Suddenly Sexy(17)

Sam leaned across and touched her hand. "Don't be nervous."

"Nervous? I'm not nervous." She laughed. "What makes you think I'm nervous?"

"You're tearing up my car seat."

She retracted her nails. "Sorry."

"Don't be." He rubbed his fingers along hers. She had nice hands, fine-boned and slender with shortish nails. He liked short nails. The long, talon-like ones made him anxious during foreplay. "They're just car seats."

"Expensive car seats."

He shuffled closer and placed his arm across the back of her seat. "Don't worry about it. I'll be selling the Porsche now that I'm going into the building trade."

The Porsche was just a car. It hadn't always been just a car, it had once been his kick-ass dream car. The one he'd always wanted to own. The one he'd wanted to drive past Mr. Dixon, his English teacher, and shout, "See! I did amount to something."

But that was when he'd graduated from high school. The sentiment disappeared when he left Melbourne, but his idea of the dream car had remained. Eventually that had evaporated too when he actually bought the Porsche three years ago and he realized it was nice to drive and great for picking up women, but Chewy, his golden Labrador retriever, didn't fit in the back seat unless he had the sun roof open. Combing out the knots from Chewy's coat was a chore he could do without.

Sam would sell the car as soon as he bought a place of his own. Not that he didn't like living with his mother again—it was nice having home cooked meals—but he hated the constant questions about where he was going and with whom.

Some things never changed. Tonight, when he'd said he was going to see Maddie, his mother had actually praised him on his choice. During high school, she used to shake her head and mutter "She's a floozy" no matter who he dated.

Once he got his own place, he'd retrieve Chewy from the Sydney friends taking care of him, then he'd get a Chewy-friendly car. One that carried planks of wood and dogs. That sort of car would probably spoil his chances with a lot of women, but too bad. He was past the phase of his life where he had to impress the opposite sex.

Although Maddie didn't look like the sort of woman who worried about leather seats, a five-stack CD player and 500 horse power. She was practical. He was ready for practical. Practical far outweighed flighty any day. Practical meant someone to get him ready on time, someone to remind him of important dates without worrying if he forgot their eight and a half week anniversary. Practical was definitely good. Especially if it came in a package like Maddie. Sexy, delicious Maddie with her ride-me hips and innocent eyes. A heady mixture.

He moved as close to her as the gear stick would allow. Mmmm she smelled good.

"Sam?"

"Hmmm?"

"Why are you sniffing me?" She leaned back towards the door.

Damn. Too far away to kiss. "I like the way you smell."

She raised her brows. "You can smell it?"

"Your perfume? Yeah." He breathed in again, drawing the scent of Maddie deep into his lungs.

She flinched. Was she self-conscious about her smell? If only she knew how wild it drove him.

"I'm not wearing any perfume."

"Then it must be just you. You smell like my favorite flower."

"What's that?"

"The one that smells like you."

She snorted. "Using all your old lines on me, Sam Hennessy?"

What the hell did she mean by that? He sighed and sat back, a little stab piercing just below his rib cage. "I don't have any lines, Maddie." He looked down at the twinkling lights of Melbourne below them. It seemed so small from their vantage point, like a toy city. "Not any more anyway."

"Riiiight."

He turned to her but she was looking out the side window, her face shadowed. "Are you mad at me for something?" he said.

Maddie cringed. Why couldn't she have kept the sarcasm out of her voice? Sam Hennessy had been with a lot of girls during high school, but so what? He might be reformed now. He might be...

Okay, okay, he probably still dated a lot of women, but tonight he was with her, so she should just make the most of the evening. She’d be crazy to let a chance like this slip by without kissing him.

But it was more complicated than that. She was enjoying herself with him, more than she'd thought she would. She’d expected to be bored, or worse, disappointed that he didn’t live up to her fantasy. But he did.

Damn.

Now he wanted to kiss her. It seemed that Pheramour was working, except for the glitch of the slight odor. What else could explain his behavior? He'd almost kissed her!

Perfect. It’s what she wanted. Sam Hennessy hot for her. Her!

Wasn’t it?

Pheramour was successful beyond her highest expectations, and she was absolutely, positively ecstatic about that. Couldn't possibly want it any other way. Nope. Nuh-uh.