Romantic Acquisition Page 0,16
it?” He listened for a moment and nodded his head. “We’ll leave the address in the passenger seat. Thanks for your help.”
He hung up the phone and pulled out a card. “I’ll drive you home. Write your address down on this and someone will deliver it to you once the battery is replaced.”
“There’s no need…”
“Yes there is. Write,” he said firmly.
Kate took out a pen from her purse and wrote down her address. She left the card in the passenger seat, then turned to speak to him again.
“Come on, I’ll drive you home.”
“You don’t need to drive me home, I’ll get a cab.”
“Now what would my mother say if I left a lady stranded on the side of the road?”
Kate laughed at his serious expression. “You told me the other night that your parents passed away several years ago.”
“She’d still be furious with me. Come on,” he said and put a hand in the small of her back. “I’m driving you home.”
Kate hesitated but the firm hand only pushed her gently along. Before she knew it, Carlo was tucking her into his car and they were driving away.
At the exit of the parking lot, he turned to her, silently asking her which way to go. Kate gave him directions and within fifteen minutes, they were pulling up outside her small house. It was completely dark which wasn’t unusual. She usually drove into the garage which had an automatic light.
“I’ll walk you to the door,” he said and got out of the car. He walked around to the passenger side and held her door for her.
She stepped out of the car and he closed it behind her. “Carlo, really there’s no need to do this,” she said, terrified of being alone with him more than of a burglar inside her home. She wasn’t sure which was more dangerous.
He ignored her and walked in front of her to the darkened front door. When they reached the porch, he waited for her to find her key. “Thank you for the ride,” she said, digging through her purse and finally locating her keys. Her fingers were shaking and she dropped them three times before he took them out of her hands.
“Do I make you nervous?” he asked as he opened the door.
Kate shook her head.
Carlo chuckled. “You’re not a very good liar, Kate.”
She smiled slightly. “Your mother should have told you a gentleman doesn’t call a lady a liar.”
“I believe she did,” he laughed. “Why do I make you nervous?”
She shrugged her shoulders.
He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her so that she was facing him. “We’re going to be lovers, Kate,” he said softly.
Kate’s gasp almost choked her. “What?”
He wouldn’t let her step back from him. “Admit it Kate, you’re just as attracted to me as I am to you,” he said, his voice husky in the dim light.
She shook her head, denying what he was saying. “No. You’ve never given me any indication that you’re interested in me.”
He took a step closer to her and smiled. She could barely see the smile in the light but she could feel it somehow. “Ah, but I have. You just don’t know me well enough. But I’ll give you time.”
She took a step back. “No, that’s not a good idea,” she said. Kate didn’t think he would be the kind of man who would accept a friendship with her. Carlo definitely needed to be kept at arms length.
“I can see your heartbeat on your neck,” he said and touched the spot that was beating frantically. “Don’t be nervous. I won’t bite,” he said. “At least not where you’ll mind,” he replied, leaning closer.
“Carlo, you’ve only known me for a little over three weeks and now you’re telling me we’re going to be lovers.”
“I know. Odd isn’t it?”
She nodded her head, her hair dancing along his hands where he was still holding her shoulders. “It’s crazy.”
He didn’t like the nervousness in her eyes. But he knew he could get past that eventually. “Not crazy. Just odd.”
She shook her head. He nodded.
“I’m going to kiss you,” he warned.
“Don’t say that,” she whispered and put her hands on his chest to push him away as he leaned forward. That was a mistake. As soon as her hands touched him, she was instantly fascinated by the feel of his muscles flexing under her fingertips. Her breath caught in her throat and her face turned up to his like a flower to sunshine. She wanted the kiss now.