Page 20 of Forbidden Whispers

“Coming!” he heard her voice call from inside.

The door opened and she held onto it with one hand while she hopped on one foot, trying to slip on a strappy black sandal to match the other one she already had on. “I’m almost ready,” she said, slightly breathless, and then a look of concern crossed her face. “Is something wrong?”

Noah realized his mouth was hanging open. He promptly closed it. “No, no, you look...really nice.”

A small smile played at her soft pink lips. “Thank you.”

Nice was an understatement. Her sunlight and cinnamon curls spiraled softly around her face and brushed against her bare shoulders. The simple black dress she wore accentuated her tan and clung nicely to her curves before flaring out into a short skirt that left plenty of her shapely legs visible beneath it.

“You look nice, too,” she said, indicating his khakis and black button-front Henley shirt. She grabbed a small purse from a table beside the door. “Okay, I’m ready. Let’s go find Valentina!”

“Right. Find Valentina.” He offered her his arm, and with another small smile, she took it. He couldn’t deny the electric jolt that ran through him as her fingertips slipped around his upper arm. The sensation was like a fiery current racing through his veins, igniting every nerve ending.

He led her to the Porsche and opened the door for her. She slipped inside, giving him another nice glimpse of her legs as she gracefully swung them into the car.

He walked quickly around to get behind the driver’s seat.

“Where’s Boon?” she asked, looking into the back seat.

“I didn’t think it was practical to bring him along tonight. My brother Jake and his wife Alex have a dog already. Plus, they’re dog sitting our other brother’s dog already. So, they offered to watch him for me tonight for a doggie play date.”

“Awwww, that’s sweet.” Maggie straightened in her seat and put on the seatbelt, then looked at him with a bright smile. “Let’s take Lakeshore Drive.”

“For the view?”

“No! I want you to open this baby up. Let’s see what it can do!”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m not doing that. The last thing I need now is a speeding ticket.”

“Party pooper.”

He grinned. “Would you like to drive?”

She looked at him, her face glowing with excitement. “Can I?”

“Sure, apparently it’s my car.”

They each got out and switched seats.

She started the engine. “Can I ask you a favor?”

“What?”

“Can you open the timer on your phone?”

“Uh...okay.” He pulled out his cell phone and opened the timer app.

“Now, can you hit start?”

“Sure, whyyyyyyy!!!!” The car exploded forward on the street as she jammed the accelerator to the floor.

“Hit stop!” she shouted, slamming the brakes. She looked over at him. “What does it say?”

“It says you’re crazy, lady!”

“C’mon, seriously! I read that this car can hit sixty miles per hour in 2.6 seconds.”

Noah looked down at his phone. “It was actually 2.2 seconds.” He unbuckled his seat belt. “But now we’re switching back, because I’m too young to die.”

---