Hooking - Kristine Allen Page 0,90

Her lips seemed to be moving, so I thought maybe she was talking on the phone.

I looked down at Victor, who was watching through the glass storm door. He looked up at me. “What’s she doing?” I asked him as if he’d answer.

When it went on for a while and she didn’t get out, I couldn’t stand it anymore and I walked up to her car window. Tapping on it softly, I was surprised when she jumped and squealed behind the glass.

She swallowed nervously and shut the car off. I stepped back as she opened the door and stood. Nervous energy seemed to physically hit me as it pinged off her. Did she know? Maybe I’d done something to give it away? I cast my own nervous glance to the house.

“Hey,” she said as she looked up at me. That sexy top lip that was slightly fuller than the bottom seemed to quiver. Her dark hair was silky soft over my hands as I gathered her against me. Her arms wrapped around my waist, and she pressed her nose into my neck.

“I missed you,” she said against my skin, then reached up and kissed my jaw.

“I missed you too, baby.” The endearment slipped out, but I found I didn’t mind. In fact, it tasted good on my tongue. Felt as natural as breathing.

She didn’t move, and while I could’ve held her like that all night, I was anxious. I’d been planning all week. I’d done everything I could to make it perfect.

“Do you want to stay out here all night or go inside? I mean, if you want to put on a show for the neighbors, we sure can, but I’d rather not.” She gave a laugh into my shoulder that didn’t seem to hold a lot of weight.

Using the edge of my fingers, I caught her chin, lifted her head, and held her gaze. “What’s wrong with you? And don’t say nothing.”

“It was a long week. I never really thought about how bad it would be when you were on the road for days on end.” Though her face was still up, she dropped her eyes. Unease sifted through me, like snowflakes building up to bury me.

Taking her hand, I brought her into the house. I paused and watched her as she looked around in confusion.

“What is all this?” she asked as she started forward, her fingers trailing along the bloodred roses in the vases.

“They’re for you,” I said, no longer able to keep the crooked smile from my face. I’d cleaned out every florist in a ten-mile radius. Every surface of the house was covered.

“Don’t you think you went a little overboard?” Wide-eyed with disbelief, she made her way through the house, following the trail of petals on the floor. From a distance, I followed. Watching her every move with utter fascination.

She was stunning. Beautiful inside and out. All the doubts and questions died right then and there. It didn’t matter how fast I was moving, it wasn’t fast enough.

Finally, she paused in my bathroom doorway. Head tipped, she looked over her shoulder at me. “Well, someone is set on seduction,” she said, and swallowed hard.

Whereas the rest of the house had roses everywhere, in the bathroom I had put dozens upon dozens of those battery-operated flicking candles. I’d wanted to use the real thing, but I was afraid of burning my house down while I waited for her to arrive.

Wetting my bottom lip, I stepped up behind her and slid my hands around her hips to hook in front of her. My eyes closed as I breathed her in. “Is it working?” I murmured into the hair above her ear.

“Oh too well,” she whispered.

“Good,” I whispered back.

Slowly, I spun her around, and she looped her arms around my neck. My lips nuzzled her as my hands worked at removing her clothes.

“Why do I feel like this is déjà vu?” Her words came out as a breathless gasp.

“Because that was the first night I think I knew you were different?”

She raised her arms to help me remove her shirt. For a second, I thought I saw tears glistening in the flickering lights. Then she closed her eyes and kissed me. After that, nothing mattered.

My clothes were quickly shed, and I lifted her into the tub after adding more hot water.

“I should’ve done this in the hot tub, then I wouldn’t have had to break the mood by adding water,” I muttered, feeling like I’d screwed it up. I’d