Page 72 of The Last Love Song
Stepping inside, Heather headed for the chairs in the lounge, but he gestured her toward the office in back. He unlocked another door and sealed them into a small, private room with a desk, an old television mounted on one wall and a wooden bench covered with boxes of flyers for the fair.
Heather couldn’t hold back the well of emotion any longer. She couldn’t let this conversation be solely about business. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you this week. I realized how stubborn I must have seemed about the whole illness thing, but I wasn’t sure if you’d want to hear from me after how we parted.”
Zach stared back with shocked eyes as he tossed the keys on the desk. “How could you not know?” He moved boxes to clear a spot for her to sit and extended a hand for her to join him. “Heather, it killed me not to pick up the phone this week, but the ball was in your court. You drew the line in the sand, not me.”
Hesitating for less than an instant, she took his hand, warm and strong. She sank onto the bench, her back to the wall, her leg pressed to his. Her heart ached. She wanted things to beeasy between them, no investigations or chronic illness. Just two people free to explore their feelings unencumbered by baggage.
“I’ve got a problem taking risks.” That was part of the reason she’d never left Heartache to achieve her dreams. Sure, she’d been busy with her family and helping out her mom, but she was also scared. “Remember I told you I’ve never fallen in love? It helps that I don’t put myself on the line.”
His muscles bunched beneath his dress shirt.
“Maybe you should work on that before you go halfway across the country for a singing audition.” His tawny gaze locked on her. “Take a few smaller risks first.”
“I could do that.” Her heart beat faster as she took in the hard line of his jaw. The way his hair curled a little bit on one side, as if a greedy lover had pawed a hand through it.
The full, sensual shape of lips that could kiss her like no man ever had before.
“Do you need help coming up with some ideas?” His eyebrow arched, his thumb stroking the inside of her wrist.
“I have several excellent ideas. But I don’t want to preempt you since you said you wanted to talk to me. You wanted to ask me a question.” With her blood slowly starting to simmer, it took all her powers of concentration to dredge up that detail from her memory.
“Ah.” He nodded. “I wanted to ask you why the hell you haven’t called.”
She laughed. “Because I’m clueless and chicken, and I kept hoping I was just dreaming how much I liked you.”
He reached for her, but only to run two fingers down a strand of her hair. He pulled it taut for a moment before watching it fall back into place with the rest.
“How about now? What are you thinking?”
“I definitely wasn’t dreaming how much I liked you.” Could she shape her dreams the way Nina had, so that they could include Zach? She definitely felt herself falling harder for him.
Right this very moment.
“That’s good to hear. Because I like you a whole lot, too.” This time his finger brushed her cheek, and the touch was an electric jolt to her system. “Even if you are clueless and chicken.”
She couldn’t help a smile. He knew her so well. She might be unsure about many things, but she knew her feelings for this man ran deep. She couldn’t bear the thought of passing up the chance to be with him. Now. She’d missed him so much this past week. Denying herself a moment with him seemed like the ultimate foolishness.
“I’m going to fix the chicken part right now,” she assured him, pressing her leg hard against his. “By taking one of those risks we talked about.”
“Really?” Something flickered in his eyes. A spark of awareness that lit an answering flame in her.
“Really.” Her breath came so fast she thought she might hyperventilate, but she didn’t let that slow her down. Licking her lips for good measure—just to be sure she had his attention—she reached for the hem of her sweater.
Then pulled it up and over her head.
Chapter Seventeen
When Zach had gonelooking for Heather at the fairgrounds, he had wanted to ask her a legitimate question. And he had some important things to tell her, too.
But he couldn’t remember any of them after she’d said how much she missed him.
The woman had him wrapped around her finger, and that was long before the sweater came off.
Now?
He was putty in her hands. He knew it even as he clamped a palm on either side of her cheeks and held her still for his kiss. A long, slow, thorough meeting of the lips. She tasted like vanilla and promises, like a woman he wanted the right to kiss every day.
Still, he forced himself to ease back, tipping his forehead to hers while they sat together on the bench. His breathing was ragged.
