Page 31 of Heart Signs

“Yeah?” All at once Sam’s tension drained away and his hand again cupped her butt. Somehow it felt more like he needed to hold on to her than an attempt to cop a feel. Not that she would’ve minded, but this was even better.

She caught his eye and they shared a smile, one that snatched her breath. Even after he looked away and began talking shop with the guys, she struggled to recover.

Her only consolation was that she hadn’t fallen all the way yet. There was still that rational part of her brain that said it didn’t make sense to have feelings for a man she barely knew, billboards and phone sex and long conversations aside. They had only scratched the surface of getting to know each other. Hormones didn’t count. Liking the little glances he threw her way as he spoke to her friends didn’t count either. Nor did how comfortable his barrel chest felt behind her when he encouraged her to lean back into his embrace as they watched the game.

His arms tightened around her and this time when her friends looked their way, he didn’t flinch. While everyone else cheered the touchdown that ended the game in the Patriots’ favor, he leaned down and clasped her earlobe between his lips. “You usually stay past the end of the game?”

Her already budding nipples decided to answer for her by pressing against her still-damp sweatshirt. “We can go whenever. I’m easy.”

At his half-smile, heat rushed across her cheeks. “I mean—”

“I like you just the way you are, Ror.” After a quick kiss on her temple, he settled her back in front of him and offered their goodbyes to the group. Everyone seemed genuinely sad to see them go, but she couldn’t claim the same as she walked out into the perfect moonlit night with Sam.

Ror. She probably shouldn’t have even noticed but she wasn’t that cool. In fact, she felt decidedly bumbling around this man. God, she needed to get a grip before she started hearing harp music whenever he glanced her way.

“Sure that was okay?” he asked as they started to walk toward the adjacent parking lot, his hand securely gripping hers.

“It’s fine. I was eager to leave.”

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“I’m not saying I wasn’t having fun

. I’m just ready for the rest of the night to get started.”

When he stopped walking, she realized she’d said the wrong thing. Again. “I mean—”

“I was hoping we could just hang. You know, be friends.”

“Friends. Right.” Disappointment coursed through her as she tugged on her suddenly constricting purse. “I’m good with that.”

“No, you’re not.” He chuckled, stepping closer to cradle her face in his large palm. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but maybe it’s better if we keep sex off the table for a while.”

“Yeah. Sure. Whatever. So what’d you think about the game?”

He chuckled again and he didn’t let go of her face. He also moved almost imperceptibly closer. “Don’t get mad ’til you hear me out.”

“Too late,” she muttered.

“I’m the one who pushed things too fast, not you.”

“Which time?”

He stroked her jaw. “All. Everything from your voice to your face to just…well, you, makes me want more. To learn everything there is to know about Rory Fowler. But if we hop into bed, some of that might get lost. I don’t want to miss a single moment of you, Ror.”

Again with the Ror thing. She directed her attention over his shoulder at the canopy of colorful leaves backlit by the lights that rimmed the parking lot. The flaming red and orange foliage fluttered gently in the breeze. It was a perfect night and she was with the man she wanted to be with. Right, wrong, it didn’t matter. She could lament what wasn’t or enjoy what was.

“Okay. I’m game for anything.”

“Has a man ever taken his time with you?” he asked quietly, instead of moving back as she’d expected. “Seduced you before he ever laid a hand on your body? Have you ever let him?”

Rory tensed, her stomach knotting as if he’d just told her he wasn’t attracted to her. In a way this was worse. There at least she’d know where she stood. He’d turned the spotlight back on her and she didn’t know how to answer.

She didn’t want to be seduced. Not outside the bedroom and not by this disturbingly fascinating, complex man. If he did that, how would she ever steel her heart against everything she wasn’t ready to feel?

“Rory?”

It would be so simple to lie. Of course she’d been seduced. She’d had sex, hadn’t she? But they both knew what he was talking about involved so much more than just the interlocking of body parts.

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