“You mean about Christmas Eve?”
“Yes.”
“I think that can wait. But does that mean you’ll go with me?”
“I suppose I’ll need a fancy dress.” She traced the outer edges of his ears, making him squirm restlessly.
“Definitely. Is that a problem?” Holding her like this was a torment he could do without at the moment. He heard too much activity going on outside to be confident of no interruptions. When she slid a hand inside his shirt collar, he shivered. His erection was trapped uncomfortably beneath her denim-clad butt.
“No problem at all,” she said breezily, unfastening the top two buttons of his shirt. “I have a whole closet full of nice things from my gainfully employed days.”
“Define nice….”
She kissed him softly, sliding her tongue into his mouth and making him crazy. “Backless,” she whispered. “Not much of a front. Slit up the leg. How does that sound?”
He groaned. “Lord, have mercy.” He wasn’t sure if he was talking about the dress or about the way her nimble fingers were moving down his chest. “Phoebe,” he said, trying to sound more reasonable and less desperate. “Was that a yes?”
She cupped his face in her hands, her expression suddenly sweet and intense. “Thank you, Leo. You’ve saved Christmas for me. As hard as it was to say goodbye to little Teddy, you’re the only other male of my acquaintance who could make me want to enjoy the season. So yes. I’d love to go with you to Atlanta.”
* * *
He had to talk fast, but he managed to convince her they should leave that afternoon. Already he was fantasizing about making love to her in his comfy king-size bed. Last night’s spontaneous lunacy had been mind-blowing, but there was something to be said for soft sheets and a firm mattress. Not to mention the fact that he wanted to wine and dine her and show her that the big city had its own appeal.
When she finally emerged from her bedroom, he stared. Phoebe had one large suitcase, two smaller ones and a garment bag.
He put his hands on his hips, cocking his head. “You did understand that this was a brief visit…right?”
She was hot and flushed and wisps of hair stood out from her head like tiny signals saying, Don’t mess with me! Dumping the bags at his feet, she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. “I want to be prepared for any eventuality.”
He nudged the enormous bag with his toe. “The NASA astronauts weren’t this prepared,” he joked. But inside he was pleased that the sparkle was back in her eyes. “Anything else I should know about? You do know I drive a Jag.”
Phoebe smiled sweetly. “We could take my van.”
He shuddered theatrically. “Leo Cavallo has a reputation to uphold. No, thank you.”
* * *
While Phoebe went through the cabin turning off lights and putting out fresh sheets and towels, Leo studied the phone he had ordered. No point in taking it with him. He would only need it if he came back. If. Where had that thought come from? His reservation was fixed until the middle of January with a possible two-week extension.
Simply because he and Phoebe were going to make an appearance at the Christmas party didn’t mean that his doctor and Luc were going to let him off the hook. He was painfully aware that he still hadn’t told Phoebe the truth. And the reasons were murky.
But one thing stood out. Vanity. He didn’t want her to see him as weak or broken. It was a hell of a thing to admit. But would she think of him differently once she knew?
* * *
By the time the car was loaded and they had dropped off the keys at Buford’s house, Leo was starving. In blissful disregard of the calendar date, Phoebe had packed a picnic. To eat in the car, she insisted.
Instead of the way he had come in before, Phoebe suggested another route. “If you want to, we can take the scenic route, up over the mountains to Cherokee, North Carolina, and then we’ll drop south to Atlanta from there. The road was closed by a landslide for a long time, but they’ve reopened it.”
“I’m game,” he said. “At least this time it will be daylight.”
Phoebe giggled, tucking her legs into the car and waiting for him to shut the door. “You were so grumpy that night.”
“I thought I was never going to get here. The rain and the fog and the dark. I was lucky I didn’t end up nose deep in the creek.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
He shook his head, refusing to argue the point. Today’s drive, though, was the complete opposite of his introduction to Phoebe’s home turf. Sun shone down on them, warming the temperatures nicely. The winding two-lane highway cut through the quaint town of Gatlinburg and then climbed the mountain at a gentle grade. The vistas were incredible. He’d visited here once as a child, but it had been so long ago he had forgotten how peaceful the Smokies were…and how beautiful.