The Letter(36)

Maddy told him about what she’d searched for, another show she’d found Paul had done in Taos, New Mexico. She’d contacted the gallery owner, but hadn’t heard back from him.

She asked about his day and they had the most normal conversation about what they’d done, like an old married couple. What? Where had that come from? Gil realized he was so comfortable just talking about anything with Maddy. She seemed genuinely interested in his answers to her questions, interested in his day. He regaled her with stories of Mrs. Johns coming in for yet more paint in another shade of almost white, her third try at getting the perfect color. Doc Benson, the veterinarian, had come in with his collie. The vet had let his daughter name the collie Lassie. The daughter had grown and moved away, but Lassie was a faithful companion to Doc Benson. Doc Benson had been the town’s vet ever since Gil could remember.

Maddy relaxed as they talked, her eyes shimmered with laughter as he told his stories. He loved putting that sparkle in her eyes. Loved making her laugh. Loved the way she made him feel. He might as well just admit it. He’d fallen for Maddy. Fallen hard. Which was exactly what he shouldn’t do. Couldn’t do.

But, instead he found himself leaning closer to her. She looked at him questioningly, or maybe encouragingly? He wasn’t quite sure. But, he took a breath, gathered his courage, and tilted her face up. He gently kissed her warm lips, hoping, against hope, that she’d kiss him back.

Instead she pulled away. “Gil…”

Got that one wrong. He was always pegging women incorrectly. He guessed it was his lot in life. His heart pounded in his chest as he plotted how to make a quick exit.

“Gil, I… Let’s try that again when it won’t be such a surprise to me.” Her face blushed a rosy pink.

Didn’t expect that.

He stopped plotting his escape and leaned in to kiss her. “Oh, I think I could oblige you, ma’am.” He put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her close into an embrace. Her lips were seeking his, kissing back. Her breath grew ragged. Good, because his breath was sucked right out of him. His heart was pounding again, but not from embarrassment from judging her wrong, but from the delightful little gasp Maddy made when he kissed her.

~ * ~

Oh, wow, she’d picked the wrong month to swear off men.

Madeline chastised herself, while giving in completely to Gil’s kiss. His expert kiss. His warm, inviting, demanding kiss. She sighed, not sure she ever wanted to come up for air. His hands slipped up, framed her face, and tilted it to meet his kiss. His hands were rough against her skin, in a tender kind of way, which was probably not possible, but her mind was a jumble of thoughts.

She finally, reluctantly, put her hands on his shoulders and pushed back. She impatiently tucked one of her run-away curls back away from her face.

Gil sat there, his breath coming in uneven drags of air. His eyes burned with passion. She sighed again as she struggled to make sense of her tangled thoughts.

“That was… nice.” Gil’s voice was deep, rolling over her in a wave of suggestion of more to come.

“Yes. Yes it was.” Madeline thought nice was a distinct understatement for what had just happened, but she’d go with it. “I didn’t see that coming.”

“Nor did I.” Gil reached out and brushed his knuckles down her cheek, sending a river of desire surging through her.

She was a weak woman. Where was her resolve to stay away from men? From any involvement with anyone for that matter. This journey was just supposed to be a quest to find out about the letter, but instead she’d found Gil, who scared her senseless if she were going to be honest.

Honesty was overrated.

“Mmm. I liked it. But I think we better try it again, just to make sure.” Gil winked, then lowered his lips to hers and she was once again lost in the moment, wanting the kiss, wanting the man. After he had her thoroughly bemused, he sat back and took her hand in his. She waited for her pounding heart to settle, trying to form coherent words.

“Gil, I came here looking for answers about the letter, not looking for any… well, involvement.”

“But it looks like you did find—what did you call it? Involvement.” He circled an arm around her, while still holding her hand captive in his other hand.

“I guess I did.” Not that she really knew what this was. Her mind refused to let her sort out any thought except that she wished he’d kiss her again.

“I’m really glad you came to town, looking for answers on that letter.”

“I am, too.” She could hear the tremble in her voice.

“So we’re still on for tomorrow? To go visit Aunt Josephine?”