“What would make it easier?” He searched for the store and found that it was no longer around. He turned his attention back to Jessica and made a mental note to do his own search later that evening.
“It would be easier if you did it for me.” She leaned forward and kissed him. “I can pay you in kisses.”
He drew her onto his lap. “Now, that’s a deal I’ll take.”
He sealed his lips over hers, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him as she had the other night, only this time, he knew her mind was clear of alcohol. He liked kissing her even more without the distraction of wondering whether she’d remember it in the morning and if she’d regret it. She was still wearing her bikini beneath her sundress, and she felt so good that his hands began to wander, to her hips and her outer thighs. She tightened her arms around his neck and arched her chest into his. She was open to taking this further, but Jamie had never been a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am kind of guy, and he really liked Jessica. Maybe more than he should after two days.
Tearing his lips from hers drew a groan from deep within him.
“You groaned.” A playful smile curved her lips.
“Yeah, I know.” He blew out a breath. “It was either that or…You’ve got to get off my lap before we head someplace you may regret.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Why would I regret it?”
“I don’t know. Because you’re a woman, and…” He lifted her easily from his lap and set her on the other chair, then ran both hands through the sides of his hair to try to clear the lustful thoughts from his mind.
“And? Do women often regret being with you?” Her voice was serious, but her eyes were teasing.
He took her hands in his. “Not that I know of, but…It’s easy to jump into sleeping together. Three moves and we’re there.” He lowered his voice. “Not that I don’t want to make love to you. I can’t even think about it without getting all hot and bothered.”
She pinked up again, and oh, man, he liked her reactions.
He kissed the back of her hand. “I want to know you, Jess. I want to know about your life, your family, why you’re on a hiatus. If we start with a sexual relationship, I don’t know. It’s just that I like you too much to do that. It would feel like we were working backward.”
She let out a long breath. “Really? You don’t mind waiting?”
“Don’t mind? No. Jess. Do you mind? Maybe it’s just me, but this feels different from just another date. Being with you feels different.”
She dropped her eyes to their hands and bit her lower lip. He lifted her chin so he could see her eyes.
“What is it?”
“I…Okay, this is really hard to say aloud, but…” She closed her eyes for a beat, drew in a breath, then opened her eyes with a nervous smile. “I’m a little relieved.”
“Was I pressuring you?”
“No, no. Nothing like that. My body was pressuring me. I keep wanting to touch you, to go further, but I’m not used to all of this. Well, any of this, really. I almost never date, Jamie. I don’t spend the day at the beach or walk around flea markets with hot guys and a woman I could spend all day talking to. My life is hours of practicing my cello and evening concerts. I’m almost always in symphony mode. You know, prim, proper, demure. It’s been ingrained in my very soul since the time I was a little girl.”
“Jess, I like who you are. All of you.” Jamie loved how open and honest she was being, and he could tell that it wasn’t easy for her to reveal her innermost feelings to him. He wanted to reassure her, to let her know he wouldn’t push her.
“We’ll take it slow.”
She nodded, swallowing hard and blinking away the dampness in her eyes. “I don’t even know if I want to go slow. I’ve never felt like this before. I’ve never wanted to touch anyone the way I want to touch you. You’re like…chocolate-covered potato chips. Sweet and salty. A guilty pleasure. Oh gosh, I’m making no sense.” She covered her face and he folded her into his arms.
Every single thing she did endeared her to him. She was completely different from any woman he’d ever dated, and he liked her more for it.
“You’re making total sense.”
She pressed both hands to his cheeks and gazed into his eyes. “Make no mistake about me wanting you. Ever since I beaned you with my phone and you smiled at me, I’ve wanted you, and then we kissed, and…I was a goner. As relieved as I am that we’ll take it slow, let’s not take it too slow, okay?”