Claire’s was an upscale restaurant with white linen tablecloths and real silver cutlery, definitely a special-occasion place. Bailey’s heart beat faster at the implications. And because it did, she was determined not to let him see that his invitation rattled her. “As long as I pay for my own meal to avoid any ethical considerations. And besides, are you sure you want to be seen with me in public?” Her tart question was a fair one given his ambivalence.
He winced. “I deserve that. I’ll admit that I still don’t like what you’re up to...a witch hunt that may bring down one of my friends. But I find that my scruples are far less compelling than the taste of your lips.”
Pulling her close, he kissed her gently, lazily. Where yesterday had been frantic and laced with desperation, this contact was infinitely sweet, deeply tender, endlessly erotic. She linked her arms around his neck, sighing when he aligned their bodies perfectly.
As a teenager, she had hated being taller than many of the boys in her class, but now, her height gave her an advantage. She felt the press of his belt buckle against her belly, inhaled the spicy scent of his aftershave. Beneath her fingertips, his hair was silky and smooth.
He held her confidently, like a man who knew his way around a woman’s body. Despite his professed lack of opportunity, his technique was not rusty at all. Against her breast, she felt the steady thud of his heartbeat. Perhaps it was a bit ragged, who could tell? She only knew that this moment had been weeks in the making.
“You’re very persuasive,” she whispered. When his teeth nipped the ticklish spot below her ear, she laid her cheek on his chest.
“Is that a yes?”
“I’ll have to go home and change. I could meet you back here in an hour.” She was staying at McDaniel’s Acres. Though she had no time to indulge in the dude ranch activities offered, her single room in the spacious ranch house was comfortable and more private than a B and B.
Gil tugged her ponytail. “I’ll pick you up.”
“It’s not necessary.”
He stepped back and cupped her face in his big hands. Searching eyes met her reluctant gaze and held it. For one instant, she felt a connection that was more than physical. “Don’t fight me on this, honey,” he said. “No matter how we both might twist and squirm in the wind, we’re caught in this together. Let’s see where it leads us.”
“It won’t lead anywhere,” she said flatly, not sure why she had to remind him of that.
His half smile was laced with self-derision. “But we might have fun along the way, right?”
She wasn’t armed against the charm of a man whose masculinity was as potent as hundred-proof whiskey. He had made an indelible impression on her the first time they met, and nothing had changed in that regard. “I suppose I have to wonder if you’ll stand me up,” she muttered. “Considering I waited by the phone last night like a silly schoolgirl.”
With his thumb, he traced the curve of her ear, a newly discovered erogenous zone. “I’ll make it up to you.” Suddenly, he was kissing her again. Any sweetness that had lingered on their lips was instantly vaporized by a shot of pure fire. She felt it from her breasts to her pelvis, a tingling, sizzling vein of sensation.
His arm was hard across her back, his erection thrusting urgently against her lower body. The unapologetic passion he offered her was persuasive. She wanted to melt into him, feeling incredibly alive yet, at the same time, fearful of losing herself.
She pulled away, though it required great resolve. “I’m going now,” she said, the words hushed.
Gil stood, head bowed, and pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. “I’ll be there at six-thirty. Don’t make me wait.”
* * *
He shuddered when the door closed behind her. Bailey had no idea how tenuous his control was around her. Perhaps she imagined that her drab clothing could disguise the appeal of her body, but she was wrong. When he held her, he felt the strength and softness of her frame. Neither skinny nor overweight, she was the epitome of a healthy young woman. Her required training regimen kept her fit. He liked that. A lot.
And though it only made his physical discomfort worse, he couldn’t help imagining all that energy and flexibility at his disposal in bed. God help him.
When he could leave the room without embarrassing himself, he locked the office and went in search of his son.
Thirty minutes later he dropped Cade off in town and raced back out to the ranch to change clothes. Taking Bailey out tonight would spark gossip, but for once, he didn’t care. Perhaps if word got around that the two of them were an item, no one would look too closely at Bailey’s reasons for spending time at the club.