A Better Man(57)

Hungry for more than just a light press of their lips, Jordan blindly set their plates on the table, drew her into his arms, and took possession of her mouth. She parted her lips, and the sweet taste of chocolate swept across his tongue. The intensity of the kiss deepened, burning him with the need for more. He filled his hands with her backside, pulling her in tighter to ease the ache behind his zipper. Her moaned response took him to a higher level of need. It clawed inside him, forcing past common sense and headed into dangerous territory. 

He wanted her.

It was then he realized her moans didn't seem quite real. Like she was timing them or inserting them into a blank space.

What the hell?

He eased out of the kiss and her eyes popped open.

"Should we take this to the back of the limo?" she asked in a tone meant to sound seductive but instead came off sounding anxious.

And not in a good way.

Her actions and her comment were very un-­Lucy-­like.

"I let the limo go. Figured I'd take you home in the SUV."

A combination of relief and embarrassment darkened her eyes.

"Lucy. I didn't set all this up with the expectations of anything more than giving you something you missed fifteen years ago."

"Oh." She glanced away as if she couldn't look him in the eye anymore. "Well . . . it's been a lovely evening and I sincerely appreciate all your efforts although it wasn't necessary. The past is the past."

"Hey." He didn't give her the opportunity to do otherwise when he captured her face between his hands. "What's going on?"

"I don't know what you mean. I've had a lovely time. I've thanked you. And I expect now you'll want to take me home."

"Is that what you want me to do?" He didn't understand the sudden disconnect. He thought they'd been having a good time. Now she'd flipped a switch and seemed ready to run like a rabbit back to her hidey-­hole. "Talk to me, Lucy. What's going on inside that head of yours?"

"It's been a long day for me. I'm not used to all . . . this." She waved her arm at the room. "I think it would probably be a good idea for you to take me home. Or I can call a cab."

"Do we even have cabs in Sunshine?" He was joking, but clearly she wasn't in the mood.

"I can find a ride," she insisted.

"If that's what you really want, I'll take you."

"That's what I really want."

"Why?"

She looked up at him, obviously confused. "Why what?"

"Why do you want to run? Weren't you having a good time?"

"Yes, but . . . if you must know, because I'm quite sure you've never dealt with it in your entire life, rejection is a hard pill to swallow."

"Rejection?"

"See." She looked away again. "I knew you wouldn't understand the concept."

"Is that what you think I'm doing?"

"I offered to . . ."

He took her by the shoulders and forced her to look at him. "I don't want you to offer anything because you think you owe me something, Lucy. You owe me nothing. If you're going to kiss me, I want you to do it because you feel compelled to do so. Because you can't stand it another minute unless you make it happen."

He caught her by surprise when he wrapped his arm around her, brought her up hard against his body, and pressed his mouth to hers. Their tongues danced and tangled and she tasted just as sweet and enticing as she had moments before. He pressed her hand against his erection and her gasp ended the kiss.



       
         
       
        

She looked up at him, clearly surprised by his action.

He was surprised too.

He'd never had to try so hard to convince a woman he was interested and he couldn't understand why Lucy didn't get it. Usually all it took was a smile and a wink. Lucy was complicated. And for the life of him, he didn't know how else to get his point across.

"What you're feeling isn't a man who's rejecting you, Lucy. That's coming from a man who wants you but is trying his damnedest to behave like a gentleman. So if you want me to take you home, I will. But I'm hoping you'll stay."

Her dark eyes searched his face like she was looking for some hidden message. "You want me?"

"Yes. Why does that surprise you?"

"Because . . ." A harsh bark of laughter pushed through her lips. "I'm me."

Jordan had tried not to think too much about her past. Before he'd returned home, he never considered how much a person's past defined their present and future. He was quickly learning how much it mattered. With Lucy, the answers were becoming apparent. And he did not like what he saw.