States , its people, their habits and language, their universal gestures; he had tried to keep himself busy by reading the local newspapers and magazines in hopes of absorbing the most commonly used words and terms of her language, but to no avail.
All he could think of was the way she had felt in his arms, the warmth of her skin, the silky texture of her hair. Never in all his years had he experienced anything like holding Lainey St. John in his arms.
And now she was here, looking more beautiful than he remembered. Her brown eyes were glowing; her skin was radiant and warm. The clothes she wore accented every feminine curve, and his body reacted instantly.
Micah had learned to govern his primal urges years ago, but his hard-won self-control shattered each time he saw her. An unfamiliar heat exploded in his groin and radiated to every part of his body.
He wanted her. Wanted her with every fiber of his being, every beat of his heart.
He took a step backward so she could enter the house. For a moment, he stood in the shadows of the entry hall, taking slow, deep breaths, until he was again in control of his wayward thoughts and emotions, and then he followed her into the parlor.
"What shall we do tonight?" Lainey asked, turning around to face him. Her heart quickened at his nearness. He made her feel beautiful, desirable, and very, very female.
"Do?"
"You know, go bowling, take in a movie, go for a walk down by the beach."
Micah hesitated, baffled by her suggestions, and then he shook his head. "Perhaps you should decide."
"Have you eaten?"
"Eaten? No."
"Well, if it's okay with you, I'd like to go to dinner, and then a show."
"Whatever you wish," Micah replied, and knew he would do anything she asked just to be with her.
Lainey smiled up at him. He was wearing a pair of snug black jeans and a blue cable-knit sweater. She took a deep breath, thinking he should be on the cover of GQ. "Are you ready?"
"Yes."
He followed her out of the house, admiring the graceful way she moved, the sway of feminine hips.
Opening the door, he slid into the car, feeling cramped, as always, in such a small space. He watched carefully as she put the key in the ignition and started the engine.
After a moment's indecision, Lainey decided to go to dinner at Luigi's, which was one of her favorite restaurants. She couldn't help but notice that every woman in the place turned to stare at Micah as they made their way to their table. She glanced over her shoulder at Micah, but he seemed completely unaware of the attention he was getting.
Lainey ordered spaghetti with marinara sauce, and when Micah couldn't make up his mind, she ordered the same for him, and then, as an afterthought, ordered a bottle of dry red wine.
Micah glanced around the restaurant, surprised to see men and women sitting together, eating together. A young man and woman sat side by side, openly holding hands. An elderly couple sat at a nearby table. They didn't talk much, but they smiled at each other while they ate.
He couldn't help staring at the man and woman in the next booth. The woman held a curly-haired baby on her lap, bouncing it up and down, laughing and cooing to it while the man looked on, smiling proudly, happily.
"So, what kind of work do you do?" Lainey asked.
Micah was so mesmerized by the sight of the woman with the child that it took a moment for him to realize Lainey had spoken. He quickly probed her mind to see what she'd asked him before replying, "I'm a navigator."
"Like on an airplane?"
"Yes."
Lainey frowned. "Let me get this straight. Your country has planes but no cars?"
"I didn't say we had no cars, only that they were different from yours."
"Oh." She studied him covertly while the waitress poured the wine. The light blue sweater he wore emphasized the blue of his eyes and complemented his long blond hair. He was so beautiful, sometimes just looking at him took her breath away.
She felt her face grow hot when she realized she was staring at him, and that he was very much aware of it.
Picking up her glass, she took a drink, hoping he would attribute the blush in her cheeks to the wine.
Micah grinned. He had little experience with females, but he recognized admiration when he saw it. The rosy color in Lainey's cheeks heightened under his knowing