Bucking the Rules(19)
She hefted her large tote more securely over her shoulder. “If people are still paying, I’ll stay open.”
“Right. Well, luckily I had a book in my truck.” He took one step forward, and then stopped.
She waited, but he didn’t say anything. “Where’s Amanda?”
“Amanda?” His brow furrowed in confusion. “Why would I know?”
“You picked her up like half an hour ago. I thought you two had a date.” She wanted to use air quotes around the word “date” but refrained.
“No,” he said slowly. “I didn’t, actually.”
Jo blinked. “But I saw you. She met you in the parking lot.”
“Did I wave and say hi?” He was starting to smile.
“You were wearing jeans and boots,” she said with a look down. Then she wished she hadn’t, since it drew her eyes to the long lines of his legs, the worn-out places in the denim reminding her what kind of hard work he did on a regular basis. She shivered a little and blinked to clear the images that wanted to start up again.
“Well, hell. Every guy in the bar tonight was wearing jeans and boots. That hardly means it was me. Plus, I hate to sound like a jerk, but if it was Amanda I wanted, I’d be with her, not here with you.”
“So why are you here with me?”
The teasing light died in his eyes, replaced by something Jo could easily recognize. Easy to relate to, because she’d felt it, too.
Hunger. Desire. Deep need.
“I think you know.” His voice was quiet, but it carried perfectly to her. “I thought things were going well, and then suddenly I got the cold shoulder. What’d I do wrong, and how do I take it back?”
A man who could admit he was wrong, even if he wasn’t sure yet why. Interesting. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I just thought you and Amanda …” Well. They weren’t, so there was no point in going in that direction.
“You thought Amanda and I were meeting tonight instead and didn’t want to poach.”
“Basically.” It sounded stupid when he said it.
He smiled and walked to her. “I can respect that. But just to cover the bases, I’m not with Amanda.”
“I see that.”
“I’m not with another woman. I’m with you, and it’s where I want to be. If you feel the same, then I’d say we were on to something good.”
Chapter Five
She waited until he was close enough to touch, then let her bag drop from her shoulder. Hot man in front of her, all but telling her he wanted her? No contest.
He took those final steps forward and she reached up to grab his shirt. Just like in her daydream, and she pulled him in. His mouth was on hers before she could adjust to the closeness of him. God, he tasted good. He felt even better, his hard body pressing against hers, gently maneuvering her until her back butted up against the brick of the bar.
“Damn,” he whispered against her lips. “I’ve been wanting to do that for months.”
“Since the first time you hit on me and I shot you down?” she asked with a smile.
“Busted. You remembered that, huh?”
“I did.”
“Not my finest moment. But I’m hoping to erase that particular memory.” He kissed her again, blazing hot. “Have I mentioned I’ve been dying to do this?”
She smiled and kissed him again. “And now you are.”
“Now I am,” he agreed and let one hand wander down to the hem of her tank top. If she’d been scheduled to work, she’d have worn the black polo uniform shirt. But she was glad she wasn’t when he tugged down until the scoop-neck of her tank slipped past her breast, exposing her lacy bra.
“Hard, tough woman on the outside, lace underneath, huh.” He looked amused, but no less turned on. One big hand covered her breast, squeezing gently, massaging, learning the shape and playing. Through the lace, he plucked at her nipple.
She sucked in a breath. God, she’d all but forgotten this was what it felt like to be with a man. To be completely wanted, desired. She turned her head until she could run her lips along his bristly jaw.
“Sorry, forgot to shave tonight.” He pulled back a little, but she made a sound and tugged him back.
“I like it. Different textures, they work for me.”
He traced the edge of lace where it lay against the swell of her breast. The skin under his touch rose in awareness. “I’ll agree to that. I’m enjoying the new discoveries myself.”
She nibbled at his ear. “Should we go upstairs and keep finding new ones?”
“I think that’s a—damn.” He muttered another curse and pulled back, reaching for his cell phone. “Sorry, normally I wouldn’t do this but—”