And right then something happened to him. A feeling wove through him, an intuition. This woman was more than just a surprise, more than just a luscious female.
This woman is mine.
Hard on that knowledge came action.
Rick closed the small distance between them to capture her mouth, his lips hard on hers as he instinctively sought to brand himself on her, to brand her for every other man to know to whom she belonged.
She jerked back, but his hand reaching up to cup the back of her head prevented it.
Taking his mouth from hers, he looked her directly in the eyes. “I’ll call you Cherry, love, sweetheart, anything I like.”
“How dare you try to take advantage of me?” Her eyes showed twin flashes of panic and fear. “Who the hell do you think you are?”
“I’m your lover.” Oh yes, that statement just made the satisfaction curl right through him.
“My lover?” Shock wiped out all her panic.
“Your lover.” He couldn’t help it, he just knew his smile was a touch arrogant. “Your only lover.”
“Are you mad?” She jerked back from him and this time he allowed it, straightening up as she backed away.
“Some would think so,” he drawled. “But I’m known to follow my own instincts, and they’ve never steered me wrong so far.”
“What the hell? Did you drink whiskey before you came here?” She sniffed the air, her stance cautious, poised for flight. “Are you drunk?”
“You know better than that.”
“No, I don’t. I don’t know you, Reed—”
“Rick.”
“Reed. I don’t know you, I don’t want to, and I want you to leave.” She pointed to the doorway. “Right now.”
Smiling confidently, Rick moved around the table and strolled to the door. As he drew level, he stopped and looked down at her. “You’ll get to know me more, Cherry, and you’ll want to. I’m only leaving so you have time to digest those little facts.” Knowing he’d dropped enough bombshells for one day, Rick left the kitchen, walked down the hallway, and out through the front door.
Walking down the short pathway, he grinned. God, he felt good, better than he had for a long time. His work had occupied all his time, but now there was something – someone – more, and that was his future wife. He just had to convince her of that, and he would, because failure wasn’t an option.
And he wanted one more taste of her.
Wheeling around, he strode back up the pathway, onto the veranda, and knocked on the door.
Cherry yanked it open, her eyes flashing a warning. “What do you want now, you egotistical maniac?”
“A kiss from my lover.”
Grabbing her around the waist, Rick jerked her up into his arms and fastened his mouth to hers. One quick, hard kiss, a fast plunder of her mouth to fill himself with her taste, and then he released her, still floundering and trying to work out what the hell had just happened.
While she was still gaping up at him, he allowed a carnal growl to seep through his tone. “And we’re going to get intimately acquainted, Cherry. I’m going to feast my eyes on your delectable curves, I’m going to taste every inch of you, and I’m going to claim you in every way I can.” Placing his finger beneath her chin, her closed her mouth gently. “Get ready to be ravished, sweetheart. I’ll be back.”
He left her staring after him, and as he got into his car he heard her door slam shut.
God, he felt so good. Rick thrived on challenges, and Cherry was the biggest challenge in his life, and the reward of her at the end was just…God, he felt so good.
Chapter Five
Pacing around the house wasn’t helping put her scattered thoughts into any order, so Cherry headed out for a walk.
What the hell was Rick Reed up to? Kissing her and telling her – telling her! - that he was going to be her lover? So highhanded, amused at her shock and outrage, he’d simply told her and walked out, and then returned and kissed her again before finally leaving.
Feeling more than a little hot and flustered at the memory, Cherry turned her face up to the cooling breeze. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. A handsome man interested in her, plain fat old Cherry. A small smile played unbidden around her lips. More like a fairytale.
A fairytale.
Her smile faded as another thought occurred to her. Maybe he’d got caught up in the moment, a little pity, give the girl some pity kisses, make her feel special for a short while. Maybe Rick felt guilty.
Yeah, that had to be it. Rick felt guilt at sleeping with her. Her lips now turned down, a frown creasing her forehead. Probably he wanted to let her down gently.