disappointed but he coped. “Anything you want. Now pay attention to the movie.” He tightened his arm around her some more. “Hey, do I know how to show a girl a good time or what? We’ll have to come here often.”
“I don’t know.” She shook her head, and her curls brushed his bare skin and made them both shiver. “This movie will be a tough one to top.”
“Nonsense,” Alec said, his voice cracking a little. “There’s The Blob. Plan 9 from Outer Space. I Was a Teenage Werewolf. Dozens of classics.”
“Oh, good.” Against all her better judgment, she nestled down next to him. “I’ll become a film connoisseur.”
His arm tightened on her still more. “No, you won’t. This isn’t film. This is the movies.”
The turtles advanced on the scientist’s daughter, who turned and ran screaming.
Dennie tried to keep her attention on the movie. “Why is she running?”
“Because the men in the audience are tired of looking at turtles.”
“Ah. An artistic decision.” Dennie watched the turtles for a while, the least sexy thing in the room. “Actually, they kind of grow on you after a while,” she said, and looked up at him. “I don’t suppose there’s a hope in hell that they actually get the scientist’s daughter?”
“None,” Alec said, and bent and kissed her while