hers and confirm that there was definite sparkage.
“So, ah, just to confirm, there’s no one waiting for you in your regular life?” she asked quietly.
“Absolutely no one.”
She smiled. “Oh, good.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
CHAPTER FIVE
JOAQUIN FOUND IT oddly difficult to keep his mind on the task at hand. He was in Fool’s Gold to meet Simon Bradley and in less than an hour he would be joining Dr. Bradley and his wife for dinner. It was the opportunity he’d been waiting for—his purpose, at least in the moment. And yet he couldn’t seem to focus on how to best use the evening to his own benefit.
Instead he found himself thinking about Abby. The way she smiled, how she laughed, the feel of her mouth on his.
He’d kissed her. He hadn’t meant to. There’d been no plan, no reason to do it except he’d wanted to. And when she’d kissed him back, he’d felt...happy. Not a natural state for him.
Dealing with women outside of work was always complicated for him. He never knew what to say. He knew the mechanics of casual conversation but often found it difficult to put that knowledge into practice. He felt awkward and there was so much tedious work involved. Having an actual relationship had always seemed like far too much effort for not much gain. Yes, the sex was excellent—he liked sex—but getting there was disproportionately time-consuming.
Abby was different. With her, he felt comfortable. Conversation was easy. He liked that he could make her laugh. She was open and friendly and just plain nice. He enjoyed her worldview. Being around her made him feel good. Unexpectedly, the more he got to know her, the more he wanted to take care of her, protect her even.
The physical attraction was a real plus. But unlike with other women when he was simply going through the motions to get to his ultimate goal so he could be done with it and get on with his life, he wanted to take his time. He wanted to enjoy the process.
As he drove to her house to pick her up, he thought about the possibilities. If he got the fellowship, then he would stay in town. They could continue to see each other. He would like that very much.
He parked in front of her house and walked to the front door. Abby opened it before he could knock.
“I’m superexcited,” she told him. “You’re going to love Simon and Montana. My aunt is just the sweetest person and Simon is a lot like you, so you’ll have stuff in common. Plus, Henri’s is just so fancy. I love going there. It’s our special occasion place. They have the best food and the service always makes me feel special.” She tilted her head. “What?”
He knew he was staring. He couldn’t help it.
Abby had put on a dark green dress that brought out the color of her eyes. It was sleeveless with a scoop neck that hinted at her cleavage. She wore dangly earrings that sparkled and had put on makeup to enhance her features. Casual wanting grew into something nearly unmanageable—a state that should have annoyed him but instead made him feel incredibly normal.
“You’re beautiful,” he told her.
“Oh.” She smiled. “Thank you. You look very nice yourself. It’s the suit. Guys look great in suits.”
He led the way to his car and opened the passenger door. Once she was settled, he went around to his own side. In the confines of the vehicle, he could smell something sweet and floral.
Without much of a plan, he angled toward her and lightly kissed her. “I am very much looking forward to our dinner.”
“Me, too. And not just for the Henri’s part.”
They smiled at each other. He started the engine and followed her directions out of town and up the mountain.
“We’re going to the Gold Rush Ski Lodge and Resort,” she told him. “Which is a mouthful of a name. Can you imagine having to answer the phone with that fifty times a day? There’s skiing in the winter and hiking and stuff in the summer. Oh, the wedding’s going to be there. It’s a beautiful setting.”
She talked all the way to the lodge, something Joaquin was grateful for, what with a sudden attack of nerves. This evening was important to him. Getting Dr. Bradley to recognize his talent and ability meant the possibility of getting in the program. He had to stay focused.
Surprisingly, he was grateful Abby was with him. She would be a calming presence, and